Grad je velik.

The city is big.

Breakdown of Grad je velik.

• biti: to be
• velik: big
• grad: city

Questions & Answers about Grad je velik.

What does je mean in this sentence?

je is the third-person singular present tense of the verb biti (“to be”). It corresponds to “is” in English.

Why is there no article like the or a before grad or velik?

Croatian does not use definite or indefinite articles. You simply say grad je velik, without “the” or “a/an.”

Why is the adjective velik not velika or veliko?

Adjectives in Croatian agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. Grad is masculine singular in the nominative case, so its matching adjective form is velik (masculine singular nominative).

Which case are grad and velik in, and why?

Both are in the nominative case. Grad is the subject, and predicate adjectives (like velik) also appear in the nominative to agree with the subject.

Can I change the word order to Velik je grad? Does it mean something different?

Yes, you can. Croatian word order is flexible. Velik je grad still means “The city is big,” but placing velik first may emphasize the bigness of the city.

How do I pronounce Grad je velik?

Pronunciation guide:

• grad [grâd] (short a, stress on the first syllable)
• je [jɛ]
• velik [vɛlík] (stress on the second syllable in standard pronunciation, but dialects vary)

What gender is grad, and why does it matter?

Grad is masculine (inanimate). Gender matters because it determines how adjectives, pronouns, and past participles must be formed to agree with the noun.

Why not say grad je veliki?

Veliki is the masculine plural (or vocative singular) form of the adjective. Since grad is singular and we need the masculine singular nominative, the correct form is velik, not veliki.