Learn Hardcore Croatian: Pas pije mlijeko.

Croatian does not use definite or indefinite articles like the or a/an. Nouns stand alone, and context tells you if you mean “a dog” or “the dog.”

What grammatical case are Pas and mlijeko?

Pas is in the nominative singular (it’s the subject). Mlijeko is in the accusative singular (the direct object). For neuter nouns like mlijeko, the accusative looks the same as the nominative.

How do you form the verb pije, and why does it end in -je?

Pije is the 3rd person singular present tense of the verb piti (“to drink”). You take the stem pi- and add the personal ending -je to agree with “he/she/it.”

Can you add the pronoun on (“he”) to the sentence?

Yes: On pije mlijeko. Croatian often drops the subject pronoun because the verb ending already indicates person and number. Adding on makes it more explicit or emphatic.

Why does mlijeko end in -o?