Learn Hardcore Croatian: Večera je topla i spremna.

je is the third-person singular present form of the verb biti (to be). It links the subject večera with its descriptions topla and spremna, just like “is” in English.

What is the gender, number, and case of večera?

večera is a feminine noun, singular, in the nominative case. It stands in the nominative because it’s the subject of the sentence.

Why do the adjectives end in -a in topla and spremna?

In Croatian, adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Since večera is feminine, singular, nominative, both adjectives take the feminine-singular nominative ending -a.

Can I change the word order, for example to Večera je spremna i topla?

Yes. Croatian has relatively free word order. Swapping topla and spremna merely shifts the emphasis: dinner is ready and hot, rather than hot and ready, but the basic meaning stays the same.

What does spremna mean? How is it different from gotova?

spremna means “ready,” implying that something is prepared and set for use or serving. gotova literally means “finished” or “done”—you might say Večera je gotova to mean dinner is finished cooking, but spremna emphasizes that it’s ready to eat.

Why do we use i instead of another word for “and”?

i is the standard, most common Croatian conjunction for “and.” While there is also te, it’s used in more formal or literary contexts and not for simple lists like this one.

How do I pronounce Večera je topla i spremna?

Večera: /ˈvɛ.tʃe.ra/
je: /jɛ/
topla: /ˈtɔ.pla/
i: /i/
spremna: /ˈsprɛm.na/
Stress typically falls on the first syllable of each word.

Could I replace večera with another meal word?

Yes. For example:
Ručak je topao i spreman (Lunch is hot and ready).
Note how topao (masculine) and spreman (masculine) agree with ručak, which is masculine singular.