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Questions & Answers about Film je zabavan.
What does je mean, and why does it come after Film?
Je means is (3rd person singular present of biti = to be). It’s a clitic, and Croatian clitics prefer second position in the clause, so in Film je zabavan, it sits right after the first stressed element (Film).
Why is it zabavan and not zabavna or zabavno?
Adjectives agree with the noun’s gender and number. Film is masculine singular, so you use masculine singular nominative zabavan.
- Masculine: zabavan (Film je zabavan.)
- Feminine: zabavna (Serija je zabavna. “The TV show is fun.”)
- Neuter: zabavno (Putovanje je zabavno. “The trip is fun.”)
What case are the words in?
Both Film and zabavan are in the nominative. After the verb biti (to be), the complement stays in nominative: Film je komedija (“The film is a comedy”), not “komediju.”
Can I drop je and just say Film zabavan?
No, not in standard Croatian. The copula je is required in full sentences. You might see it omitted in headlines or very telegraphic speech, but that’s not standard.