Mobitel je na stolu.

to be

Breakdown of Mobitel je na stolu.

• na: on
• stol: table
• mobitel: mobile phone

Questions & Answers about Mobitel je na stolu.

What does the word je do, and why is it placed after Mobitel?

Je is the 3rd person singular of the verb biti (to be), so it means is. It’s also a clitic, which in Croatian normally goes in second position in the clause. That’s why you get Mobitel je na stolu. You can’t start a statement with je by itself.

Can I change the word order to Na stolu je mobitel?

Yes. Na stolu je mobitel is fully grammatical. The difference is in emphasis:

• Mobitel je na stolu = neutral; we’re talking about the phone and saying where it is.
• Na stolu je mobitel = emphasizes the location; good if you’re contrasting places or introducing what’s on the table.

Why is it na stolu and not na stol?

Because na takes the locative case for a static location (where something is). Stolu is the locative singular of stol (table).
Use accusative with na for motion onto a surface:

• Location: Mobitel je na stolu. (The phone is on the table.)
• Motion: Stavljam mobitel na stol. (I’m putting the phone onto the table.)

What case is stolu, and how does stol change in cases?

Stolu is locative singular. A few key forms of stol (masculine):

• Nominative: stol (table)
• Genitive: stola (of the table)
• Dative/Locative: stolu (to the table / on the table)
• Instrumental: stolom (with the table)
  Croatian masculine nouns often have -u in the dative/locative singular.

Can I drop je and just say Mobitel na stolu?

Not in normal standard speech. Je is required. Omitting it sounds like a headline, note, or telegraphic style. In newspapers you might see something like Mobitel na stolu, but in regular speech/writing you should use Mobitel je na stolu.

How do I ask a yes–no question with this sentence?

You can say:

• Je li mobitel na stolu? (standard)
  Colloquially you’ll also hear Je l’ mobitel na stolu?
  In Croatian, Da li… is widely understood but less preferred in the standard; stick to Je li… for the most neutral style. Rising intonation alone can also turn it into a question in conversation: Mobitel je na stolu?

How do I ask Where is the phone?

Say: Gdje je mobitel?
A natural short answer is: Na stolu.

There are no articles in Croatian, so how do I show the idea of the vs a?

Croatian doesn’t use articles. Context usually makes it clear. If you need to be explicit, use demonstratives:

• Taj mobitel je na tom stolu. (That phone is on that table.)
• Ovaj mobitel je na ovom stolu. (This phone is on this table.)

Is mobitel the only word for phone?

In Croatia, mobitel is the common word for mobile/cell phone. You can also hear mobilni telefon. Telefon can mean a phone in general (often landline), but many people use it for mobiles too. In Serbia you’ll more often hear telefon or mobilni telefon instead of mobitel.

What gender is mobitel, and which pronoun would I use?

Mobitel is masculine. The pronoun is on (he/it). For example:

• Mobitel je na stolu. On je na stolu.
  You can also omit the subject and just say Na stolu je. if the context is clear.

How do I make it plural?

• Plural subject: Mobiteli su na stolu. (The phones are on the table.)
• If both are plural: Mobiteli su na stolovima. (The phones are on the tables.)
  Note the verb agrees: je (singular) → su (plural). Locative plural of stol is stolovima.

How do I negate it?

Use nije (is not): Mobitel nije na stolu.
You can also emphasize contrast: Mobitel nije na stolu, nego na polici. (The phone is not on the table, but on the shelf.)

What’s the difference between na and u?

• na = on, onto (surface or open area).
• u = in, into (inside something).
  Examples: Mobitel je na stolu. vs. Mobitel je u torbi.
  For motion: Stavljam mobitel na stol. vs. Stavljam mobitel u torbu.

Why is je sometimes not right after the first word, like in Moj je mobitel na stolu?

Clitics like je go in second position after the first stressed unit of the clause. That can be one word or a phrase.

• Mobitel je na stolu. (after the first word)
• Moj je mobitel na stolu. (here the first stressed unit is the adjective Moj, so je comes second)
• Na stolu je mobitel. (fronted prepositional phrase, clitic still in second position)

Is there any common confusion with the word for table?

Yes. In Croatian, stol means table. Sto without the accent means one hundred, and što (with the caron on s) means what. In Serbian, the word for table is sto (and the locative is also stolu), which can confuse learners switching resources.

How would I say on top of the table?

Use a noun plus genitive: na vrhu stola (literally on the top of the table). Note the genitive stola after vrh (top), not stolu. Example: Mobitel je na vrhu stola.

How do I pronounce the words roughly?

Approximate English-friendly guide:

• mobitel ≈ MOH-bee-tehl
• je ≈ yeh
• na ≈ nah
• stolu ≈ STOH-loo
  Vowel length and pitch accent matter in Croatian, but this will be understood.