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Questions & Answers about Ovo je najbolji film do sada.
Why is it Ovo and not Ovaj at the start?
Ovo is a neuter demonstrative pronoun used in the pattern Ovo je X. If you want to modify a specific masculine noun, you use the masculine demonstrative adjective: Ovaj film je najbolji do sada. Both are correct; Ovo je… points to or introduces something, Ovaj film je… explicitly points to the film itself.
Can I use To instead of Ovo?
Yes: To je najbolji film do sada. To is very common and neutral (roughly that/it), while ovo suggests physical or discourse closeness. All three are fine: Ovo je…, To je…, Ovaj film je…, with small differences in emphasis.
What is je, and why does it appear second?
Je is the 3rd person singular of biti (to be) and is a clitic. Croatian clitics prefer second position in the clause, so you get Ovo je…, Do sada je…, Ovaj film je…, etc.
Is the word order fixed, especially for do sada?
No, it’s flexible. Common, natural options include:
- Ovo je najbolji film do sada.
- Ovo je do sada najbolji film.
- Do sada je ovo najbolji film. Avoid splitting the noun phrase: najbolji do sada film sounds odd.
How does adjective–noun agreement work in najbolji film?
Adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case. Film is masculine singular nominative, so you use najbolji. For a feminine noun: najbolja serija; for a neuter noun: najbolje pivo.
How is the superlative formed in Croatian?
Typically with naj- + the comparative: brži → najbrži, pametniji → najpametniji, mlađi → najmlađi. Dobar is irregular: dobar → bolji → najbolji (as in the sentence).
What exactly does do sada mean, grammatically?
Literally up to now. It’s do (until) + sada (now) used adverbially to set a time frame. With nouns, do governs the genitive (e.g., do jutra), but sada is an adverb, so you just use the fixed phrase do sada.
Do do sada, do sad, and dosad(a) differ?
All mean the same (so far/up to now). Do sad is the shorter colloquial form; dosad/dosada are single-word variants. Note: dosada can also be a noun meaning boredom; context disambiguates.
Can I say ikad/ikada instead of do sada?
Yes, but it changes the meaning: ikad/ikada = ever. Ovo je najbolji film ikad/ikada means best ever, which is stronger than so far.
Why is there no word for the in najbolji film?
Croatian has no articles. Definiteness is inferred from context and forms; superlatives like najbolji usually imply definiteness automatically.
Which case is film in after je?
Nominative. With biti (to be), both the subject and the predicate noun/adjective are typically in the nominative: Ovo je (što?) film → nominative.
How do I negate the sentence?
Use nije (ne + je): Ovo nije najbolji film do sada. For emphasis you can front the negation: Nije ovo najbolji film do sada.
How would it change with feminine or neuter nouns?
- Feminine: Ovo je najbolja serija do sada.
- Neuter: Ovo je najbolje pivo do sada. The adjective ending changes to match the noun’s gender.
How do I make it plural?
Use the plural verb and plural noun: To su najbolji filmovi do sada. Many speakers also say Ovo su najbolji filmovi…, but To su… is the safest choice in standard usage.
Any quick pronunciation tips?
- j = y in yes (so je = ye)
- lj = palatal l, like the ll in million (Croatian lj in najbolji)
- aj = eye (so naj = nigh)
- Vowels are pure and short here: o as in more (shorter), a as in father. So: roughly OH-vo yeh nigh-BOL-yee film doh SAH-dah.
Can I drop je?
No in normal sentences. Clitic je is required with biti. It’s only omitted in headlines, notes, or very telegraphic styles, which you should avoid as a learner.
Is za sada the same as do sada?
No. Do sada = so far/up to now. Za sada = for now/for the time being (temporary state). Different meanings.
How do I add a clause like that I’ve seen?
Use a relative clause with the perfect: Ovo je najbolji film koji sam dosad gledao/gledala. Choose gledao if you’re male, gledala if you’re female. You can also use vidio/vidjela (seen).