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Questions & Answers about Djevojka je u školi.
What does each word in Djevojka je u školi. mean?
- Djevojka = girl/young woman (nominative singular, feminine; the subject)
- je = is (3rd person singular present of biti “to be”)
- u = in/at
- školi = school (locative singular of škola “school”)
Why is it u školi and not u škola?
Because the preposition u takes the locative case to express location (being in/at a place). The noun škola (school) in the locative singular is školi. So, for static location you say u školi.
When do I use u with the accusative instead (e.g., u školu)?
Use u + accusative to express motion into a place (direction). Compare:
- Static location: Djevojka je u školi. = The girl is at/in school. (locative)
- Motion/direction: Djevojka ide u školu. = The girl is going to school. (accusative)
What case is djevojka in, and why?
Djevojka is nominative singular (feminine) because it’s the subject of the sentence.
How do I pronounce this sentence?
Approximate English-friendly guide: DYE-voi-kah yeh oo SHKOH-lee.
- j is like English “y” (as in “yes”)
- š is like “sh”
- u is like “oo” in “food”
- The sequence dje is pronounced like “dye”
Why is it u školi and not na školi?
- u is used for being “in/inside” or “at” most enclosed places and institutions, including schools: u školi.
- na is used for surfaces and for some institutions/events: na poslu (at work), na fakultetu (at university), na koncertu (at a concert).
- na školi would mean literally “on the school (building)” and is not used for the normal “at school” meaning.
How do I turn the sentence into a yes–no question: “Is the girl at school?”
Use the question particle li with the verb:
- Je li djevojka u školi?
You may also see the colloquial contraction Je l’ djevojka u školi?
Regionally (especially outside Croatia) you’ll hear Da li je djevojka u školi?, but in standard Croatian Je li is preferred.
How do I answer briefly “Yes, she is” or “No, she isn’t”?
- Yes: Da. / Jest. (Formal/standard short form; standalone “je” is usually avoided in very careful speech.)
- No: Ne. / Nije.
How do I negate the original sentence?
Replace je with nije:
- Djevojka nije u školi. = The girl is not at school.
Can I drop je and just say Djevojka u školi?
Not in a normal, full sentence. Je (the verb “is”) is required. You might see Djevojka u školi in headlines, notes, or very telegraphic style, but it’s not a complete standard sentence.
What’s the difference between “at school” and “in school” meanings here?
U školi primarily means physically at/in the school.
If you want to stress attending school (as a student), you’d usually say:
- ide u školu = goes to school (is a student)
- pohađa školu = attends school
Are there articles like “the” or “a” in Croatian?
No. Croatian has no articles. Djevojka je u školi can mean either “The girl is at school” or “A girl is at school,” depending on context. You can add determiners for clarity:
- ta djevojka = that girl
- jedna djevojka = a/one (certain) girl
Does djevojka only mean “girl,” or can it mean “girlfriend”?
It can mean both, depending on context. In everyday speech, cura often means “girl” or “girlfriend.” For a little girl, use djevojčica. If you mean “my girlfriend,” say moja djevojka or moja cura.
What changes in the plural?
- Subject: djevojke (girls; nominative plural)
- Verb: su (are)
- Sentence: Djevojke su u školi. = The girls are at school. If you mean “in the schools” (plural), it’s u školama (locative plural).
What are the other present-tense forms of biti (to be)?
- ja sam (I am)
- ti si (you are, singular)
- on/ona/ono je (he/she/it is)
- mi smo (we are)
- vi ste (you are, plural or formal)
- oni/one/ona su (they are, m/f/n)
Can I change the word order?
Yes. Word order is flexible and used to manage emphasis. Examples:
- Neutral/new info at the end: Djevojka je u školi.
- Emphasizing the location: U školi je djevojka. Note that je is a clitic and tends to appear in “second position” in the clause.
How would I ask “Where is the girl?”
Gdje je djevojka?
Notice je still sits after the first stressed element (Gdje).
Why do I sometimes see devojka instead of djevojka?
That’s the Serbian (Ekavian) form. Standard Croatian (Ijekavian) uses djevojka. Both mean “girl/young woman,” but the spelling reflects the standard of the language variety.
Any spelling tips for the special letters here?
- š is a distinct letter (not “s”): škola/školi, not “skola/skoli.”
- j is “y” (so je sounds like “yeh”).
- The sequence dje is written with d + j + e and pronounced like “dye,” not with the single letter đ.
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