Learn Hardcore Croatian: Sir je slan.

Croatian has no articles (no “a/an” or “the”). Sir je slan can mean either The cheese is salty (specific cheese) or Cheese is salty (generic statement), depending on context.

What case is sir in, and why?

Sir is in the nominative singular because it’s the subject of the sentence. In predicate sentences with biti (to be), both the subject and a predicate adjective stay in the nominative.

Why is it slan, not slani, slana, or slano?

The adjective must agree with the noun in gender and number. Sir is masculine singular, so the nominative masculine singular is slan.
slani is the “long/definite” form typically used before a noun (attributive), e.g., slani sir “salty cheese.”
slana is feminine singular, slano is neuter singular, and slani is masculine plural.

Can I say Slan je sir instead of Sir je slan?

Yes. Both are correct. Sir je slan is neutral. Slan je sir puts slight emphasis on the adjective (it’s the cheese that is salty), often used for contrast or stylistic emphasis. The verb je must remain in second position in the clause, so you can’t start with Je.

How do I ask “Is the cheese salty?” in Croatian?

Standard: Je li sir slan?
Also common (especially regionally): Da li je sir slan?
With intonation only (informal speech): Sir je slan? (rising intonation) Avoid Je sir slan? in standard Croatian; the clitic je shouldn’t start the sentence unless in the fixed interrogative Je li.

How do I say “The cheese is not salty”?

Sir nije slan.
Negative forms of biti: nisam, nisi, nije, nismo, niste, nisu (I am not, you are not, he/she/it is not, etc.).

What are the present-tense forms of “to be” (biti)?

ja sam (I am)
ti si (you are, sg.)
on/ona/ono je (he/she/it is)
mi smo (we are)
vi ste (you are, pl./formal)
oni/one/ona su (they are m./f./n.)

Can I omit je like Russian omits “to be” in the present?

No. In standard Croatian, the present-tense biti is normally expressed. You should say Sir je slan, not just Sir slan (the latter sounds elliptical or nonstandard).

How do I say it in the plural, like “Cheeses are salty”?

Sirevi su slani.

sirevi = plural of sir
su = 3rd person plural of biti
slani = masculine plural of the adjective

How would the sentence change with a feminine or neuter noun?

Feminine: Juha je slana. (The soup is salty.)
Neuter: Mlijeko je slano. (The milk is salty.)
The adjective ending changes to match the noun: slana (fem.), slano (neut.).

What’s the difference between sir je slan and slani sir?

sir je slan = full sentence, predicate adjective after the verb: “The cheese is salty.”
slani sir = noun phrase, adjective before the noun: “salty cheese” (as a type or description).
In predicative position (after je), use the short form slan; before the noun, the long form slani is common in modern Croatian.

How do I say “very/too/a bit salty”?

very: jako slan or vrlo slan
too salty: preslan (one word), or previše slan
a bit salty: malo slan or pomalo slan

How do I pronounce the words?

je: [ye] as in “yes”
sir: short “i” (like “sit” but longer), rolled/trilled r
slan: a like “father”; all letters pronounced clearly; stress typically on the first syllable

What’s the difference between slan and posoljen/soljen?

slan describes taste: “salty.”
posoljen/soljen means “salted” (salt has been added).
Example: Sir je slan (it tastes salty). Sir je posoljen (it has been salted, e.g., during preparation).

How do I say “with cheese” (like on a menu)?

Use the instrumental singular of sir: sirom. With the preposition s/sa (“with”): sa sirom (commonly sa here for easier pronunciation).
Examples: pita sa sirom (pie with cheese), pizza sa sirom.

Is slano ever correct here? I often see the -o ending.

Not with sir, because sir is masculine. Slano is neuter singular, so it’s used with neuter nouns (e.g., mlijeko je slano).
Also, slano can be used as a general noun meaning “savory/salty food”: Više volim slano nego slatko.

I saw jest instead of je. Is Sir jest slan correct?

Jest is an emphatic/archaic form of je. Sir jest slan is grammatical but sounds formal, literary, or emphatic (“The cheese is indeed salty”). In everyday speech, use je: Sir je slan.

Does Croatian sir ever mean the English title “Sir”?

No. Croatian sir means “cheese.” The English title “Sir” is sometimes left as Sir before names in media (e.g., Sir Elton John), but as a Croatian word sir is only “cheese.” The Croatian equivalent of the polite address “sir” is gospodine.