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Ovaj hodnik je uzak.

Ovaj hodnik je uzak.
This hallway is narrow.

Breakdown of Ovaj hodnik je uzak.

biti
to be
ovaj
this
hodnik
hallway
uzak
narrow
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Questions & Answers about Ovaj hodnik je uzak.

Why is it ovaj hodnik and not ovo hodnik or ova hodnik?

In Croatian, demonstrative words (ovaj, ova, ovo = this) must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they refer to.

  • hodnik (hallway) is masculine, singular, nominative.
  • The masculine singular nominative form of “this” is ovaj.

So you get:

  • ovaj hodnik – this hallway (masculine)
  • ova soba – this room (feminine)
  • ovo dijete – this child (neuter)
What are the grammatical properties (gender, number, case) of ovaj and hodnik in this sentence?

Both ovaj and hodnik are:

  • Gender: masculine
  • Number: singular
  • Case: nominative

They form the subject of the sentence:

  • Ovaj hodnik = this hallway (subject)
  • je uzak = is narrow (predicate)
What part of speech is je, and why do we need it?

je is the 3rd person singular present form of the verb biti (to be).

  • je = is

Croatian normally requires this verb in full sentences like this:

  • Ovaj hodnik je uzak. – This hallway is narrow.

Leaving it out (Ovaj hodnik uzak.) sounds like a headline, telegram, or very telegraphic style, not like a normal neutral sentence.

Why is the adjective uzak at the end instead of before the noun, like in English?

In this sentence, uzak is a predicate adjective, used with the verb biti (je):

  • English: The hallway is narrow.
  • Croatian: Hodnik je uzak.

In both languages, when you say “X is Y”, the adjective normally comes after the verb.

If you use the adjective directly with the noun (no je), then it goes before the noun:

  • uzak hodnik – a narrow hallway
  • dugačak hodnik – a long hallway

So:

  • Ovaj hodnik je uzak. – This hallway is narrow.
  • Ovaj uzak hodnik… – This narrow hallway…
Why is the adjective exactly uzak? What form is that?

uzak is the masculine singular nominative form of the adjective meaning narrow.

Adjectives agree with the noun they describe:

  • ovaj hodnik je uzak
    • hodnik → masculine, singular, nominative
    • uzak → masculine, singular, nominative

Other main forms of this adjective:

  • Masculine singular: uzak
  • Feminine singular: uska
  • Neuter singular: usko

You’ll notice a small stem change (z → s in some forms). That’s just how this adjective is formed; you mostly have to learn the pattern:

  • uzak put – a narrow path (m.)
  • uska ulica – a narrow street (f.)
  • usko stepenište – a narrow staircase (n.)
How would the sentence change if the noun were feminine or neuter instead of masculine?

The adjective and demonstrative must match the noun’s gender.

Examples:

  1. Feminine noun: soba (room)

    • Ova soba je uska. – This room is narrow.
    • ova (fem.) + soba (fem.) + uska (fem.)

  2. Neuter noun: stubište (staircase/stairway)

    • Ovo stubište je usko. – This stairway is narrow.
    • ovo (neut.) + stubište (neut.) + usko (neut.)

Structure stays the same; only the forms change to match the noun.

How would this sentence look in the plural?

For plural, you change both the demonstrative, the verb, and the adjective:

  1. Masculine plural (e.g. hodnici = hallways):

    • Ovi hodnici su uski. – These hallways are narrow.
    • ovi (masc. pl.) + hodnici (masc. pl.) + su (3rd pl.) + uski (masc. pl.)

  2. Feminine plural (e.g. sobe = rooms):

    • Ove sobe su uske. – These rooms are narrow.

  3. Neuter plural (e.g. stubšta = stairways):

    • Ova stubišta su uska. – These stairways are narrow.
Can I say Ovaj je hodnik uzak instead? Is that correct, and what’s the difference?

Yes, Ovaj je hodnik uzak is grammatically correct.

Difference in feel:

  • Ovaj hodnik je uzak. – neutral word order, simple statement.
  • Ovaj je hodnik uzak. – puts slight emphasis on ovaj (this hallway, as opposed to some other one).

You might use the second version if you’re contrasting:

  • Ovaj je hodnik uzak, ali onaj je širok.
    – This hallway is narrow, but that one is wide.
Can I drop ovaj and just say Hodnik je uzak?

Yes:

  • Hodnik je uzak. – The hallway is narrow.

Now you’re talking about “the hallway” in general or one that is already clear from context, rather than specifically “this hallway”. It’s like the difference between:

  • this hallway is narrow
  • the hallway is narrow
How do you pronounce Ovaj hodnik je uzak?

Approximate pronunciation for English speakers:

  • Ovaj – OH-vai (like “oh-vai”, vai as in “eye”)
  • hodnik – HOD-neek
    • h is pronounced, a bit like the ch in German Bach or Scottish loch, but softer
  • je – yeh
  • uzak – OO-zahk

So the whole sentence:

  • Ovaj hodnik je uzak. → OH-vai HOD-neek yeh OO-zahk.

Main stresses are usually on the first syllable of each content word: Óvaj HÓdnik je Úzak.

Why is there no word for “the” in Ovaj hodnik je uzak?

Croatian does not have separate articles like English “the” or “a”.

  • hodnik can mean hallway / the hallway / a hallway, depending on context.
  • ovaj hodnik means this hallway, so its definiteness is already clear from ovaj.

Definiteness is shown by:

  • demonstratives (ovaj, taj, onaj)
  • possessives (moj, tvoj, njegov…)
  • context and word order

So no extra word like “the” is needed.

Is the word order Ovaj hodnik je uzak fixed, or can I move words around?

The basic, neutral word order is:

  • [Subject] [verb] [adjective]
  • Ovaj hodnik (subject) je (verb) uzak (adjective).

Croatian word order is flexible, and you can move words for emphasis:

  • Hodnik je uzak. – Neutral, slightly more general.
  • Uzak je ovaj hodnik. – Emphasis on uzak (how narrow it is).
  • Ovaj je hodnik uzak. – Emphasis on ovaj (this hallway in particular).

All of these can be correct; the choice affects focus and emphasis, not basic grammar.