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Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.

Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.
The bin for paper stands in a special place in front of the school.

Breakdown of Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.

škola
school
ispred
in front of
na
at
za
for
mjesto
place
papir
paper
stajati
to stand
poseban
special
kanta
bin
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Questions & Answers about Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.

What does kanta za papir literally mean, and is it the usual way to say paper bin?

Literally, kanta za papir means bin for paper.

  • kanta = bin, bucket, trash can
  • za = for
  • papir = paper

You will also hear:

  • koš za papir – also paper bin, slightly more common in some regions, especially for office bins
  • koš za smeće / kanta za smeće – trash can / rubbish bin (for general trash, not just paper)

In your sentence, kanta za papir is perfectly natural and clear Croatian.

Why is stoji used instead of je for is? Can I say Kanta za papir je na posebnom mjestu…?

stoji is the verb stajati (to stand). Croatian often uses position verbs instead of biti (to be):

  • stajati – to stand (upright, on the ground)
  • ležati – to lie (lying down, horizontal)
  • sjediti – to sit

So Kanta za papir stoji… literally is The paper bin stands… and it sounds very natural because a bin is an upright object.

You can say:

  • Kanta za papir je na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.

This is grammatically fine, but stoji adds a bit more imagery about how the bin is positioned. Using je is more neutral or static; stoji emphasizes the bin as a standing object.

Why is it na posebnom mjestu, not na posebno mjesto? What case is this?

Na posebnom mjestu is in the locative case (singular neuter):

  • mjesto (nom. sing.) → mjestu (loc. sing.)
  • poseban (nom. m.) → posebno (nom. n.) → posebnom (loc. n. sing., agreeing with mjestu)

The preposition na can take:

  • Accusative = direction / movement (onto, to):
    • Stavljam kantu na posebno mjesto. – I’m putting the bin onto a special place.
  • Locative = location / position (on, at):
    • Kanta stoji na posebnom mjestu. – The bin is (stands) on/at a special place.

In your sentence, we’re talking about location, not movement, so locative is used: na posebnom mjestu.

Why does posebnom end in -om? How does it agree with mjestu?

Posebnom must agree with mjestu in:

  • gender (neuter)
  • number (singular)
  • case (locative)

Pattern:

  • Nominative: posebno mjesto (a special place)
  • Locative: na posebnom mjestu (on/at a special place)

The typical neuter singular locative ending is -om (for adjectives of this type), so:

  • novo mjesto → na novom mjestu
  • tiho mjesto → na tihom mjestu
  • posebno mjesto → na posebnom mjestu
What case is škole in ispred škole, and why is it not škola?

Škole is the genitive singular of škola.

  • Nominative: škola (subject form)
  • Genitive: škole (of the school)

The preposition ispred (in front of) always takes the genitive:

  • ispred kuće – in front of the house
  • ispred zgrade – in front of the building
  • ispred škole – in front of the school

So the form škole is required by ispred, not škola.

What is the difference between ispred and pred? Can I say pred školom?

Both ispred and pred can mean in front of, but:

  • ispred is more explicit and a bit clearer:
    • ispred škole – clearly in front of the school (on the outside)

  • pred is shorter and more general; it can mean in front of, before, in the presence of, etc.:

    • stajati pred školom – stand in front of the school
    • pred sudom – before the court
    • pred Božić – before Christmas

Yes, you can say:

  • Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu pred školom.

That’s correct and natural. Ispred škole just emphasizes the spatial aspect a bit more clearly.

How would I say There is a paper bin in a special place in front of the school in Croatian? Do I have to start with Kanta za papir?

You don’t have to start with Kanta za papir. Common options:

  1. Using ima (there is/are – very common, especially in speech):

    • Ispred škole, na posebnom mjestu, ima kanta za papir.

  2. Using nalazi se (is located):

    • Ispred škole, na posebnom mjestu, nalazi se kanta za papir.

  3. Keeping your original structure (subject first):

    • Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.

All three are natural; they differ mainly in focus and style, not in correctness.

How flexible is the word order here? Can I move parts of the sentence around?

Croatian word order is quite flexible because the grammatical roles are shown by endings, not position. All of these are correct, with slightly different emphasis:

  • Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.
    (neutral, focuses first on the bin)
  • Na posebnom mjestu ispred škole stoji kanta za papir.
    (focus on the special place in front of the school)
  • Ispred škole, na posebnom mjestu, stoji kanta za papir.
    (focus first on the location in front of the school)

Changing word order usually influences what sounds like “old information” and what is being highlighted, but the basic meaning remains the same.

In English we say the bin or a bin. How do I know if kanta here is definite or indefinite when Croatian has no articles?

Croatian has no articles (a, an, the), so definiteness is understood from context, word order, and what is already known in the conversation.

Your sentence:

  • Kanta za papir stoji na posebnom mjestu ispred škole.

can be translated as:

  • The paper bin stands in a special place in front of the school.
    or
  • A paper bin stands in a special place in front of the school.

You choose a or the in English depending on context:

  • If everyone already knows about that specific bin: the paper bin.
  • If you’re mentioning it for the first time, more neutral: a paper bin.

Croatian leaves that to context; the form of kanta itself does not change.

What genders are kanta, papir, mjesto, and škola, and does that affect anything here?

Genders:

  • kanta – feminine
  • papir – masculine
  • mjesto – neuter
  • škola – feminine

This affects:

  1. Adjective agreement

    • posebno mjesto (neuter) → posebnom mjestu
    • posebna škola (feminine) → posebne škole (genitive)

  2. Pronouns / past tense in other sentences

    • Kanta je bila nova. – The bin was new. (feminine past form bila)
    • Mjesto je bilo prazno. – The place was empty. (neuter bilo)

In your specific sentence, gender is visible in posebnom mjestu (neuter locative) and škole (feminine genitive).

How do you pronounce mjesto and škole, especially mj and lj / š sounds?

Pronunciation tips:

  • mjesto: mje-sto

    • mj is pronounced as two sounds: m
      • j (like my
        • ye quickly: mye-sto).
    • The j is like English y in yes.

  • škole: ško-le

    • š is like English sh in shop.
    • lj (not in škole, but in škola etc.) is a soft l, similar to lli in million in some English accents.

Stress usually falls on the first syllable in these words: MJEs-to, ŠKo-le.