Odgovor je jasan.

The answer is clear.

Breakdown of Odgovor je jasan.

• biti: to be
• odgovor: answer
• jasan: clear

Questions & Answers about Odgovor je jasan.

Why is there no word for “the” in Odgovor je jasan?

Croatian has no articles (no a/an, no the).

So Odgovor je jasan can mean:

• The answer is clear.
• An answer is clear.
• Answer is clear. (more like a note or headline)

Context usually tells you whether English would use the or a/an. You never add an extra word for them in Croatian.

What are the basic roles of odgovor, je, and jasan?

Grammatically:

• odgovor – noun, “answer” (masculine, singular, nominative) → the subject
• je – 3rd person singular of biti (“to be”) → the linking verb / copula
• jasan – adjective, “clear” (masculine, singular, nominative) → the predicate adjective describing odgovor

So the structure is:

• [Subject] [to be] [adjective]
• Odgovor je jasan. → The answer is clear.

Why is the adjective jasan used, and not jasno?

In Croatian, adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe.

• odgovor is masculine, singular, nominative
• so the adjective must also be masculine singular nominative → jasan

Forms of jasan (singular nominative):

• masculine: jasan
• feminine: jasna
• neuter: jasno

You would use:

• Odgovor je jasan. – The answer is clear. (masculine)
• Rečenica je jasna. – The sentence is clear. (feminine)
• Pitanje je jasno. – The question is clear. (neuter)

Jasno is also used as an adverb (“clearly”), but after odgovor you need an adjective, not an adverb, so jasan, not jasno.

What case is odgovor in, and what case is jasan in?

Both are in the nominative singular masculine:

• odgovor – nominative singular masculine → the subject
• jasan – nominative singular masculine → the predicate adjective agreeing with the subject

In Croatian:

• Subjects are in nominative.
• Adjectives that describe the subject through “to be” are also in nominative.

So Odgovor je jasan literally matches English “Answer is clear” in structure: both the subject and the descriptive adjective are in the base form.

Can I change the word order, like Jasan je odgovor or Odgovor jasan je?

Yes, but with different emphases, and some options are much more natural than others.

• Odgovor je jasan.
  Neutral, most common: The answer is clear.

• Jasan je odgovor.
  Also correct. Emphasis on jasan (clear), as in:

  • Jasan je odgovor, samo ga moraš pažljivo pročitati.
    The answer is clear; you just have to read it carefully.

• Odgovor jasan je.
  This is possible in poetry, song lyrics, or very expressive speech, but sounds marked/unnatural in normal conversation.

Stick with Odgovor je jasan as your default.

Can I drop je and just say Odgovor jasan?

In normal, full sentences you should keep je.

• Odgovor je jasan. – natural complete sentence

Odgovor jasan without je can appear:

• in headlines or notes (very telegraphic style)
• in poetry or slogans

For everyday speech and writing, use Odgovor je jasan.

Why don’t we say Onaj odgovor je jasan for “The answer is clear”?

You can say Onaj odgovor je jasan, but it changes the meaning slightly:

• Odgovor je jasan.
  General: The answer is clear. (the answer we’re talking about)

• Onaj odgovor je jasan.
  That answer is clear. (pointing to a specific answer, e.g. among several)

Common demonstratives:

• taj – that (near the listener)
• ovaj – this (near the speaker)
• onaj – that (far from both)

So you use ovaj/taj/onaj odgovor je jasan when you want to be very specific and contrast it with something else.

How do I pronounce Odgovor je jasan?

Approximate pronunciation for English speakers:

• Odgovor – OD-go-vor
  • o like o in not (but shorter)
  • dg like d
    • g in dog (no extra vowel)
  • v is actually a /ʋ/ sound, between English v and w
• je – ye
  • like ye in yes (but shorter)
• jasan – YA-san
  • j is always “y” as in yes
  • stress usually on the first syllable: YA-san

Very rough IPA: [ɔdɡʋɔʋor jɛ jasan] (some dialectal variation exists).

How would this sentence change in the plural, e.g. “The answers are clear”?

You need to make both the noun and the adjective plural masculine nominative:

• Odgovor je jasan. – The answer is clear.
• Odgovori su jasni. – The answers are clear.

Changes:

• odgovor → odgovori (plural)
• je → su (3rd person plural of biti)
• jasan → jasni (masculine plural nominative adjective)

Pattern:

• singular: odgovor je jasan
• plural: odgovori su jasni

Could I add a pronoun and say On je jasan or Onaj je jasan?

Yes, but then you’re not explicitly saying “the answer” anymore; you’re referring to it with a pronoun:

• On je jasan. – He/It is clear.
  (If the context already makes it obvious you’re talking about the answer, this can work.)

• Onaj je jasan. – That one is clear.
  (Pointing to some specific answer, option, or thing.)

You usually use Odgovor je jasan when you want to name what is clear. You use On je jasan or Onaj je jasan when you’re referring back to something already mentioned or visible.

Is jasan closer to “clear” as in “understandable”, or “clear” as in “transparent”?

Jasan primarily means clear / understandable / easy to grasp.

• Odgovor je jasan. – The answer is clear (easy to understand).
• Uputa je jasna. – The instruction is clear.

For physically transparent or visually clear, Croatian more often uses other adjectives, depending on context:

• proziran – transparent (glass, plastic)
• bistar – clear (water, sky, also “smart, bright” for people)
• čist – clean, pure, sometimes “clear” (e.g. čist zrak – clean/clear air)

So jasan is mainly about clarity of meaning, not transparency.