Gospođo, trebali biste se manje brinuti; vaše dijete je jako hrabro.

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Breakdown of Gospođo, trebali biste se manje brinuti; vaše dijete je jako hrabro.

• vaš: your
• dijete: child
• manje: less

Questions & Answers about Gospođo, trebali biste se manje brinuti; vaše dijete je jako hrabro.

Why is it Gospođo and not Gospođa at the beginning?

Because Croatian uses the vocative case when you address someone directly.

• gospođa = nominative (dictionary form: “lady / Mrs.”)
• Gospođo! = vocative (used in direct address: “Ma’am,” “Madam”)

So Gospođo, … is the normal way to start a sentence when talking to a lady.

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Why is trebali biste in the plural if I’m speaking to just one woman?

Croatian has a formal / polite “you”: Vi (2nd person plural), used for respect.

The verb and auxiliary agree with Vi:

• Informal singular: (Ti) trebaš se manje brinuti. – “You (sing.) should worry less.”
• Formal / polite: (Vi) trebali biste se manje brinuti. – “You (polite) should worry less.”

Even if you’re talking to one woman, the grammar follows the plural Vi, so you get trebali biste.

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Should it be trebale biste instead of trebali biste, since I’m talking to a woman?