Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.

The closer the plant is to the window, the faster it grows.

Breakdown of Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.

• biti: to be
• prozor: window
• biljka: plant
• što: the (comparative)
• bliže: closer
• to: the (comparative)
• brže: faster
• rasti: to grow

Questions & Answers about Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.

What is the function of “Što … to …” in this sentence? Is it like English “the … the …”?

Yes. The structure “Što … to …” in Croatian corresponds to English “the … the …” in sentences like:

• The closer the plant is to the window, the faster it grows.

So:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.
  = The closer the plant is to the window, the faster it grows.

This pattern expresses a proportional relationship: as one quality increases or changes, another one changes accordingly.

Does “što” here mean “what”, like in questions (“What is that?”)?

No. In this construction, “što” does not mean “what” in the usual interrogative sense.

Here, “što” functions as a correlative particle or conjunction, part of a fixed pair:

• Što … to … = The … the …

It doesn’t refer to a specific object (it’s not a pronoun here), but rather introduces the first part of the comparison.

Compare:

• Što je hladnije, to se više oblačim.
  The colder it is, the more I dress.

So in this pattern, understand “što” as an element that means “the (more/less/closer…)” rather than “what”.

What does “to” mean in the second part: “to brže raste”? Is it “that”?

Literally, “to” can mean “that” or “this” in other contexts, but here it doesn’t translate directly. It’s the second half of the correlative pair:

• Što … to …
  = The … the …

In our sentence:

• to brže raste ≈ the faster (it) grows

You don’t translate “to” as “that” here; instead, you translate the whole structure:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.
  → The closer the plant is to the window, the faster it grows.

Why is it “bliže” and not “bliža” after “biljka”?

“Bliže” is the comparative form of the adjective “blizu” / “blizak” (near/close).

• bliže = closer
• brže = faster

In this sentence:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru…
  The closer the plant is to the window…

Grammatically, “bliže” functions like an adverb modifying the verb “je” (is):

• Literally: What the plant is closer to the window…

So:

• bliža would be the feminine adjective form used directly with a noun:
  
  • bliža biljka = the closer plant
• bliže here is the comparative form used as an adverb:
  
  • biljka je bliže prozoru = the plant is closer to the window

That’s why “bliže” is correct here.

Why is it “prozoru” and not “prozor”? What case is this?

“Prozoru” is the dative singular of “prozor” (window).

The adjective/adverb “bliže” (closer) typically takes the dative case when you say “closer to something”:

• bliže prozoru = closer to the window
• bliže kući = closer to the house
• bliže školi = closer to the school

So the pattern is:

• biti bliže + dative
  (to be closer to + noun in dative)

That’s why we say “bliže prozoru”, not “bliže prozor”.

Can the word order be changed? For example, can I say “Što je bliže prozoru biljka, to brže raste”?

Yes, Croatian word order is relatively flexible, so these are all possible (and grammatical):

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.
• Što je bliže prozoru biljka, to brže raste.
• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to raste brže.

The original order is probably the most natural here, but the others are acceptable.
Changes in order can slightly affect emphasis (for example, moving “biljka” can emphasize the plant more), but the meaning stays the same.

Can I omit “je” and just say “Što biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste”?

No, you cannot omit “je” here. You need a finite verb in the first clause:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste. ✅
• Što biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste. ❌

In English you also keep the verb:

• The plant closer to the window, the faster it grows. ❌
• The closer the plant is to the window, the faster it grows. ✅

So “je” (is) must be present in the first part of the structure.

Why is the subject “biljka” not repeated in the second part (“to brže raste”)?

Croatian is a pro‑drop language, meaning that it often omits the subject if it’s clear from context.

In this sentence, “biljka” is clearly the subject of both parts:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru,
• (biljka) to brže raste.

You could repeat it:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to biljka brže raste.

…but that sounds unnatural and redundant in Croatian. Native speakers normally drop the second “biljka”.

Is the comma after “prozoru” required?

Yes, you should put a comma between the two parts of the “Što … to …” structure because they are two clauses:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.

Leaving out the comma would be considered incorrect or at least nonstandard in careful writing. Treat it like the comma you use in English:

• The closer the plant is to the window, the faster it grows.

Can the present tense here refer to a general rule, like in English? Or does it mean it’s happening right now?

The present tense here mainly expresses a general rule or regular tendency, just like in English:

• Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.
  = In general, plants that are closer to the window grow faster.

This use of present tense for general truths, habits or laws is very common in Croatian, just as it is in English.

If you wanted to emphasize the future, you could say:

• Što bude biljka bliže prozoru, to će brže rasti.
  (The closer the plant will be to the window, the faster it will grow.)

But for a general statement, the simple present is perfectly natural.

Are there other common examples of this “Što … to …” pattern?

Yes, it’s a very productive and common pattern. Some typical examples:

• Što više učiš, to bolje govoriš.
  The more you study, the better you speak.

• Što je hladnije, to se više oblačim.
  The colder it is, the more I dress.

• Što je film duži, to mi je dosadniji.
  The longer the movie, the more boring it is to me.

• Što prije kreneš, to prije ćeš stići.
  The earlier you leave, the earlier you’ll arrive.

In all of them, “što … to …” works exactly like English “the … the …”.

Is there a version without “je”, like “Što bliže prozoru, to brže raste”?

Yes, in informal speech you can sometimes hear shortened versions such as:

• Što bliže prozoru, to brže raste.

This sounds more elliptical/condensed, and people do say it, but:

• In standard, careful language, “Što je biljka bliže prozoru, to brže raste.” is preferred and fully grammatical.
• The shorter version relies more on context and is less explicit.

For learning purposes, it’s better to master the full form with “je” and the subject first.