Ovaj odgovor je pravilan.

This answer is correct.

Breakdown of Ovaj odgovor je pravilan.

• biti: to be
• odgovor: answer
• ovaj: this
• pravilan: correct

Questions & Answers about Ovaj odgovor je pravilan.

What are the individual words in Ovaj odgovor je pravilan and what are their basic meanings?

• ovaj – this (masculine, used before a masculine noun)
• odgovor – answer
• je – is (3rd person singular of biti = to be)
• pravilan – correct, proper, in accordance with the rules

So structurally it’s very similar to English: This answer is correct.

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

Because odgovor is a masculine noun in Croatian.

The demonstrative ovaj / ova / ovo must agree in gender with the noun it modifies:

• ovaj – masculine (for words like odgovor, muškarac, prozor)
• ova – feminine (for words like knjiga, kuća, stolica)
• ovo – neuter (for words like pitanje, mlijeko, ime)

Since odgovor (answer) is masculine, the correct form is ovaj odgovor.

What grammatical form is ovaj here (case, number, gender)?

In Ovaj odgovor je pravilan, the word ovaj is:

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

It is the nominative masculine singular form of the demonstrative pronoun (used adjectivally) that corresponds to English this.

It agrees with odgovor, which is also nominative masculine singular as the subject of the sentence.

Why is odgovor in the nominative case and not in some other case?

Because odgovor is the subject of the sentence.

In Croatian:

• The subject of a basic sentence is in the nominative case.
• The verb je (is) links the subject (ovaj odgovor) with a predicative adjective (pravilan).

So:

• Ovaj odgovor (this answer) – subject in nominative
• je (is) – linking verb
• pravilan (correct) – adjective that describes the subject, also in nominative

Both the noun and the describing adjective stay in nominative after biti (je).

What exactly does je do here, and is it always required?

je is the 3rd person singular present tense of biti (to be), so it corresponds to English is.

In Ovaj odgovor je pravilan:

• je connects ovaj odgovor (this answer) with pravilan (correct).

In standard written Croatian, you should include je here; leaving it out would sound incomplete or very colloquial.

In some colloquial speech, people may drop je in the present tense, saying things like:

• Ovaj odgovor pravilan.

But for correct, standard language, especially in writing, you should use je.

Why is it pravilan and not pravilno or pravilna?

The adjective pravilan must agree with odgovor in gender, number, and case.

• odgovor is masculine, singular, nominative.
• Therefore, the adjective must also be masculine singular nominative: pravilan.

The main forms of this adjective in nominative singular are:

• pravilan – masculine (for odgovor, zadatak, izraz)
• pravilna – feminine (for rečenica, odluka, riječ)
• pravilno – neuter (for rješenje, pitanje, ponašanje)

So you say:

• Ovaj odgovor je pravilan. – This answer is correct.
• Ova rečenica je pravilna. – This sentence is correct.
• Ovo rješenje je pravilno. – This solution is correct.

What is the difference between pravilan, točan, and ispravan for “correct/right”?

All three can often be translated as correct/right, but they have slightly different typical uses and nuances:

• pravilan – in accordance with rules, form, or a system

  • Often about grammar, form, procedures:
    • pravilan naglasak – correct stress
    • pravilan oblik riječi – correct word form

• točan – factually accurate, numerically correct, exact

  • Often about answers, numbers, information:
    • točan odgovor – correct answer
    • točan rezultat – correct result

• ispravan – correct, upright, functioning properly; fixed/put right

  • Can be about correctness or something working:
    • ispravan odgovor – correct answer
    • ispravan uređaj – a device that works correctly

In Ovaj odgovor je pravilan, the speaker emphasizes that the answer is formally / properly correct. You could also commonly hear:

• Ovaj odgovor je točan. – This answer is (factually) correct.
• Ovaj odgovor je ispravan. – This answer is correct / has been made right.

All three would be understandable; context and personal preference matter.

Can I change the word order, for example say Pravilan je ovaj odgovor?

Yes. Croatian word order is more flexible than English because of case endings and agreement.

Possible variants include:

• Ovaj odgovor je pravilan. – neutral, straightforward statement.
• Pravilan je ovaj odgovor. – puts more emphasis on pravilan (correct).
• Ovaj je odgovor pravilan. – mild emphasis on ovaj (this one).

All are grammatically correct. The differences are mainly in emphasis and style, not in basic meaning.

Could I just say Odgovor je pravilan without ovaj?

Yes, and it is perfectly correct.

• Ovaj odgovor je pravilan. – This answer is correct (as opposed to some other answers).
• Odgovor je pravilan. – The answer is correct (you and the listener already know which answer you are talking about).

Since Croatian has no articles like the and a, adding ovaj makes the reference more specific and demonstrative, similar to English this answer rather than just the answer.

How would I say “This is a correct answer” in Croatian, and how does it differ from Ovaj odgovor je pravilan?

A common way to say This is a correct answer is:

• Ovo je pravilan odgovor.

Comparison:

• Ovaj odgovor je pravilan. – literally This answer is correct.

  • Structure: demonstrative + noun + je + adjective
  • Emphasis is directly on that specific answer as subject.

• Ovo je pravilan odgovor. – literally This is a correct answer.

  • Structure: Ovo (this) + je + adjective + noun
  • More like introducing or classifying what this is.

Both are correct; the choice is mostly stylistic and depends on what you want to emphasize.