Materijal je u udžbeniku.

The material is in the textbook.

Breakdown of Materijal je u udžbeniku.

• biti: to be
• u: in
• udžbenik: textbook
• materijal: material

Questions & Answers about Materijal je u udžbeniku.

Why isn’t there a word like the or a in Materijal je u udžbeniku?

Croatian does not use articles (words like a, an, the) at all.
Definiteness is understood from context, not from a separate word.

So Materijal je u udžbeniku can mean:

• The material is in the textbook.
• Material is in a textbook.

Context (which material? which textbook?) will tell the listener whether you mean the or a in English.

What exactly is je, and what form of the verb is it?

Je is the 3rd person singular present tense of the verb biti (to be).
It corresponds to English is.

• on je = he is
• materijal je = the material is

In normal, complete sentences in the present tense, you need a form of biti, so je is required here.

What cases are used for materijal and udžbeniku, and why?

• materijal is in the nominative singular.
  The nominative is used for the grammatical subject of the sentence:
  Materijal (subject) je u udžbeniku.

• udžbeniku is in the locative singular.
  The preposition u (in) uses the locative case when it indicates a static location (where something is), so udžbenik changes to udžbeniku.

Why is it udžbeniku and not udžbenik?

Because the noun udžbenik is being used in the locative case after the preposition u to express a location.

Declension of udžbenik (masculine singular) looks like this:

• Nominative: udžbenik (a textbook) – basic dictionary form
• Genitive: udžbenika
• Dative: udžbeniku
• Accusative: udžbenik
• Locative: udžbeniku
• Instrumental: udžbenikom

In Materijal je u udžbeniku, u + (static place) → locative, so we use udžbeniku.

Why do we use u here and not na (both often translate as in/on)?

U usually means in / inside, while na usually means on / on top of, but there are many idiomatic uses.

For written texts you normally say:

• u knjizi – in the book
• u novinama – in the newspapers
• u udžbeniku – in the textbook

So Materijal je u udžbeniku means the material is inside the textbook (as its content).

Na udžbeniku would suggest on the textbook (physically on its cover or lying on it), which is a different meaning.

Could I change the word order, e.g. U udžbeniku je materijal? Does it sound natural?

Yes, Croatian word order is flexible, and U udžbeniku je materijal is also correct.

• Materijal je u udžbeniku. – neutral, you are simply saying where the material is.
• U udžbeniku je materijal. – puts slight emphasis on u udžbeniku (the place). For example, contrasting with some other place:
  Nije na papiru, u udžbeniku je materijal.
  (It’s not on the paper, the material is in the textbook.)

Overtly marked orders like Materijal u udžbeniku je can appear in speech for special emphasis, but the two most natural options here are:

• Materijal je u udžbeniku.
• U udžbeniku je materijal.

Can I omit je and just say Materijal u udžbeniku?

Grammatically, for a full sentence, you should not omit je:

• Materijal je u udžbeniku. – correct, full sentence.

Materijal u udžbeniku is a fragment, which is fine in:

• Headings, labels, notes (e.g. on a worksheet)
• Very telegraphic or note-style language

But in normal conversation or formal writing, you should include je.

How would I say The materials are in the textbook (plural)?

You make materijal plural and also change the verb:

• Materijali su u udžbeniku.

Changes:

• materijal → materijali (nominative plural)
• je → su (3rd person plural of biti)

The noun udžbenik stays singular (you still have one textbook in this example), and it remains in the locative: u udžbeniku.

What gender are materijal and udžbenik, and does gender matter here?

Both materijal and udžbenik are masculine nouns.

In this sentence, gender does not affect the form of the verb:

• on je (he is)
• stol je (the table is – masculine)
• kuća je (the house is – feminine)
• materijal je (the material is – masculine)

If you add adjectives or pronouns, they must agree in gender and case:

• Sav materijal je u novom udžbeniku.
  (All the material is in the new textbook.)
  
  • sav – masculine nominative singular
  • novom udžbeniku – masculine locative singular

Is there a difference between materijal and gradivo in this kind of sentence?

Yes, there is a nuance:

• materijal – material in a broad sense: teaching material, building material, fabric, etc.
• gradivo – in an educational context, more like learning content / subject matter.

In school talk:

• Nastavno gradivo je u udžbeniku. – the teaching content is in the textbook.
• Nastavni materijal je u udžbeniku. – the teaching material is in the textbook.

Both can be used in education, but gradivo focuses more on the content you have to learn, while materijal is a bit more general.

How do you pronounce udžbeniku, especially dž?

Dž in Croatian is a single sound, like the j in English jam or jungle.

A rough English approximation for udžbeniku is:

• OODZH-beh-nee-koo

Syllables: udž–be–ni–ku, with the main stress on the first syllable: Ùdž–be–ni–ku.

Could I also say Materijal je u knjizi? Would it mean the same?

You could say Materijal je u knjizi, but it is more general:

• knjiga – any book
• udžbenik – specifically a textbook, usually for school or a course

So:

• Materijal je u udžbeniku. – The material is in the textbook (course book).
• Materijal je u knjizi. – The material is in the book (not necessarily a textbook).

If you are talking about school or course materials, udžbenik is the more precise and natural choice.