Poklon za baku je spreman.

Because za here means for, and after za Croatian uses the accusative case.

• Dictionary form: baka = grandmother
• Accusative singular: baku

So:

• za baku = for grandma

This is a very common pattern:

• poklon za mamu = a gift for mom
• cvijeće za učiteljicu = flowers for the teacher
• pismo za prijatelja = a letter for a friend

In this sentence, baku is not the subject. It is the object of the preposition za.

Poklon is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the sentence.

The sentence is basically:

• Poklon = the gift
• je spreman = is ready

So poklon is the thing that is ready.

Because spreman must agree with poklon in gender, number, and case.

• poklon is masculine singular
• so the adjective is spreman

Compare:

• Poklon je spreman. = The gift is ready.
• Knjiga je spremna. = The book is ready.
• Pismo je spremno. = The letter is ready.

So the ending changes depending on the noun.

Yes. Spreman is an adjective, and in this sentence it is used as a predicate adjective after the verb je.

That means the structure is:

• subject + to be + adjective

So:

• Poklon za baku je spreman.
• literally: Gift for grandma is ready.

This is similar to English The gift is ready.

Because je is a Croatian clitic form of biti (to be), and clitics usually go in the second position in the sentence or clause.

Here, the first unit is:

• Poklon za baku

Then the clitic comes:

• je

Then the rest:

• spreman

So:

• Poklon za baku je spreman.

This placement is very normal in Croatian.

Yes, Croatian word order is more flexible than English. The sentence can be rearranged for emphasis, although some versions are more neutral than others.

Neutral:

• Poklon za baku je spreman.

Possible alternatives:

• Spreman je poklon za baku.
• Za baku je poklon spreman.

These versions may sound more marked or stylistic, depending on context. The original sentence is natural and straightforward.

Croatian does not have articles like English a and the.

So poklon can mean:

• a gift
• the gift

Which meaning is intended depends on context.

In this sentence, English would probably translate it as The gift for grandma is ready, but Croatian simply says poklon.

Usually, poklon za baku is the most natural way to say a gift for grandma.

• za baku clearly means the gift is intended for grandma.

Poklon baki can sometimes be understood, but it sounds less standard for this meaning and may feel more like a gift to grandma in a different structure. For learners, it is safest to use:

• poklon za baku

Here za means for in the sense of intended for someone.

So:

• poklon za baku = a gift intended for grandma

But za has other meanings too depending on context, such as:

• for
• in exchange for
• during
• behind (in some expressions)

So it is a common preposition with several uses. In this sentence, the meaning is clearly for.

In the present tense, Croatian often omits sam / si / je / smo / ste / su in some contexts, especially in informal speech, but with predicate adjectives like this, je is normally used.

So the standard sentence is:

• Poklon za baku je spreman.

Without je, the sentence would sound incomplete or unnatural in standard Croatian.

It can be used for both.

For people:

• Spreman sam. = I am ready.

For things:

• Ručak je spreman. = Lunch is ready.
• Dokument je spreman. = The document is ready.
• Poklon za baku je spreman. = The gift for grandma is ready.

So here it means the gift has been prepared and is ready.

Because za baku describes poklon. It answers the question what kind of gift? or a gift for whom?

So:

• poklon = gift
• za baku = for grandma

Together they form a noun phrase:

• poklon za baku = gift for grandma

Then the sentence says something about that whole phrase:

• poklon za baku je spreman = the gift for grandma is ready

Here are the dictionary forms:

• poklon = gift
• za = for
• baka = grandmother
• biti = to be
• spreman = ready

In the sentence, some forms change:

• baka becomes baku because of the accusative after za
• biti appears as je
• spreman stays masculine singular to match poklon

The adjective would change to agree with the noun.

Examples:

• Knjiga za baku je spremna. = The book for grandma is ready.

  • knjiga = feminine
  • spremna = feminine

• Pismo za baku je spremno. = The letter for grandma is ready.

  • pismo = neuter
  • spremno = neuter

This is an important pattern in Croatian: adjectives must agree with the noun they describe.

It is neutral and perfectly natural in everyday Croatian.

It would work in many situations, for example:

• at home
• in a shop
• when talking about preparations
• in written or spoken language

It is neither especially formal nor especially casual.