Questions & Answers about Želim probati plavu haljinu u kabini.
Why is it probati and not probam after želim?
Because after želim (I want) Croatian normally uses the infinitive of the second verb.
- želim probati = I want to try
- not želim probam
So the pattern is:
- želim + infinitive
- moram + infinitive
- mogu + infinitive
Examples:
- Želim kupiti haljinu. = I want to buy a dress.
- Mogu probati ovu? = Can I try this one?
Why do we say plavu haljinu instead of plava haljina?
Because plavu haljinu is in the accusative case, not the nominative.
The dress is the direct object of probati (to try on / try), so both the adjective and the noun change form.
- nominative: plava haljina = a blue dress
- accusative: plavu haljinu = a blue dress as the thing being tried
This is very common in Croatian:
- Vidim plavu haljinu.
- Kupujem plavu haljinu.
- Želim probati plavu haljinu.
In all of these, the dress is the object, so accusative is used.