Ispred štale stoje dvije krave i jedno tele.

Because ispred requires the genitive case. The basic dictionary form is štala meaning stable or barn, but after ispred it becomes štale.

So:

• štala = the base form
• ispred štale = in front of the stable

Yes. In standard Croatian, ispred is followed by the genitive.

Examples:

• ispred kuće = in front of the house
• ispred škole = in front of the school
• ispred štale = in front of the stable

So once you learn ispred, it is a good idea to automatically expect a genitive form after it.

Because the subject is plural overall: dvije krave i jedno tele.

Even though tele is singular, the whole subject means more than one living being:

• two cows
• and one calf

Together, that makes a plural subject, so Croatian uses the plural verb stoje.

Stoji is he/she/it stands.
Stoje is they stand.

Since the sentence talks about two cows and one calf, the correct form is stoje.

A quick comparison:

• Krava stoji. = The cow is standing.
• Krave stoje. = The cows are standing.

Because krava is a feminine noun, and the number two changes form for gender.

• dva = masculine or neuter
• dvije = feminine

So:

• dva stola = two tables
• dva sela = two villages
• dvije krave = two cows

Because tele is a neuter noun. The number one also agrees with the gender of the noun:

• jedan = masculine
• jedna = feminine
• jedno = neuter

So:

• jedan pas = one dog
• jedna krava = one cow
• jedno tele = one calf

Croatian uses a special counting pattern after 2, 3, and 4. So after dvije, the noun does not stay in the simple singular form.

That is why you get:

• dvije krave
• tri krave
• četiri krave

For a learner, the easiest approach is to memorize these as whole patterns rather than worry too much at first about the historical grammar behind them.

Literally, stoje means stand or are standing.

So the sentence literally describes the animals as standing in front of the stable. In natural English, though, you might sometimes translate it more loosely depending on context.

Important difference from English:

Croatian does not need a dummy subject like there. English says There are two cows..., but Croatian can simply use the verb directly.

Croatian word order is fairly flexible. Starting with Ispred štale puts the location first and sets the scene.

The sentence could also be said as:

Dvije krave i jedno tele stoje ispred štale.

Both are correct. The original version sounds a bit more descriptive, as if you are first telling the listener where to look.

Because Croatian has no articles.

English distinguishes:

• a calf
• the calf

Croatian usually does not mark that difference with a separate word. The meaning comes from context.

So tele can mean:

• a calf
• the calf

depending on the situation.

Here are the basic forms:

• ispred = in front of
• štala = stable, barn
• stajati = to stand
• krava = cow
• tele = calf

In the sentence, some of these appear in changed forms:

• štala becomes štale
• stajati becomes stoje
• krava becomes krave

That is very normal in Croatian, since nouns and verbs change form depending on grammar.