Na ruci nosi crnu narukvicu, ali je jutros izgubila jednu naušnicu.

Croatian often leaves subject pronouns out because the verb form usually gives enough information.

• nosi = (he/she/it) wears / is wearing
• je izgubila = she lost, because izgubila is the feminine singular past participle

So even though the first clause alone could mean he/she is wearing, the second clause tells us the subject is feminine, so the whole sentence is understood as she.

Because these mean different things:

• na ruci = on the arm/hand/wrist
• u ruci = in the hand

With a bracelet, Croatian normally says na ruci, because a bracelet is worn on the wrist/arm, not held in the hand.

Also, ruka in Croatian can cover both arm and hand, so na ruci is the natural expression here.

ruci is in the locative singular.

The preposition na can take different cases depending on meaning:

• na + accusative = movement onto something
• na + locative = location on something

Here there is no movement; it describes where the bracelet is worn, so Croatian uses na ruci with the locative.

Because narukvicu is the direct object of nosi, and direct objects are usually in the accusative.

Base form:

• crna narukvica = a black bracelet (nominative)

In this sentence:

• crnu narukvicu = accusative singular

The adjective must agree with the noun, so both change:

• crna → crnu
• narukvica → narukvicu

It can mean either, depending on context.

In Croatian, the present tense often covers both:

• a general habit: she wears
• the current state: she is wearing

So Na ruci nosi crnu narukvicu can naturally mean She is wearing a black bracelet on her wrist.

That is the normal Croatian past tense formation:

• auxiliary je = has / is (from biti, to be)
• past participle izgubila = lost

Together:

• je izgubila = she lost

The participle changes for gender and number:

• izgubio = he lost
• izgubila = she lost
• izgubilo = it lost
• izgubili / izgubile = they lost

So izgubila tells you the subject is feminine singular.

Because je is a clitic in Croatian. Clitics usually go in the second position of their clause.

So after ali (but), the auxiliary je naturally comes very early:

• ali je jutros izgubila...

This is a very normal Croatian word order.

You may also see other word orders in Croatian, but clitics like je strongly prefer this early position.

For two reasons:

1. naušnicu is the direct object of izgubila, so it is in the accusative singular
2. jednu agrees with it in case, gender, and number

Base forms:

• jedna naušnica = one earring

In the sentence:

• jednu naušnicu = accusative singular

In English, this is often translated simply as an earring, but Croatian uses jednu to emphasize that it was one earring.

Both are possible, but jednu adds a bit of emphasis.

• izgubila je naušnicu = she lost an earring
• izgubila je jednu naušnicu = she lost one earring

This can suggest:

• it was just one of a pair
• the speaker wants to highlight the number

So jednu is not required, but it is meaningful.

This is a matter of aspect, which is very important in Croatian.

• izgubiti = perfective → to lose, as a completed event
• gubiti = imperfective → to be losing / to lose repeatedly / to keep losing

Here the sentence refers to a single completed event this morning, so izgubila from izgubiti is the natural choice.

Because the two clauses talk about different time frames:

• nosi = what is true now / what she is wearing
• je jutros izgubila = something that happened earlier today

So the sentence combines:

• a present description
• with a past event

That is completely normal in Croatian, just as it is in English.

jutros means this morning.

It refers specifically to the morning of the current day or the relevant day in context.

Examples:

• Jutros sam ustao rano. = I got up early this morning.
• Jutros je izgubila jednu naušnicu. = She lost one earring this morning.

It is an adverb, so it does not change form.

Yes: both are common nouns for jewelry, and both are feminine nouns ending in -a in the nominative singular.

• narukvica = bracelet
• naušnica = earring

Because they are feminine -a nouns, their accusative singular often ends in -u:

• narukvica → narukvicu
• naušnica → naušnicu

That pattern is very useful to remember.