Zahvaljujući susjedi, našli smo luster koji dobro izgleda iznad stola.

Because zahvaljujući normally takes the dative case.

• base noun: susjeda = neighbor (female)
• dative singular: susjedi = to / thanks to the neighbor

So Zahvaljujući susjedi means Thanks to the neighbor or Thanks to our/the neighbor.

A useful pattern is:

• zahvaljujući + dative
• Zahvaljujući prijatelju... = Thanks to a friend...
• Zahvaljujući roditeljima... = Thanks to the parents...

Yes, in this sentence it most naturally refers to a female neighbor, because it comes from susjeda.

Compare:

• susjed = male neighbor
• susjeda = female neighbor

With zahvaljujući, the dative forms would be:

• zahvaljujući susjedu = thanks to the male neighbor
• zahvaljujući susjedi = thanks to the female neighbor

So this sentence suggests that the helpful neighbor was a woman.

The phrase Zahvaljujući susjedi works like an introductory phrase: Thanks to the neighbor, ...

In Croatian, a comma is often used after this kind of introductory expression, especially when it sets the scene for the rest of the sentence.

So:

• Zahvaljujući susjedi, našli smo...

is very natural and clearly separates the introductory cause from the main statement.

Našli smo is the past tense in Croatian, specifically the perfect.

It is made of:

• našli = past active participle of naći / našao type verb meaning find
• smo = we are, used here as an auxiliary for the past tense

Together:

• našli smo = we found

This is the normal way to form the past tense in Croatian:

• radio sam = I worked
• vidjeli smo = we saw
• našli smo = we found

Both word orders are possible, but našli smo is very common and natural.

Croatian word order is more flexible than English word order. The auxiliary smo often appears in the second position area of the clause, but Croatian clitic placement can make the order look different from English.

In everyday language:

• Našli smo luster... = very natural
• Mi smo našli luster... = also possible, with mi adding emphasis
• Luster smo našli... = possible if luster is being highlighted

So našli smo is just a normal Croatian way to say we found.

Koji is a relative pronoun, meaning who / which / that.

In this sentence:

• luster koji dobro izgleda...
• literally: the chandelier which looks good...

It refers back to luster, so it must match luster in gender and number:

• luster is masculine singular
• therefore the relative pronoun is koji

Compare:

• stolica koja... = chair that... (feminine)
• svjetlo koje... = light that... (neuter)
• luster koji... = chandelier that... (masculine)

Both are possible.

• koji dobro izgleda
• koji izgleda dobro

Both mean which looks good.

Croatian word order is flexible, and adverbs like dobro can often appear before or after the verb. In this sentence, dobro izgleda sounds very natural.

So the learner should understand this as a normal stylistic choice, not a big grammar difference.

Here dobro is an adverb, meaning well.

So literally:

• dobro izgleda = looks well

But in natural English, we usually say:

• looks good

This is a common point for English speakers: Croatian often uses an adverb where English uses an adjective in the final translation.

Stola is in the genitive singular.

The preposition iznad usually takes the genitive when it means above / over in a location sense.

So:

• iznad stola = above the table

Breakdown:

• base noun: stol = table
• genitive singular: stola

Other similar examples:

• iznad kreveta = above the bed
• iznad vrata = above the door

Because Croatian has no articles like English a, an, and the.

So Croatian often leaves that idea to be understood from context.

For example:

• susjedi can mean the neighbor or a neighbor, depending on context
• luster can mean a chandelier or the chandelier
• stola can mean the table or a table

In this sentence, English naturally uses something like the neighbor and the table, but Croatian does not need separate words for that.

Luster usually means a chandelier or a decorative ceiling light fixture.

It is a masculine noun.

Forms you might notice:

• nominative singular: luster
• genitive singular: lustera
• accusative singular: luster (same as nominative because it is inanimate)

That is why in:

• našli smo luster

the form stays luster.

Because luster is the direct object, so it is in the accusative case. But for many masculine inanimate nouns, the accusative singular is the same as the nominative singular.

So:

• nominative: luster
• accusative: luster

Compare that with a masculine animate noun:

• vidim čovjeka = I see the man
• nominative: čovjek
• accusative: čovjeka

But with luster, since it is inanimate, there is no visible change.

Yes, Croatian could include possessives, but it does not have to.

This sentence says:

• Zahvaljujući susjedi...
• iznad stola

If the speaker wanted to be more specific, they could say:

• Zahvaljujući našoj susjedi... = thanks to our female neighbor
• iznad našeg stola = above our table

But without those words, the sentence is still completely natural. Croatian often leaves this information implied when it is obvious from context.

Usually yes, or at least it often suggests a favorable cause, like thanks to in English.

So:

• Zahvaljujući susjedi... sounds like the neighbor helped in some way.

If the cause were neutral or clearly negative, Croatian might instead use expressions like:

• zbog = because of
• uslijed = due to

For example:

• Zbog kiše smo ostali doma. = We stayed home because of the rain.

So zahvaljujući is a good choice here because the neighbor’s involvement is presented as helpful.