Ja učim hrvatski, a moja sestra piše poruku.

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Breakdown of Ja učim hrvatski, a moja sestra piše poruku.

• moj: my
• hrvatski: Croatian
• sestra: sister

Questions & Answers about Ja učim hrvatski, a moja sestra piše poruku.

Why is ja used here? Can Croatian leave it out?

Yes. Croatian often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

• učim = I learn / I am learning
• piše = he/she writes / is writing

So Ja učim hrvatski can also simply be Učim hrvatski.

Here, ja is included for emphasis, clarity, or just style. It can sound a bit more explicit, especially because the sentence contrasts I with my sister.

What does a mean here? Is it just and?

A often translates as and, but it usually has a slight contrastive feel. In this sentence it is something like:

• I am learning Croatian, while my sister is writing a message.
• I am learning Croatian, and my sister is writing a message.

So a connects two ideas and gently contrasts them: I am doing one thing, my sister is doing another.

It is not exactly the same as i, which is the more neutral word for and.

• i = simple addition
• a = addition with contrast or comparison

Why is there a comma before a?