On je kriv.

to be

Breakdown of On je kriv.

• on: he
• kriv: crooked; guilty

Questions & Answers about On je kriv.

What does each word in On je kriv. mean?

• on = he
• je = is
• kriv = guilty, at fault, or to blame

So the structure is very straightforward: subject + is + adjective.

What is je, and why do I need it?

Je is the 3rd person singular present form of biti (to be).

In Serbian, you normally do use the present-tense form of to be in sentences like this:

• On je kriv. = He is guilty.

So unlike in some other Slavic languages, you do not normally leave it out in standard Serbian.

Can I say On kriv without je?

In standard Serbian, no. The normal sentence is:

• On je kriv.

Leaving out je would sound nonstandard, very elliptical, or like a headline/style effect rather than normal everyday grammar.

Why is je in the middle? Why not somewhere else?

Because je is a . In Serbian, clitics usually go in the of the sentence or clause.