On je kriv.

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

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

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.

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.

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

So in a neutral sentence:

• On je kriv.

Here, on is first, and je comes right after it.

This is a very common Serbian pattern, and learners notice it quickly because forms like je, sam, si, ga, mu, etc. often behave this way.

Yes, very often.

You can say:

• Kriv je.

This also means He is guilty / He is at fault, if the context already makes clear who you mean.

Serbian often drops subject pronouns when they are not needed. However, in the 3rd person singular, the verb form je does not tell you whether the subject is he, she, or it, so context has to do that work.

Because kriv agrees with on, which is masculine singular.

The adjective changes depending on the gender and number of the subject:

• On je kriv. = He is guilty.
• Ona je kriva. = She is guilty.
• Ono je krivo. = It is guilty.
• Oni su krivi. = They are guilty. (masculine/mixed group)
• One su krive. = They are guilty. (feminine group)

So kriv is the correct form for a masculine singular subject.

It can mean either one, depending on context.

Common English equivalents are:

• guilty
• at fault
• to blame

So On je kriv. could mean:

• he committed the offense
• he is responsible for what happened
• the blame is his

If you specifically want the noun the culprit / guilty person, Serbian often uses krivac instead.

Yes. Serbian word order is flexible, and changing it often changes the emphasis, not the basic meaning.

For example:

• On je kriv. = neutral
• Kriv je. = He is guilty / He’s the one at fault
• On je kriv, ne ona. = He is guilty, not she
• Kriv je on, ne ja. = He is guilty, not me

So the meaning stays similar, but the focus shifts.

You say:

• On nije kriv. = He is not guilty.

Here, nije is the negative form of je.

You can also omit the pronoun if context is clear:

• Nije kriv. = He isn’t guilty / He’s not at fault.

Common ways are:

• Da li je on kriv? = Is he guilty?
• Je li on kriv? = Is he guilty?

In casual speech, people may also use intonation with the statement form:

• On je kriv?

But for learners, Da li je on kriv? is a very safe and useful pattern.

A very common pattern is:

• kriv za + accusative

Examples:

• On je kriv za nesreću. = He is to blame for the accident.
• On je kriv za problem. = He is responsible for the problem.

You can also use a clause:

• Kriv je što je lagao. = He is guilty because he lied. / He is at fault for lying.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

• On ≈ ohn
• je ≈ yeh
• kriv ≈ kreev

So the whole sentence sounds roughly like:

• ohn yeh kreev

A useful tip: Serbian j is pronounced like English y in yes.

Yes. Besides guilty / at fault, kriv can also mean crooked, bent, or not straight, depending on context.

For example, with things rather than people, it may mean something like crooked.

But in On je kriv., with a person as the subject, the natural meaning is He is guilty / He is to blame.