Questions & Answers about Ranac je u autobusu.
Why is the sentence Ranac je u autobusu and not just Ranac u autobusu?
Because Serbian normally uses a form of biti (to be) in this kind of sentence.
- ranac = backpack
- je = is
- u autobusu = in the bus / on the bus
So je is the word that links the subject and the location, just like is in English.
What exactly is je?
Je is the 3rd person singular present form of biti (to be).
Here it matches ranac, which is singular, so:
- Ranac je... = The backpack is...
A few related forms are:
- sam = I am
- si = you are
- je = he/she/it is
- smo = we are
- ste = you are
- su = they are
Why is it u autobusu instead of u autobus?
Because after u, Serbian changes the noun depending on the meaning.