Questions & Answers about Ovo je moj dom.
Why is the sentence Ovo je moj dom. and not something like Ovaj je moj dom.?
Because ovo is the normal Serbian way to say this is ... when you are identifying something.
In this kind of sentence, ovo works like this as a standalone word:
- Ovo je moj dom. = This is my home.
By contrast, ovaj is usually used directly before a masculine noun:
- ovaj dom = this home
- ovaj čovek = this man
So:
- Ovo je moj dom. = This is my home.
- Ovaj dom je moj. = This home is mine.
That is the key difference.
What does ovo mean exactly?
Ovo means this.
More specifically, it is the neuter singular form of the demonstrative ovaj / ova / ovo.
But in sentences like Ovo je ..., Serbian commonly uses ovo as a general pointing word:
- Ovo je moja sestra. = This is my sister.
- Ovo je naš auto. = This is our car.
- Ovo je moj dom. = This is my home.
So even if the noun that follows is masculine or feminine, ovo can still be used in this pattern.