Vozilo radi dobro iako je kilometraža velika.

Breakdown of Vozilo radi dobro iako je kilometraža velika.

biti
to be
dobar
good
velik
big
raditi
to work
iako
although
vozilo
a vehicle
kilometraža
mileage

Questions & Answers about Vozilo radi dobro iako je kilometraža velika.

What does vozilo mean exactly?

Vozilo means vehicle. It is a general word, so it can refer to a car, truck, van, or another vehicle depending on context.

It is also a neuter noun in Serbian. In this sentence, that gender does not change the form of the verb radi, because radi is simply the 3rd person singular present form.

Why is radi used for a vehicle? Doesn’t it literally mean works?

Yes, raditi literally means to work, but in Serbian it is also commonly used for machines, engines, devices, and vehicles in the sense of:

  • works
  • runs
  • functions

So Vozilo radi dobro means something like:

  • The vehicle works well
  • The vehicle runs well

Both ideas are natural here.

Why is it dobro and not dobar?

Because dobro is an adverb, and it modifies the verb radi.

  • dobar / dobra / dobro can be an adjective meaning good
  • dobro can also function as an adverb meaning well

Here we need well, not good:

  • radi dobro = works well

If you used dobar, that would be an adjective describing a noun, not the action.

What does iako mean, and how is it used?

Iako means although, even though, or though.

It introduces a contrast:

  • Vozilo radi dobro = the vehicle works well
  • iako je kilometraža velika = although the mileage is high

So the sentence expresses: one fact is true despite another fact.

Why is it iako je kilometraža velika instead of iako kilometraža je velika?

This is because je is a clitic in Serbian. Clitics are short unstressed words that usually appear in the second position of their clause.

After iako, the natural order is:

  • iako je kilometraža velika

In a main clause, you would normally say:

  • Kilometraža je velika.

But after a conjunction like iako, placing je right after iako is the normal pattern.

What case is kilometraža in?

Kilometraža is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the clause:

  • kilometraža je velika = the mileage is high

So:

  • kilometraža = subject
  • velika = adjective agreeing with it
Why is velika feminine?

Because kilometraža is a feminine noun.

In Serbian, adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in:

  • gender
  • number
  • case

So:

  • kilometraža = feminine singular nominative
  • velika = feminine singular nominative

That agreement is why you get velika, not velik or veliko.

Does kilometraža mean the same thing as English mileage?

Yes, in this sentence it does. Kilometraža refers to the number of kilometers a vehicle has traveled, basically:

  • mileage
  • odometer reading (depending on context)

Because Serbian uses kilometers, the word is built from kilometar rather than mile.

Is there supposed to be a comma before iako?

Usually, yes. In standard writing, this sentence would normally be written as:

Vozilo radi dobro, iako je kilometraža velika.

The clause introduced by iako is a subordinate clause, and it is typically separated by a comma.

So the version without a comma is understandable, but the version with the comma is more standard.

Can the sentence order be reversed?

Yes. You can also say:

Iako je kilometraža velika, vozilo radi dobro.

This means the same thing: Although the mileage is high, the vehicle runs well.

The difference is mainly one of emphasis:

  • Vozilo radi dobro, iako... starts with the main point
  • Iako..., vozilo radi dobro starts with the contrast

Both are natural.

Why is Serbian using no word for the in the vehicle or the mileage?

Because Serbian has no articles like English a or the.

So:

  • vozilo can mean a vehicle or the vehicle
  • kilometraža can mean mileage or the mileage

The exact meaning depends on context, not on an article.

Is vozilo the most natural word here, or would people say auto?

Vozilo is correct, but it is a bit more general and slightly more neutral/formal than auto.

  • vozilo = vehicle
  • auto = car

So if you specifically mean a car, many speakers might naturally say:

Auto radi dobro, iako je kilometraža velika.

But if you want a broader or more formal term, vozilo is perfectly appropriate.

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