Dizel i benzin su goriva.

to be

Breakdown of Dizel i benzin su goriva.

• i: and
• gorivo: fuel
• benzin: petrol

Questions & Answers about Dizel i benzin su goriva.

Why is it su and not je?

Because the subject is plural.

In Dizel i benzin, you have two things joined by i = and:

• dizel
• benzin

So Serbian treats the subject as plural: diesel and gasoline.
That means the verb to be must also be plural:

• je = is
• su = are

So:

• Dizel je gorivo. = Diesel is a fuel.
• Benzin je gorivo. = Gasoline is a fuel.
• Dizel i benzin su goriva. = Diesel and gasoline are fuels.

Why is goriva plural?

Because it refers to both dizel and benzin as two members of the category fuel.

The singular noun is:

• gorivo = fuel

Its plural is:

• goriva = fuels

So the sentence literally says:

• Diesel and gasoline are fuels

If you used singular gorivo, the sentence would sound different:

• Dizel i benzin su gorivo.

That can sometimes be understood in a more collective or category sense, but for a basic learner sentence, su goriva is the straightforward and expected form.

What case is goriva here?