Stolnjak je na stolu.

Because sto is the basic dictionary form, but after na when you mean a location, Serbian uses the locative case.

This noun is a bit irregular:

• nominative: sto = table
• locative: stolu = on the table

So:

• Stolnjak je na stolu. = The tablecloth is on the table.

You will also see the stem stol- in other cases, for example:

• od stola = from the table
• sa stolom = with the table

Stolnjak is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the sentence — the thing being talked about.

In this sentence:

• stolnjak = the subject
• je = is
• na stolu = on the table

So the structure is basically:

• [subject] + [is] + [location]

Je means is.

It is the 3rd person singular present tense of the verb biti = to be.

So:

• ja sam = I am
• ti si = you are
• on/ona/ono je = he/she/it is

In Stolnjak je na stolu, je links the subject with its location, just like English is.

Normally, no. In standard Serbian, you usually keep je in a sentence like this.

So:

• Stolnjak je na stolu. = correct
• Stolnjak na stolu. = not a normal full sentence in standard Serbian

You may see omission in headlines, notes, or very informal contexts, but for learners, it is best to use je.

Because prepositions in Serbian often require specific cases.

Here, na means on, and when it describes a static location it takes the locative:

• na stolu = on the table

So the sentence uses:

• stolnjak in nominative, because it is the subject
• stolu in locative, because it comes after na and shows location

This is a very important Serbian pattern:

• na + locative = location, being on something
• na + accusative = movement onto something

So:

• Stolnjak je na stolu. = The tablecloth is on the table.
  (It is already there.)
• Stavljam stolnjak na sto. = I am putting the tablecloth onto the table.
  (Movement toward the table.)

Yes, stolnjak is masculine singular.

A very common clue in Serbian is:

• nouns ending in a consonant are often masculine

Since stolnjak ends in -k, it is masculine.

That matters for agreement in other sentences. For example:

• Ovaj stolnjak je lep. = This tablecloth is nice.

Both ovaj and lep are masculine singular to match stolnjak.

A useful approximation is:

• stolnjak ≈ STOL-nyak
• je ≈ ye
• stolu ≈ STO-loo

The key sound is nj, which is pronounced like ny in canyon.

So the whole sentence sounds roughly like:

• STOL-nyak ye na STO-loo

Not always. In this sentence, na clearly means on, but in Serbian it can also mean things like at, to, or onto, depending on context.

For example:

• na stolu = on the table
• na poslu = at work
• idem na more = I’m going to the seaside
• stavljam knjigu na sto = I’m putting the book onto the table

So you should learn na together with the case and the context, not as a single one-word translation.

Yes. Serbian word order is more flexible than English.

You can also say:

• Na stolu je stolnjak.

This still means The tablecloth is on the table, but it puts a little more focus on the location on the table.

Very roughly:

• Stolnjak je na stolu. = neutral, starting with the thing
• Na stolu je stolnjak. = neutral but with more emphasis on where it is

Because Serbian does not have articles like English a and the.

So Stolnjak je na stolu can mean:

• The tablecloth is on the table
• or, depending on context, A tablecloth is on a table

In real use, context usually makes it clear what is meant. English speakers often miss articles at first, but in Serbian that is completely normal.

Yes. Stolnjak is related to the word for table.

A learner can think of it as a word built from the idea of table plus a noun-forming ending, so it literally has the sense of something like a table-cover.

This can help you remember it:

• sto = table
• stolnjak = tablecloth

Even if the exact historical formation is not your main concern, the connection is useful for vocabulary building.