Questions & Answers about Čeona lampa, kabanica i čuturica su u rancu.
Why is the verb su and not je?
Because the subject is plural: it is a list of three things — čeona lampa, kabanica i čuturica.
In Serbian, just like in English, a compound subject joined by i (and) normally takes a plural verb.
- je = is
- su = are
So:
- Lampa je u rancu. = The lamp is in the backpack.
- Lampa i kabanica su u rancu. = The lamp and the raincoat are in the backpack.
What case are the nouns in this sentence?
The three listed items are in the nominative, because they form the subject of the sentence:
- čeona lampa
- kabanica
- čuturica
The word rancu is in the locative singular, because it follows u in the meaning of location:
- u rancu = in the backpack
So the structure is:
- [Subject in nominative] + su + [location phrase]
Why is it u rancu and not u ranac?