Questions & Answers about Točkić i ručka su oštećeni.
Why is su used here instead of je?
Because the subject is compound: točkić i ručka = the wheel and the handle.
Even though each noun is singular by itself, together they form a plural subject, so Serbian uses the plural form of to be:
- je = is for one thing
- su = are for more than one thing
So:
- Točkić je oštećen. = The wheel is damaged.
- Ručka je oštećena. = The handle is damaged.
- Točkić i ručka su oštećeni. = The wheel and the handle are damaged.
Why is it oštećeni, not oštećene, if ručka is feminine?
Because točkić is masculine and ručka is feminine, and when Serbian has a mixed-gender plural subject, the adjective usually goes in the masculine plural form.
So:
- masculine singular: oštećen
- feminine singular: oštećena
- masculine plural: oštećeni
- feminine plural: oštećene
- neuter plural: oštećena
Here the subject is mixed:
- točkić = masculine
- ručka = feminine
So the standard agreement is:
- Točkić i ručka su oštećeni.
What genders are točkić and ručka?