Questions & Answers about To je sjajna ideja.
What does each word in To je sjajna ideja. do grammatically?
- To = that / it / this, depending on context. Here it points to an idea or situation.
- je = is. It is the 3rd person singular form of biti (to be).
- sjajna = great / brilliant / excellent. This adjective describes ideja.
- ideja = idea.
So the structure is basically That/It is a great idea.
Does to je mean that is or it is?
It can correspond to both in English.
In Serbian, to je is very common when identifying or commenting on something:
- To je problem. = That is the problem. / It is a problem.
- To je dobro. = That is good. / It is good.
English chooses between that, this, and it more strictly depending on context. Serbian to is often more flexible.
Why is it sjajna and not sjajno or sjajan?
Because ideja is a feminine singular noun, and adjectives in Serbian must agree with the noun they describe.
So:
- masculine: sjajan
- feminine: sjajna
- neuter: sjajno
Since ideja is feminine, you need sjajna ideja.