Ličiš na oca.

father

Breakdown of Ličiš na oca.

• na: on
• ličiti: to resemble; look like

Questions & Answers about Ličiš na oca.

What does ličiš mean here, and what form is it?

Ličiš is the 2nd person singular present tense of the verb ličiti, which means to resemble / to look like.

So:

• ja ličim = I resemble
• ti ličiš = you resemble
• on/ona liči = he/she resembles

In Ličiš na oca, the subject ti (you) is understood and does not need to be said.

Why is there no word for you in the sentence?

In Serbian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, -iš in ličiš tells us the subject is you (singular).

So:

• Ličiš na oca. = You look like your father.
• Ti ličiš na oca. = also correct, but ti adds emphasis or contrast

For example, Ti ličiš na oca, a brat na majku. = You look like your father, and your brother looks like your mother.

Why is it na oca and not just oca?