Pod pretpostavkom da je davalac krvi spreman, pregled počinje.

to be

Breakdown of Pod pretpostavkom da je davalac krvi spreman, pregled počinje.

• počinjati: to start
• spreman: ready
• pregled: medical examination

Questions & Answers about Pod pretpostavkom da je davalac krvi spreman, pregled počinje.

What does pod pretpostavkom da mean as a whole?

Pod pretpostavkom da is a fixed expression meaning assuming that, on the assumption that, or provided that.

In this sentence, it introduces a condition under which something happens:

• Pod pretpostavkom da je davalac krvi spreman, pregled počinje.

A very natural English equivalent would be:

• If the blood donor is ready, the examination begins.
• or more formally, Assuming that the blood donor is ready, the examination begins.

This expression is a bit more formal than a simple ako (if).

Why is it pretpostavkom and not pretpostavka?

Because after the preposition pod, Serbian here uses the instrumental case.

So:

• nominative: pretpostavka = assumption
• instrumental: pretpostavkom

That is why you get:

• pod pretpostavkom = under the assumption / on the assumption

This is one of those combinations you should learn as a set phrase:

• pod uslovom da = provided that
• pod pretpostavkom da = assuming that

So yes, the form pretpostavkom is required by the grammar of the phrase.

Why is there da je after pod pretpostavkom?