Mačka je mala.

Mačka means cat. It is a feminine noun in Serbian.

You can tell it is feminine because it follows the common feminine noun pattern ending in -a. That matters because adjectives and some verb forms have to agree with it.

Because mala has to agree with mačka.

In Serbian, adjectives change form to match the noun’s:

• gender
• number
• case

Since mačka is:

• feminine
• singular
• here in the nominative case

the adjective must also be feminine singular nominative: mala.

Compare:

• mali pas = the/small dog (masculine)
• mala mačka = the/a small cat (feminine)
• malo dete = the/a small child (neuter)

Je is the 3rd person singular form of the verb biti (to be).

So:

• ja sam = I am
• ti si = you are
• on/ona/ono je = he/she/it is

In Mačka je mala, je means is.

Yes, very often in everyday speech and especially in headlines, poetry, or informal style, you may hear:

• Mačka mala.

But the full standard sentence is:

• Mačka je mala.

For learners, it is safest to use je in normal sentences like this.

Serbian normally has no articles, so there is no direct equivalent of English a/an or the.

So Mačka je mala can mean:

• The cat is small
• A cat is small
• The cat is little

The exact meaning depends on context.

If needed, Serbian uses other ways to make something more specific, such as word order, context, or words like:

• ta mačka = that cat
• ova mačka = this cat

Usually mala means small, but in many contexts English may also use little.

So:

• Mačka je mala = The cat is small
• sometimes also The cat is little

In simple learning examples, small is usually the best basic translation.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

MACH-ka ye MA-la

More specifically:

• č sounds like ch in chocolate
• j sounds like English y in yes
• stress is commonly on the first syllable in these words: MÁČ-ka je MÁ-la

So:

• mačka ≈ MACH-ka
• je ≈ ye
• mala ≈ MA-la

Č is pronounced like ch in church, but often a bit firmer and clearer.

So:

• mačka sounds roughly like machka

Do not pronounce it like:

• English k
• English s
• English sh

It is specifically a ch sound.

Yes, Serbian word order is more flexible than English.

The neutral, basic order is:

• Mačka je mala.

You can also say:

• Mala je mačka.

That can sound more marked or emphatic, depending on context. It may feel like:

• The cat is small
• or Small is the cat, with extra focus on small

For beginners, use Mačka je mala as the normal pattern:

• noun + je + adjective

Here mačka is in the nominative singular, because it is the subject of the sentence.

The adjective mala is also in the nominative singular feminine to match it.

So this sentence shows agreement between:

• mačka — feminine singular nominative
• mala — feminine singular nominative

If the noun were masculine, the adjective would change too.

For example:

• Pas je mali. = The dog is small.

Here:

• pas is masculine
• so the adjective is mali, not mala

That is one of the most important grammar patterns in Serbian: adjectives agree with the noun.

Not always. In everyday Serbian, mačka is the normal general word for cat, even when the animal’s sex is not important.

If you specifically want to say male cat / tomcat, Serbian can use:

• mačak

So:

• mačka = cat / female cat
• mačak = male cat, tomcat

But in many beginner examples, mačka is simply understood as cat.

The plural is:

• Mačke su male. = The cats are small.

Changes:

• mačka → mačke (cats)
• je → su (are)
• mala → male to agree with the plural feminine noun

So singular vs. plural:

• Mačka je mala. = The cat is small.
• Mačke su male. = The cats are small.