Kaput je na stolici, a torba je blizu stolice.

The coat is on the chair, and the bag is near the chair.

Breakdown of Kaput je na stolici, a torba je blizu stolice.

• biti: to be
• a: and
• blizu: near
• na: on

Questions & Answers about Kaput je na stolici, a torba je blizu stolice.

Why is stolica written two different ways: stolici and stolice?

Because Serbian changes noun endings depending on their role in the sentence.

The base form is stolica = chair.

• na stolici = on the chair
  Here, stolica becomes stolici because na is expressing location, so Serbian uses the locative case.

• blizu stolice = near the chair
  Here, stolica becomes stolice because blizu requires the genitive case.

So the noun is the same, but the grammar around it changes its form.

Why does na use stolici here?

In this sentence, na means on in the sense of location: the coat is located on the chair.

When na expresses location, Serbian usually uses the locative case:

• na stolu = on the table
• na polici = on the shelf
• na stolici = on the chair

So:

• Kaput je na stolici. = The coat is on the chair.

A very important contrast:

• na stolici = on the chair / located there
• na stolicu = onto the chair / movement toward it