Questions & Answers about Ovo je poslednji autobus za centar.
Why does the sentence start with ovo and not ovaj?
Ovo is a standalone demonstrative pronoun meaning this.
In Ovo je poslednji autobus za centar, it means something like This is the last bus to the center.
By contrast, ovaj is used directly with a masculine noun:
- ovaj autobus = this bus
So:
- Ovo je autobus. = This is a bus.
- Ovaj autobus je poslednji. = This bus is the last one.
A learner often notices that both relate to this, but they are used differently:
- ovo = stands alone
- ovaj = goes before a masculine noun
What exactly is je here?
Je is the 3rd person singular present tense of biti, meaning to be.
So it means is.
- ovo = this
- je = is
- poslednji autobus za centar = the last bus to the center
A useful extra point: je is a clitic, so it usually appears in second position in the sentence. That is why Ovo je... sounds natural.
Why is there no word for the in Serbian?