Learn Hardcore Serbian: Ispod prozora je sto, a iznad stola je velika fotografija planine. - Under the window there is a table, and above the table there is a large photograph of a mountain.

Ispod prozora je sto, a iznad stola je velika fotografija planine.

Under the window there is a table, and above the table there is a large photograph of a mountain.

Breakdown of Ispod prozora je sto, a iznad stola je velika fotografija planine.

Questions & Answers about Ispod prozora je sto, a iznad stola je velika fotografija planine.

Why are the nouns prozora, stola, and planine not in their basic dictionary forms?

Because they are in the genitive case.

In the sentence:

ispod prozora = below the window
iznad stola = above the table
fotografija planine = a photograph of a mountain

The basic forms are:

prozor = window
sto = table
planina = mountain

Their genitive singular forms are:

prozora
stola
planine

So a very important pattern here is that certain prepositions and noun relationships require the genitive.

Do ispod and iznad always take the genitive case?

Yes, in normal usage ispod (below / underneath) and iznad (above) take the genitive.

So you get:

ispod prozora = below the window
iznad stola = above the table

This is true whether you are describing position or movement in standard Serbian. So if you learn ispod and iznad, it is best to learn them together with the rule + genitive.