Questions & Answers about Imam jak bol u grlu.
What does each word in Imam jak bol u grlu mean?
Word by word:
- Imam = I have
- jak = strong / severe / intense
- bol = pain
- u = in
- grlu = throat in the form used after u
So literally it is I have a strong pain in the throat, and more natural English would usually be I have a severe sore throat or I have severe throat pain.
Why is there no ja for I?
Because the verb form already shows the subject.
- imam = I have
- imaš = you have
- ima = he/she/it has
So Serbian often leaves out the subject pronoun unless it is needed for emphasis or contrast.
- Imam jak bol u grlu. = neutral, normal
- Ja imam jak bol u grlu. = I have severe throat pain, maybe contrasting with someone else
Why is it jak bol and not jaka bol or jako bol?