Questions & Answers about Cev je u zidu.
Why is it u zidu and not u zid?
Because u means in/inside, and when it shows a location in Serbian, it takes the locative case.
- base form: zid = wall
- locative singular: zidu
- so: u zidu = in the wall
If there were movement into the wall, Serbian would normally use the accusative instead:
- Cev je u zidu. = The pipe is in the wall.
- Stavljam cev u zid. = I am putting the pipe into the wall.
Why is the preposition u used here instead of na?
Serbian uses u for something being inside or within something, and na for something being on a surface or at a place understood as a surface/spot.
So:
- u zidu = in the wall / inside the wall
- na zidu = on the wall
That is an important contrast:
- Slika je na zidu. = The picture is on the wall.
- Cev je u zidu. = The pipe is in the wall.
Why is je in the middle of the sentence?
Je is the 3rd person singular form of biti = to be, and in Serbian it is a . Clitics usually come in the of the sentence or clause.