Questions & Answers about Ako otkažeš svoj plan, javi se i pridruži nam se.
Why is it ako otkažeš and not an imperative form like otkaži?
Because after ako meaning if, Serbian normally does not use the imperative.
Here, otkažeš is the 2nd person singular present tense of the perfective verb otkazati. After ako, this present form is often used for a future condition, so it means something like if you cancel.
So:
- ako otkažeš = if you cancel
- otkaži! = cancel!
Those are different functions.
Why is svoj used instead of tvoj?
Svoj is the reflexive possessive pronoun, and Serbian prefers it when the thing belongs to the subject of the sentence.
Here, the subject is an understood you, so:
- svoj plan = your own plan
Using tvoj plan is not impossible in everyday speech, but svoj is the standard and more natural choice when the possessor is the same person as the subject.
A useful rule:
- use svoj when the owner = the subject
- use moj / tvoj / njegov / njen... when you want to name some other owner, or for emphasis
What exactly does javi se mean?