Mačka mjauče tiho.

cat

Breakdown of Mačka mjauče tiho.

• tiho: quietly
• mjaukati: to meow

Questions & Answers about Mačka mjauče tiho.

Why is there no word for the or a before mačka?

Serbian does not have articles like English the and a/an.

So mačka can mean:

• the cat
• a cat

Which one is meant depends on context. In a simple standalone sentence like Mačka mjauče tiho, English will often translate it as The cat is meowing quietly or A cat is meowing quietly, depending on the situation.

Why is it mačka and not some other form like mačku?

Mačka is the nominative singular form, which is the form normally used for the subject of the sentence.

In this sentence, the cat is the one doing the action, so the subject is in the nominative:

• mačka = the cat / a cat

You would use mačku in some other roles, for example as a direct object:

• Vidim mačku. = I see the cat.

So here:

• Mačka = subject
• therefore nominative is correct

What exactly is mjauče grammatically?

Mjauče is the 3rd person singular present tense form of the verb mjaukati or mijaukati/ depending on dictionary and regional preference. In everyday use, it means or .