Questions & Answers about Da li postoji ovaj problem?
What does da li do in this sentence?
Da li is a very common way to turn a statement into a yes/no question in Serbian.
- Postoji ovaj problem. = This problem exists.
- Da li postoji ovaj problem? = Does this problem exist?
It does not mean that here, even though da often means that in other contexts. As a fixed question pattern, da li simply signals: this is a yes/no question.
Can I also say Postoji li ovaj problem?
Yes. Postoji li ovaj problem? is also correct.
Both patterns are common:
- Da li postoji ovaj problem?
- Postoji li ovaj problem?
The second one sounds a little more compact and is often felt to be slightly more formal or written, but both are normal. As a learner, it is very useful to know both patterns.
A rough comparison:
- Da li + verb ... ?
- Verb + li ... ?
So:
- Da li postoji...?
- Postoji li...?
What verb is postoji from?
Postoji is the 3rd person singular present tense of postojati, which means to exist.