Croatian grammar #016
Vodice su grad u Hrvatskoj
Vodice su grad. (?)
not .... Vodice je grad. (?)
not .... Vodice je grad. (?)
A mystery, and its solution .......
The issue ….
After all this time learning Croatian, I was taken aback when I heard someone say “Vodice su grad na moru.” To me, that was like saying “Vodice are a town on the coast.”
Well, the reason is simple: Vodice is a plural (feminine) place name, and Croatians apply the verbsd and adjectives as for any other plural nouns, masculine of feminine.
So: Jabuke su na stolu. (Apples are on the table.)
Vodice su na moru. (Vodice are/is on the coast.)
After all this time learning Croatian, I was taken aback when I heard someone say “Vodice su grad na moru.” To me, that was like saying “Vodice are a town on the coast.”
Well, the reason is simple: Vodice is a plural (feminine) place name, and Croatians apply the verbsd and adjectives as for any other plural nouns, masculine of feminine.
So: Jabuke su na stolu. (Apples are on the table.)
Vodice su na moru. (Vodice are/is on the coast.)
In another post (Grammar #011: Declension of place names), I talked about how Croatians decline (change) place names, depending on whether a name is masculine, feminine or neuter, singular or plural, noun-like or adjective-like – and, of course, its role in a sentence.
But the issue here is how plural place names (in the nominative case) govern the form of associated verbs and adjectives.
But the issue here is how plural place names (in the nominative case) govern the form of associated verbs and adjectives.
Plural place names in Croatia
There are not many Croatian place names that are plural nouns. Here are a few ……
Masculine: Vinkovci, Stankovci, Križevci
Feminine: Vodice, Našice, Plitvice.
There are not many Croatian place names that are plural nouns. Here are a few ……
Masculine: Vinkovci, Stankovci, Križevci
Feminine: Vodice, Našice, Plitvice.
Some examples
To demonstrate what I mean……..
Našice is a town in Slavonia.
Našice su grad u Slavoniji.
Vodice is small.
Vodice su male.
This is Stankovci.
Ovo su Stankovci.
Vinkovci had 28 000 residents in 2021.
Vinkovci su imali 28 000 stanovnika 2021 g.
Vodice had 10 000 residents.
Vodice su imale 10 000 stanovnika.
Vodice has never been bigger than Šibenik.
Vodice nikad nisu bile veće od Šibenika.
To demonstrate what I mean……..
Našice is a town in Slavonia.
Našice su grad u Slavoniji.
Vodice is small.
Vodice su male.
This is Stankovci.
Ovo su Stankovci.
Vinkovci had 28 000 residents in 2021.
Vinkovci su imali 28 000 stanovnika 2021 g.
Vodice had 10 000 residents.
Vodice su imale 10 000 stanovnika.
Vodice has never been bigger than Šibenik.
Vodice nikad nisu bile veće od Šibenika.
Plural country names
Similar principles apply to sentences which have plural country names (in Croatian).
The Philippines is near Japan.
Filipini su blizu Japana.
The United States of America became independent in 1776.
Sjedinjene Američke Države postale su neovisne 1776. godine.
But, using the abbreviation ….
USA became independent in 1776.
SAD je postao neovisan 1776. godine. [Don’t ask me why!]
Similar principles apply to sentences which have plural country names (in Croatian).
The Philippines is near Japan.
Filipini su blizu Japana.
The United States of America became independent in 1776.
Sjedinjene Američke Države postale su neovisne 1776. godine.
But, using the abbreviation ….
USA became independent in 1776.
SAD je postao neovisan 1776. godine. [Don’t ask me why!]
Nouns that behave like adjectives
I presumed that “Imotski is a big town” would translate to “Imotski su veleki grad.”
But no, “Imotski je velik grad.” is correct. I think that “Imotski” does not imply plural (of an implied noun after it). Rather it is a definite adjective - in singular masculine
I presumed that “Imotski is a big town” would translate to “Imotski su veleki grad.”
But no, “Imotski je velik grad.” is correct. I think that “Imotski” does not imply plural (of an implied noun after it). Rather it is a definite adjective - in singular masculine
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