Croatian grammar reference section: NOUNS
What's all the fuss? A noun is a noun is a noun. Isn't it?
Well, in the English language, every object or being has a name (called a noun) that doesn't change in different sentences. That is a house. I see the house. I am going to the house. I am in the house. A house is a house is a house. Generally, the only change in English nouns is a minor difference to distinguish between singular and plural: cat/cats, house/houses.
Learning the Croatian language, however, you will know that there are masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns. The singular nouns in each category change according to their function in sentences (called cases, of which there are seven - so there are seven forms of each singular noun). And the way that a masculine noun changes according to case is different from that for feminine and neuter nouns.
And to top it off, what I have said above also applies (but differently) to plurals of masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns.
Since the differences between forms of a noun are in their endings, there are 42 different endings of nouns (seven cases of each for the three genders, in singular and plural.
And to top it off, what I have said above also applies (but differently) to plurals of masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns.
Since the differences between forms of a noun are in their endings, there are 42 different endings of nouns (seven cases of each for the three genders, in singular and plural.
A warning ....
Although it is essential to eventually know how the endings give us information about who/what is doing what in sentences (I cannot emphasise that enough!), don't try to commit all of the patterns, or 'rules' to memory in early days. You will not be able to finish your sentences as your mind's eye searches a visualized table of noun endings, looking for the one you want. By the time you find it, the person that you are talking with might have walked away, or gone to sleep. I've lost count of the number of times that I have realised that I was talking with myself. I was 'bogged down' in the grammar.
With practice, the patterns will come to you.
Although it is essential to eventually know how the endings give us information about who/what is doing what in sentences (I cannot emphasise that enough!), don't try to commit all of the patterns, or 'rules' to memory in early days. You will not be able to finish your sentences as your mind's eye searches a visualized table of noun endings, looking for the one you want. By the time you find it, the person that you are talking with might have walked away, or gone to sleep. I've lost count of the number of times that I have realised that I was talking with myself. I was 'bogged down' in the grammar.
With practice, the patterns will come to you.
So why do I include this reference section?
For the same reason that we have dictionaries and encyclopedias (or Google, or Wikipedia, or ...) - to find out, or to check, when we are unsure. I hope that the content is reliable enough that you can be confident in the information provided.
For the same reason that we have dictionaries and encyclopedias (or Google, or Wikipedia, or ...) - to find out, or to check, when we are unsure. I hope that the content is reliable enough that you can be confident in the information provided.
Content
The pages in this section are the following .....
001 Questions that define the case of nouns
002 All nouns have gender
003 Nouns in the nominative case
004 Declension categories of nouns
005 Declension of regular masculine nouns
006 Declension of regular feminine nouns
The pages in this section are the following .....
001 Questions that define the case of nouns
002 All nouns have gender
003 Nouns in the nominative case
004 Declension categories of nouns
005 Declension of regular masculine nouns
006 Declension of regular feminine nouns