Adjectives of Quality (e.g., lijep, dobar)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Croatian, adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun they describe.
- Masculine nouns end in a consonant: 'dobar pas' (a good dog).
- Feminine nouns end in -a: 'dobra mačka' (a good cat).
- Neuter nouns end in -o/-e: 'dobro dijete' (a good child).
Adjective Gender Agreement (Nominative Singular)
| Gender | Ending | Example (Good) | Example (Beautiful) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Masculine
|
-Ø
|
dobar
|
lijep
|
|
Feminine
|
-a
|
dobra
|
lijepa
|
|
Neuter
|
-o/-e
|
dobro
|
lijepo
|
Meanings
Adjectives of quality describe the characteristics or state of a noun. They change their endings to agree with the noun's gender and number.
Descriptive
Used to describe physical or abstract qualities of a noun.
“Ovo je dobar film.”
“Ona je sretna žena.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Noun + Adjective
|
Pas je dobar.
|
|
Negative
|
Noun + nije + Adjective
|
Pas nije dobar.
|
|
Question
|
Je li + Noun + Adjective?
|
Je li pas dobar?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Da/Ne + Adjective
|
Da, dobar je.
|
|
Plural M
|
Noun + Adjective (i)
|
Psi su dobri.
|
|
Plural F
|
Noun + Adjective (e)
|
Mačke su dobre.
|
طيف الرسمية
Vrijeme je lijepo. (Casual conversation)
Lijepo je vrijeme. (Casual conversation)
Lijepo vrijeme, zar ne? (Casual conversation)
Dobar dan, brate! (Casual conversation)
Gender Matching
Masculine
- dobar good
Feminine
- dobra good
Neuter
- dobro good
أمثلة حسب المستوى
Ovo je dobar pas.
This is a good dog.
Ona je lijepa žena.
She is a beautiful woman.
To je malo selo.
That is a small village.
Kava je vruća.
The coffee is hot.
Moj novi auto je brz.
My new car is fast.
Imam veliku kuću.
I have a big house.
On je sretan čovjek.
He is a happy man.
Ovo je zanimljivo pitanje.
This is an interesting question.
Tražim jeftin stan u centru.
I am looking for a cheap apartment in the center.
Njezina duga kosa je plava.
Her long hair is blonde.
To je bila teška odluka.
That was a difficult decision.
Radim na važnom projektu.
I am working on an important project.
Njegov analitički pristup je impresivan.
His analytical approach is impressive.
Ovo je povijesno značajno mjesto.
This is a historically significant place.
Potrebna nam je hitna intervencija.
We need an urgent intervention.
Njezini argumenti su vrlo uvjerljivi.
Her arguments are very convincing.
Njegova retorika je bila izrazito cinična.
His rhetoric was extremely cynical.
Ovo je suptilna, ali ključna razlika.
This is a subtle but key difference.
Njezin je stil pisanja neobično melankoličan.
Her writing style is unusually melancholic.
Postigli smo sveobuhvatan dogovor.
We reached a comprehensive agreement.
Njegova je erudicija naprosto fascinantna.
His erudition is simply fascinating.
Ovo je paradigmatski primjer jezične evolucije.
This is a paradigmatic example of linguistic evolution.
Njezina je poezija prožeta arhaičnim izričajem.
Her poetry is permeated with archaic expression.
To je bila neizbježna posljedica sustavne pogreške.
That was an inevitable consequence of a systemic error.
سهل الخلط
Learners use adjectives where they need adverbs.
Adjectives change in the Accusative case.
When to use -i vs -Ø.
أخطاء شائعة
dobra pas
dobar pas
lijep mačka
lijepa mačka
dobar dijete
dobro dijete
lijepo čovjek
lijep čovjek
veliki kuća
velika kuća
novi auto
nov auto
sretni žena
sretna žena
dobrih ljudi
dobri ljudi
lijepom djevojka
lijepom djevojkom
velikih grad
velik grad
visokog zgrada
visoka zgrada
brzi auto
brz auto
lijepim cvijeće
lijepo cvijeće
أنماط الجُمل
Ovo je ___ ___.
Moj ___ je ___.
Tražim ___ ___.
Ovo je vrlo ___ ___.
Real World Usage
Lijep dan u Zagrebu!
Gdje je dobar restoran?
Ja sam vrijedan radnik.
Jedno hladno pivo, molim.
Ovo je star grad.
Brza dostava.
Group by Gender
Watch the Case
Listen to Natives
Regional Variation
Smart Tips
Check the last letter of the noun.
Identify their gender first.
Double-check your adjective endings.
Don't worry about mistakes, just speak.
النطق
Vowel length
Adjective endings are usually short.
Declarative
Pas je dobar. ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Remember 'M-A-N': Masculine (nothing), A (feminine), Neuter (o/e).
ربط بصري
Imagine a tailor measuring a suit for a dog (masculine), a cat (feminine), and a baby (neuter). Each gets a different size tag.
Rhyme
Masculine is plain and free, Feminine ends in -a for me, Neuter likes -o or -e.
Story
I met a 'dobar' man, a 'dobra' woman, and a 'dobro' child. They all wore labels matching their gender. I never forgot the endings again.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Look around your room and describe 5 objects using the correct gendered adjective.
ملاحظات ثقافية
Often drop the final consonant in speech.
Standard usage is strictly followed.
More emphasis on vowel clarity.
Croatian adjectives share roots with Proto-Slavic.
بدايات محادثة
Kakav je tvoj auto?
Je li ovo dobar film?
Kako opisuješ svoj grad?
Što misliš o ovom poslu?
مواضيع للكتابة اليومية
أخطاء شائعة
Test Yourself
Pas je ___ (dobar/dobra).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Mačka je dobar.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
The house is big.
Answer starts with: Kuć...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___ auto, ___ kuća, ___ selo.
A: Kako je bilo? B: Film je bio ___.
Score: /8
تمارين تطبيقية
8 exercisesPas je ___ (dobar/dobra).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Mačka je dobar.
je / lijep / grad / ovo
The house is big.
Match: Pas, Mačka, Dijete
___ auto, ___ kuća, ___ selo.
A: Kako je bilo? B: Film je bio ___.
Score: /8
الأسئلة الشائعة (8)
To match the gender of the noun.
Check the noun ending.
Yes, some nouns have irregular genders.
Yes, they have plural forms.
Yes, in some contexts.
The grammar remains the same.
It's a loanword that took masculine gender.
Label objects in your house.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Adjektivdeklination
German has more complex article-adjective interaction.
Adjetivos
Spanish adjectives usually follow the noun.
Adjectifs
French doesn't have a case system for adjectives.
Keiyoushi
Japanese adjectives conjugate for tense.
Sifa
Arabic has dual forms.
Xingrongci
Chinese uses particles like 'de'.
