Nominative Case for Adjectives: Agreement with Nouns
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Croatian, adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun they describe by changing their ending.
- Masculine nouns usually end in a consonant; use -i (e.g., 'dobar čovjek').
- Feminine nouns usually end in -a; use -a (e.g., 'dobra žena').
- Neuter nouns usually end in -o or -e; use -o (e.g., 'dobro dijete').
Nominative Adjective Endings
| Gender | Ending | Example (Adj) | Example (Noun) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Masculine
|
-i
|
velik-i
|
grad
|
|
Feminine
|
-a
|
velik-a
|
kuća
|
|
Neuter
|
-o
|
velik-o
|
selo
|
|
Masculine Plural
|
-i
|
velik-i
|
gradovi
|
|
Feminine Plural
|
-e
|
velik-e
|
kuće
|
|
Neuter Plural
|
-a
|
velik-a
|
sela
|
Meanings
The Nominative case is the 'dictionary form' of a noun. Adjectives must agree with the noun in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular, plural).
Basic Description
Describing a noun's quality in the nominative case.
“Lijepa kuća.”
“Mali stol.”
Predicate Adjective
Using an adjective after the verb 'to be'.
“Pas je velik.”
“Kuća je lijepa.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Adj + Noun
|
Lijep dan.
|
|
Negative
|
Adj + Noun + Nije
|
Dan nije lijep.
|
|
Question
|
Je li + Adj + Noun?
|
Je li dan lijep?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Da/Ne + Adj
|
Da, lijep je.
|
|
Plural
|
Adj-pl + Noun-pl
|
Lijepi dani.
|
|
Predicate
|
Noun + je + Adj
|
Dan je lijep.
|
Spectre de formalité
Kuća je velika. (Describing property)
Kuća je velika. (Describing property)
Kuća je baš velika! (Describing property)
Kuća je ogromna! (Describing property)
Adjective Gender Matching
Masculine
- veliki big
Feminine
- velika big
Neuter
- veliko big
Exemples par niveau
Dobar dan.
Good day.
Lijepa kuća.
Beautiful house.
Malo dijete.
Small child.
Veliki pas.
Big dog.
Moja nova prijateljica je iz Hrvatske.
My new friend is from Croatia.
Ovaj stari grad je predivan.
This old city is wonderful.
Hladno pivo je na stolu.
Cold beer is on the table.
Dobre vijesti su stigle.
Good news has arrived.
Zanimljiva knjiga koju čitam je napisana na hrvatskom.
The interesting book I am reading is written in Croatian.
Naš zajednički prijatelj dolazi sutra.
Our mutual friend is coming tomorrow.
Plavo more je danas vrlo mirno.
The blue sea is very calm today.
Visoki muškarac u crnom kaputu je moj šef.
The tall man in the black coat is my boss.
Njegova iznenadna odluka bila je potpuno neočekivana.
His sudden decision was completely unexpected.
Složena situacija zahtijeva hitno rješenje.
The complex situation requires an urgent solution.
Dugogodišnje iskustvo čini ga idealnim kandidatom.
Long-term experience makes him an ideal candidate.
Sretna obitelj provodi vikend u prirodi.
A happy family spends the weekend in nature.
Neizmjerna radost ispunila je njezino srce.
Immense joy filled her heart.
Sveobuhvatna analiza pokazala je značajne rezultate.
A comprehensive analysis showed significant results.
Nepredvidljiva priroda ovog projekta nosi određene rizike.
The unpredictable nature of this project carries certain risks.
Veličanstven pogled na planine oduzima dah.
The magnificent view of the mountains takes one's breath away.
Dubokoumna filozofska rasprava trajala je do kasno u noć.
The profound philosophical discussion lasted late into the night.
Beskrajna prostranstva panonske ravnice odišu mirom.
The endless expanses of the Pannonian plain exude peace.
Nepobitna činjenica ostaje da je promjena neizbježna.
The undeniable fact remains that change is inevitable.
Sveprisutna napetost u zraku bila je gotovo opipljiva.
The omnipresent tension in the air was almost palpable.
Facile à confondre
Learners often use Nominative endings for objects.
Some neuter nouns end in -e, which can be confused with masculine.
Learners use adjectives where they need adverbs.
Erreurs courantes
lijepi žena
lijepa žena
veliko pas
veliki pas
dobra dijete
dobro dijete
lijepi kuća
lijepa kuća
veliki kuće
velike kuće
dobri sela
dobra sela
stari gradovi
stari gradovi
zanimljivi knjiga
zanimljiva knjiga
plavi more
plavo more
visoki žena
visoka žena
neizmjerni radost
neizmjerna radost
sveobuhvatni analiza
sveobuhvatna analiza
nepredvidljivi priroda
nepredvidljiva priroda
Structures de phrases
___ je ___.
Ovo je ___ ___.
Moj ___ je ___.
___ ___ je vrlo ___.
Real World Usage
Velika kava, molim.
Lijepa slika!
Moje dugogodišnje iskustvo je važno.
Ovaj grad je prekrasan.
Hladna pizza nije dobra.
Sretan rođendan!
Check the noun
Don't guess
Use flashcards
Listen to locals
Smart Tips
Always check the last letter of the noun first.
Think of the noun's gender before writing the adjective.
Learn the noun with its gender.
Don't rush; focus on the ending.
Prononciation
Vowel length
Adjective endings are usually short, but can be long in specific contexts.
Statement
Kuća je lijepa. ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Question
Je li kuća lijepa? ↗
Rising intonation for questions.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Remember 'I-A-O': I am a man (Masculine -i), A is for a lady (Feminine -a), O is for the Other (Neuter -o).
Association visuelle
Imagine a dog wearing a tie with an 'i' (Masculine), a cat wearing a hat with an 'a' (Feminine), and a baby holding a balloon with an 'o' (Neuter).
Rhyme
Masculine ends in i, feminine in a, neuter in o, that's the Croatian way!
Story
A big dog (veliki pas) walked into a house. He met a beautiful cat (lijepa mačka) sitting on a small chair (malo stolac). They were all happy.
Word Web
Défi
Look around your room and name 3 objects with an adjective, making sure the ending matches the gender.
Notes culturelles
In Dalmatia, they often drop the final vowel in speech, but the written form remains standard.
Standard Croatian is used, but adjectives are often used in a more colloquial way.
They tend to emphasize the endings more clearly.
Croatian adjective endings come from Proto-Slavic, where they were used to distinguish between definite and indefinite forms.
Amorces de conversation
Kakav je tvoj pas?
Je li ova kava dobra?
Kako opisuješ svoj grad?
Što misliš o ovoj knjizi?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
Pas je velik___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Veliko pas.
je / kuća / lijepa
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___ selo.
Adjectives must match noun gender.
A: Kakav je grad? B: Grad je ___.
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesPas je velik___.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Veliko pas.
je / kuća / lijepa
Match: 1. Pas, 2. Kuća, 3. Selo
___ selo.
Adjectives must match noun gender.
A: Kakav je grad? B: Grad je ___.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
They change to show which noun they are modifying, making sentences clearer.
You should check the dictionary. Most nouns ending in a consonant are masculine.
Yes, some nouns ending in -a are masculine (e.g., 'tata').
Yes, plural adjectives have their own endings.
No, that would be grammatically incorrect.
No, this is only for the Nominative case.
Use flashcards and label items in your house.
Yes, it is standard in all forms of Croatian.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Concordancia de género
Croatian has a neuter gender, while Spanish does not.
Adjektivdeklination
German endings depend on the article, while Croatian endings are attached directly to the adjective.
Accord de l'adjectif
French agreement is mostly for gender/number, not case.
None
Japanese has no grammatical gender.
Tabaq al-sifa
Arabic agreement is heavily influenced by the definite article.
None
Chinese adjectives are invariant.
