When using the pronoun "ona" (she) with verbs, pay close attention to verb conjugations. Croatian verbs change their endings based on the subject's person and number. For example, with the verb "raditi" (to work), you would say "ona radi" (she works).
Similarly, when "ona" is the subject of the verb "biti" (to be), the form changes. For instance, you'd say "ona je" (she is), "ona nije" (she is not), or "je li ona?" (is she?). Mastering these conjugations is crucial for accurate sentence construction.
Also, remember that Croatian is a highly inflected language, meaning nouns, adjectives, and pronouns change their forms depending on their grammatical role in a sentence. While "ona" is the nominative form (used as the subject), it will change in other cases, such as "nje" (genitive), "njoj" (dative/locative), "nju" (accusative), and "njom" (instrumental).
§ Mistakes people make with this word
When learning Croatian, it's easy to get pronouns mixed up, especially when they share similarities with English or other languages. "Ona" is fairly straightforward, meaning "she." However, there are a few common pitfalls to avoid.
§ Mistake 1: Confusing "Ona" with "On" or "Ono"
This is perhaps the most frequent mistake. Croatian has distinct pronouns for masculine, feminine, and neuter singular subjects. While English uses "he," "she," and "it" for different genders, the sound of "ona" can sometimes lead learners to think it's for masculine or neuter.
- Remember:
- On = He (masculine singular)
- Ona = She (feminine singular)
- Ono = It (neuter singular)
Always associate "ona" with feminine subjects. Think of it as a direct equivalent to the English "she."
Ona je studentica. (She is a student.)
On je student. (He is a student.)
§ Mistake 2: Overusing "Ona" when the subject is clear
In Croatian, like many Slavic languages, the subject pronoun can often be omitted if the verb's ending clearly indicates who is performing the action. This is called pro-drop. While it's not strictly an error to include "ona," it can sound redundant or overly formal if not used for emphasis.
- Example of redundancy:
- Instead of saying "Ona radi," which means "She works," you can simply say "Radi." The verb ending -i tells you it's a third-person singular subject.
Radi. (She works. / He works.)
Ona radi. (She works.) - Used for emphasis or clarity if there's ambiguity.
§ Mistake 3: Forgetting about noun gender agreement
While "ona" itself means "she," remember that in Croatian, adjectives and sometimes even nouns (when referring to professions, for example) need to agree in gender with the subject. This isn't directly a mistake with "ona" but rather a consequence of not fully grasping gender in Croatian. If you're using "ona," ensure that any accompanying adjectives or predicate nouns are also in the feminine form.
- Correct Agreement:
- If you're describing her, use feminine adjectives.
Ona je lijepa. (She is beautiful.) - 'Lijepa' is the feminine form of 'beautiful'.
Ona je učiteljica. (She is a teacher.) - 'Učiteljica' is the feminine form of 'teacher'.
By being aware of these common mistakes, you can use "ona" correctly and confidently in your Croatian conversations. Practice makes perfect, so keep using it in sentences until it feels natural!
How Formal Is It?
"Ona je stigla na sastanak. (She arrived at the meeting.)"
"Ona ide u trgovinu. (She is going to the store.)"
"Ona dolazi kasnije. (She's coming later.)"
"Ona ima lijepu haljinu. (She has a pretty dress.)"
"Ona je totalno cool. (She's totally cool.)"
알아야 할 문법
In Croatian, personal pronouns like 'ona' (she) change their form depending on their grammatical case. The nominative case (who or what) is the basic form, as in 'Ona jede.' (She eats.)
Ona pjeva. (She sings.)
When 'ona' is the direct object of a verb (whom or what), it takes the accusative case, becoming 'nju'. For example, 'Vidim nju.' (I see her.)
Volim nju. (I love her.)
For the dative case (to whom or for whom), 'ona' becomes 'njoj'. An example is 'Dajem njoj knjigu.' (I am giving her the book.)
Govorim njoj. (I am talking to her.)
In the genitive case (of whom or of what), 'ona' also becomes 'nje'. For instance, 'Nema nje.' (She is not here / There is no her.)
Čekam nje. (I am waiting for her.)
When 'ona' is used with a preposition that requires the locative case (about whom or on whom), it becomes 'njoj'. An example is 'Mislim o njoj.' (I am thinking about her.)
Pričam o njoj. (I am talking about her.)
수준별 예문
Ona je moja prijateljica i često idemo zajedno na kavu.
She is my friend and we often go for coffee together.
Ona (she) is the subject of the sentence.
Vidjela sam je jučer u dućanu, kupovala je povrće.
I saw her yesterday in the store, she was buying vegetables.
Je (her) is the clitic form of the accusative case, referring to 'ona'.
Ona voli čitati knjige, pogotovo romane.
She likes to read books, especially novels.
Ona is the subject, indicating preference.
Razgovarala sam s njom o našim planovima za vikend.
I talked with her about our plans for the weekend.
Njom (her) is in the instrumental case, following the preposition 's' (with).
Ona radi kao učiteljica u osnovnoj školi.
She works as a teacher in an elementary school.
Ona is the subject, describing her profession.
Njezina je kuća vrlo blizu moje, pa često se posjećujemo.
Her house is very close to mine, so we visit each other often.
Njezina (her) is the possessive adjective for 'ona'.
Ona je uvijek spremna pomoći drugima, vrlo je draga osoba.
She is always ready to help others, she is a very kind person.
Ona is the subject, describing a characteristic.
Čekam je ispred kina, rekla je da će stići za pet minuta.
I am waiting for her in front of the cinema, she said she would arrive in five minutes.
Je (her) is the clitic form of the accusative case, referring to 'ona' as the object of waiting.
Ona je bila ključna figura u pregovorima, vješto balansirajući između suprotstavljenih strana kako bi se postigao kompromis.
She was a key figure in the negotiations, skillfully balancing opposing sides to reach a compromise.
Ona is the subject pronoun. 'Ključna figura' (key figure) is in the nominative case.
Iako je naišla na brojne prepreke, ona je s nepokolebljivom odlučnošću nastavila svoj put, inspirirajući mnoge da je slijede.
Although she encountered numerous obstacles, she continued her path with unwavering determination, inspiring many to follow her.
Ona is the subject pronoun. The phrase 's nepokolebljivom odlučnošću' (with unwavering determination) uses the instrumental case.
Njezina je prisutnost bila toliko snažna da je ona, bez ijedne izgovorene riječi, mogla preuzeti kontrolu nad cijelom prostorijom.
Her presence was so strong that she, without a single spoken word, could take control of the entire room.
Ona is the subject pronoun. 'Bez ijedne izgovorene riječi' (without a single spoken word) uses the genitive case.
Unatoč savjetima stručnjaka, ona je inzistirala na svom pristupu, dokazujući da se ponekad treba osloniti na vlastitu intuiciju.
Despite the experts' advice, she insisted on her approach, proving that sometimes one should rely on one's own intuition.
Ona is the subject pronoun. 'Unatoč savjetima' (despite the advice) takes the dative case.
Kada je došlo do krizne situacije, ona je preuzela vodstvo, pokazujući izvanrednu smirenost i sposobnost brzog rješavanja problema.
When a crisis arose, she took the lead, showing extraordinary calmness and the ability to solve problems quickly.
Ona is the subject pronoun. 'Vodstvo' (leadership) is the direct object in the accusative case.
Svi su je cijenili zbog njezine mudrosti i sposobnosti da uvijek pronađe rješenje, čak i kada se činilo da je situacija bezizlazna, pa su se često obraćali njoj za savjet.
Everyone valued her for her wisdom and ability to always find a solution, even when the situation seemed hopeless, so they often turned to her for advice.
Ona is the subject pronoun in the second clause, referring back to the person. 'Njoj' is the dative form of 'ona', used after 'obraćali se' (turned to).
Bez obzira na kritike, ona je ostala vjerna svojim principima, demonstrirajući integritet koji je rijedak u današnjem svijetu.
Regardless of the criticism, she remained true to her principles, demonstrating an integrity that is rare in today's world.
Ona is the subject pronoun. 'Bez obzira na kritike' (regardless of the criticism) uses the accusative case after 'na'.
Njezina posvećenost projektu bila je tolika da je ona često radila do kasno u noć, ne obazirući se na umor.
Her dedication to the project was so great that she often worked late into the night, disregarding fatigue.
Ona is the subject pronoun. 'Ne obazirući se na umor' (disregarding fatigue) uses the accusative case after 'na'.
자주 쓰는 조합
자주 쓰는 구문
Ona je moja prijateljica.
She is my friend.
Ona ima plavu kosu.
She has blue hair.
Ona ide u školu.
She goes to school.
Ona radi u uredu.
She works in an office.
Ona pjeva jako lijepo.
She sings very beautifully.
Ona uči hrvatski.
She learns Croatian.
Ona želi putovati.
She wants to travel.
Ona čita knjigu.
She reads a book.
Ona spava osam sati.
She sleeps eight hours.
Ona je sretna.
She is happy.
실생활에서 연습하기
실제 사용 상황
Introducing people, especially in a group setting, or when pointing someone out.
- Ona je moja prijateljica. (She is my friend.)
- Tko je ona? (Who is she?)
- Ona je tamo. (She is over there.)
Talking about a female person's actions or state of being.
- Ona čita knjigu. (She is reading a book.)
- Ona je sretna. (She is happy.)
- Ona radi. (She is working.)
Referring to a female person when discussing their characteristics or possessions.
- Ona ima lijepu haljinu. (She has a beautiful dress.)
- Ona je visoka. (She is tall.)
- Njezina kosa je duga. (Her hair is long.) - Note: While 'ona' refers to her, the possessive pronoun changes.
In questions where the answer is a female person.
- Jesi li vidio nju? (Did you see her?) - Note: 'nju' is the accusative case of 'ona'.
- Kome si to dao? Njoj. (To whom did you give that? To her.) - Note: 'njoj' is the dative case of 'ona'.
When contrasting a female person with others.
- On je otišao, ali ona je ostala. (He left, but she stayed.)
- Svi su otišli osim nje. (Everyone left except her.) - Note: 'nje' is the genitive case of 'ona'.
대화 시작하기
"Tko je ona žena tamo? (Who is that woman over there?)"
"Ona kaže da je umorna. Što misliš? (She says she's tired. What do you think?)"
"Jesi li čuo što je ona rekla? (Did you hear what she said?)"
"Kako se zove ona prijateljica koju si spomenuo? (What's the name of that friend you mentioned?)"
"Što misliš, voli li ona ovdje? (What do you think, does she like it here?)"
일기 주제
Describe a female person you admire, using 'ona' in at least three sentences.
Write about something 'ona' (a specific woman in your life) did recently that impressed you.
Imagine you are introducing a new female friend. Write a short paragraph using 'ona' to describe her.
What is something 'ona' (a famous woman) has achieved that inspires you?
Write about a time 'ona' (a female character from a book/movie) made a significant decision and the outcome.
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문'Ona' means 'she' in Croatian, referring to a female person or a feminine noun. 'On' means 'he,' referring to a male person or a masculine noun. It's the same gender distinction as in English pronouns.
The pronunciation of 'ona' is pretty straightforward. It's pronounced like 'oh-nah'. The 'o' is like the 'o' in 'go', and the 'a' is like the 'a' in 'father'.
Yes, 'ona', like most Croatian pronouns, changes its form depending on its grammatical role in a sentence (its case). For example, it becomes 'nju' (her) in the accusative case, or 'njoj' (to her) in the dative case. You'll learn these as you progress.
In Croatian, 'ona' can refer to people (she) but also to feminine nouns that aren't people. For instance, 'kuća' (house) is a feminine noun, so you'd use 'ona' to refer to it. It's about grammatical gender, not just biological gender.
A simple sentence using 'ona' could be: 'Ona jede.' (She eats.) or 'Ona spava.' (She sleeps.). You just put 'ona' before the verb.
'Ona' is neither formal nor informal; it's just the standard third-person singular feminine pronoun. Croatian doesn't have separate formal/informal pronouns for 'she' like some other languages.
An example of 'ona' in a question is: 'Je li ona ovdje?' (Is she here?). The 'Je li' part is how you often start yes/no questions in Croatian.
A common mistake is forgetting that 'ona' also refers to feminine nouns, not just female people. Another is not recognizing its changed forms in different cases (e.g., mixing up 'ona' and 'nju'). Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it with practice.
When you use 'ona' as the subject of a sentence, the verb will typically take the third-person singular ending. For most present tense verbs, this often ends in '-e', '-i', or '-uje'. For example, 'Ona čita.' (She reads).
The plural of 'ona' (she) is 'one' (they - for a group of females or feminine nouns). So, if you're talking about multiple 'she's', you'd use 'one'.
셀프 테스트 36 질문
Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence: _____ voli čitati knjige.
The verb 'voli' is third person singular, so 'Ona' (She) is the correct pronoun.
Which sentence correctly uses 'ona'?
'Ide' is the correct third person singular form of the verb 'ići' (to go) for 'ona'.
Complete the sentence: Moja sestra je liječnica. _____ radi u bolnici.
Since 'moja sestra' (my sister) is feminine singular, 'Ona' (She) is the appropriate pronoun.
The sentence 'Ona pjeva lijepo' means 'He sings beautifully'.
'Ona' means 'she', so the sentence means 'She sings beautifully'.
In Croatian, 'ona' is only used for female people.
'Ona' can also be used for feminine nouns referring to objects or concepts, like 'kuća' (house) or 'knjiga' (book).
The word 'ona' changes its form depending on whether it is the subject or object of a sentence.
Like other pronouns, 'ona' has different case forms, for example, 'nje' (genitive), 'njoj' (dative/locative), 'nju' (accusative).
You are writing an email to a Croatian friend. Describe a female friend or relative, focusing on her personality and what she likes to do. Use 'ona' at least twice.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Draga Ana, Kako si? Htjela sam ti pričati o mojoj sestri, Mariji. Ona je jako draga i uvijek spremna pomoći. Ona voli čitati knjige i šetati prirodom. Mislim da bi ti se svidjela. Puno pozdrava, Ivana
Imagine you are introducing a female colleague to another colleague. Write a short introduction mentioning her name, profession, and one hobby she enjoys. Make sure to use 'ona' appropriately.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ovo je moja kolegica, Petra. Ona je marketing menadžerica i radi s nama već dvije godine. Ona u slobodno vrijeme voli kuhati i isprobavati nove recepte.
Describe a typical day in the life of a female character from a book or movie. Focus on her actions and routine, using 'ona' to refer to her.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
U romanu, glavna junakinja je Ana. Ona svako jutro ustaje rano, pije kavu i čita novine. Nakon toga, ona ide na posao gdje provodi veći dio dana. Navečer, ona se opušta uz dobru knjigu.
Što gospođa Horvat voli raditi?
Read this passage:
Moja susjeda, gospođa Horvat, je starija žena koja živi sama. Ona ima dvoje odrasle djece koja je često posjećuju. Ona voli raditi u vrtu i uvijek ima najljepše cvijeće u ulici. Ponekad nam donese kolače koje ona sama ispeče.
Što gospođa Horvat voli raditi?
U tekstu piše da 'Ona voli raditi u vrtu'.
U tekstu piše da 'Ona voli raditi u vrtu'.
Čemu se Ana nada?
Read this passage:
Ana je studentica arhitekture. Ona je vrlo marljiva i provodi mnogo vremena učeći. Ona se nada da će jednog dana projektirati velike zgrade. Vikendom, ona se opušta uz planinarenje s prijateljima.
Čemu se Ana nada?
U tekstu piše 'Ona se nada da će jednog dana projektirati velike zgrade'.
U tekstu piše 'Ona se nada da će jednog dana projektirati velike zgrade'.
Što Iva sada radi?
Read this passage:
Moja kolegica, Iva, nedavno je promovirana. Ona sada vodi tim od pet ljudi. Ona je vrlo sposobna i uvijek je bila inspiracija svima. Ona je dokaz da se trud isplati.
Što Iva sada radi?
Tekst kaže 'Ona sada vodi tim od pet ljudi'.
Tekst kaže 'Ona sada vodi tim od pet ljudi'.
Listen for 'ona' and understand the context of her statement.
Focus on 'ona' and the action she took despite being tired.
Identify 'ona' and the reason for her late arrival.
Read this aloud:
Ona uvijek pronalazi rješenja za teške probleme, što je čini iznimno vrijednom članicom tima.
Focus: ona, pronalazi, rješenja
당신의 답변:
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Read this aloud:
Bez obzira na sve izazove, ona je pokazala nevjerojatnu otpornost i uspjela je ostvariti svoje ciljeve.
Focus: ona, pokazala, otpornost
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Iako je bila pod velikim pritiskom, ona je ostala mirna i donijela je najbolje odluke za sve uključene.
Focus: ona, ostala, donijela
당신의 답변:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Odaberite rečenicu u kojoj je zamjenica 'ona' pravilno upotrijebljena kao objekt u akuzativu.
U akuzativu, kada je zamjenica objekt, koristi se kratki oblik 'je'. 'Nju' je naglašeni oblik i koristi se za naglašavanje, a 'ona' je nominativ. 'Joj' je dativ.
Koja od sljedećih rečenica ispravno koristi zamjenicu 'ona' u genitivu s prijedlogom 'od'?
Genitiv zamjenice 'ona' je 'nje'. 'Njoj' je dativ, a 'je' je akuzativ ili dativ (kratki oblik). 'Ona' je nominativ.
Odaberite rečenicu u kojoj je zamjenica 'ona' ispravno korištena u dativu.
Dativ zamjenice 'ona' je 'njoj' (naglašeno) ili 'joj' (nenaglašeno). U ovom slučaju, 'joj' je ispravan kratki oblik za dativ.
Rečenica 'S njom sam razgovarao o planovima.' ispravno koristi zamjenicu 'ona' u instrumentalu.
Instrumental zamjenice 'ona' je 'njom' ili 'njome'. Prijedlog 's' (sa) koristi se s instrumentalom. Dakle, 's njom' je ispravno.
U rečenici 'Prilazim joj polako.' zamjenica 'joj' stoji u lokativu.
'Joj' je kratki oblik za dativ. Lokativ zamjenice 'ona' je 'njoj', a uvijek se koristi s prijedlozima poput 'o', 'na', 'u', 'po', 'pri'. 'Prilazim' traži dativ.
Kada se naglašava, nominativ zamjenice 'ona' ostaje 'ona'.
Nominativ zamjenice 'ona' je uvijek 'ona', bez obzira na to je li naglašen ili ne. Naglašeni oblici se koriste u drugim padežima za naglašavanje ili nakon prijedloga.
Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) describing a historical event in Croatia where a prominent female figure played a crucial role. Use 'ona' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Marija Jurić Zagorka bila je prva hrvatska novinarka i jedna od najčitanijih hrvatskih književnica. Ona se borila za prava žena i socijalnu pravdu. Njezina djela i danas inspiriraju mnoge generacije. Kroz svoj rad, Marija Jurić Zagorka je ostavila neizbrisiv trag u hrvatskoj kulturi i društvu.
Imagine you are writing a critical review of a contemporary Croatian film. Describe the main female character's development throughout the movie, focusing on how 'ona' (she) changes and influences the plot. Use at least two instances of 'ona'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
U filmu 'Dnevnik Pauline P.' glavna junakinja, Paulina, prikazana je kao kompleksna osobnost. Ona se suočava s brojnim izazovima odrastanja i pronalazi svoj glas. Njezina transformacija je ključna za razumijevanje poruke filma, a ona to postiže svojom autentičnošću.
You are a journalist reporting on an environmental initiative led by a local Croatian scientist. Describe her contributions and the impact 'ona' has had on the community. Ensure to use 'ona' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Dr. Ana Horvat, poznata hrvatska biologinja, predvodi inovativnu inicijativu za zaštitu Jadranskog mora. Ona je uspjela okupiti tim stručnjaka i volontera. Njezine istraživačke metode i angažman donijeli su značajne rezultate, a ona je postala inspiracija mnogima u zajednici.
Što je Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić stvorila?
Read this passage:
Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić je bila cijenjena hrvatska književnica, poznata po svojim djelima za djecu. Njezine priče često su bile inspirirane slavenskom mitologijom. Ona je stvorila jedinstven svijet prepun fantazije i moralnih pouka. Njezina djela prevedena su na brojne jezike.
Što je Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić stvorila?
Prema tekstu, 'Ona je stvorila jedinstven svijet prepun fantazije i moralnih pouka.'
Prema tekstu, 'Ona je stvorila jedinstven svijet prepun fantazije i moralnih pouka.'
S čime se Jadranka Kosor suočila tijekom svog mandata?
Read this passage:
Jadranka Kosor bila je prva žena premijerka Republike Hrvatske. Tijekom svog mandata, ona se suočila s brojnim političkim i ekonomskim izazovima. Njezina vlada provodila je reforme s ciljem poboljšanja gospodarstva. Ona je ostavila značajan trag u hrvatskoj političkoj povijesti.
S čime se Jadranka Kosor suočila tijekom svog mandata?
Tekst navodi da se 'ona se suočila s brojnim političkim i ekonomskim izazovima.'
Tekst navodi da se 'ona se suočila s brojnim političkim i ekonomskim izazovima.'
Gdje je rođena Janica Kostelić?
Read this passage:
Janica Kostelić, jedna od najuspješnijih skijašica svih vremena, rođena je u Rijeci. Ona je osvojila brojne medalje na Olimpijskim igrama i Svjetskim prvenstvima. Njezina sportska karijera bila je obilježena izvanrednim talentom i upornošću. Ona je postala ikona hrvatskog sporta.
Gdje je rođena Janica Kostelić?
Tekst jasno kaže da je 'Ona je rođena u Rijeci.'
Tekst jasno kaže da je 'Ona je rođena u Rijeci.'
This sentence structure (subject-verb-adverb-verb-infinitive-possessive-adjective-noun) is common in Croatian for stating completed actions.
The phrase 'unatoč svim izazovima' (despite all challenges) often precedes the main clause. 'Ona je ostala' (she remained) is followed by the adjective and then the prepositional phrase.
'Pretpostavljalo se da' (it was assumed that) introduces a clause. The future tense 'će ona preuzeti' (she will take over) correctly places 'ona' after the auxiliary verb 'će'.
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
