Using Demonstratives as Adjectives
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Croatian, demonstratives (this/that) must match the gender and number of the noun they describe.
- Use 'ovaj' for masculine nouns near you: 'ovaj stol' (this table).
- Use 'taj' for nouns near the person you are talking to: 'taj stol' (that table).
- Use 'onaj' for nouns far from both of you: 'onaj stol' (that table over there).
Meanings
Demonstrative adjectives are used to point out specific objects or people in relation to the speaker's distance.
Proximal (Near speaker)
Referring to something close to the speaker.
“Ovaj pas je moj.”
“Ova knjiga je zanimljiva.”
Medial (Near listener)
Referring to something close to the person being spoken to.
“Taj mobitel je tvoj.”
“Ta olovka je crvena.”
Distal (Far from both)
Referring to something distant from both speaker and listener.
“Onaj čovjek je visok.”
“Ona kuća je stara.”
Demonstrative Adjectives (Nominative Case)
| Gender | Near (This) | Near You (That) | Far (That over there) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | Ovaj | Taj | Onaj |
| Feminine | Ova | Ta | Ona |
| Neuter | Ovo | To | Ono |
| Plural (M) | Ovi | Ti | Oni |
| Plural (F) | Ove | Te | One |
| Plural (N) | Ova | Ta | Ona |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Dem + Noun | Ovaj stol |
| Negative | Nije + Dem + Noun | Nije ovaj stol |
| Question | Je li + Dem + Noun? | Je li ovaj stol? |
| Plural | Dem(pl) + Noun(pl) | Ovi stolovi |
| Accusative | Dem(acc) + Noun(acc) | Vidim ovaj stol |
| Dative | Dem(dat) + Noun(dat) | Dajem ovom stolu |
Espectro de formalidad
Ova knjiga pripada meni. (Ownership)
Ova knjiga je moja. (Ownership)
Ova knjiga je moja. (Ownership)
Ova knjiga je moja. (Ownership)
Distance Zones
Near
- Ovaj This
Near Listener
- Taj That
Far
- Onaj That over there
Examples by Level
Ovaj pas je velik.
This dog is big.
Ta kava je vruća.
That coffee is hot.
Ovo dijete spava.
This child is sleeping.
Onaj auto je crven.
That car over there is red.
Kupujem ovaj kruh.
I am buying this bread.
Vidim tu ženu.
I see that woman.
Trebam ono pismo.
I need that letter over there.
Ova kuća je stara.
This house is old.
Sviđa mi se taj prijedlog.
I like that suggestion.
Onaj čovjek kojeg smo sreli je profesor.
That man we met is a professor.
Ova situacija nije laka.
This situation is not easy.
To rješenje je najbolje.
That solution is the best.
Ovaj se problem mora riješiti odmah.
This problem must be solved immediately.
Ta odluka ima dalekosežne posljedice.
That decision has far-reaching consequences.
Onaj tko radi, taj i griješi.
He who works, also makes mistakes.
Ovo pravilo vrijedi za sve.
This rule applies to everyone.
Taj famozni projekt nikada nije završen.
That famous project was never finished.
Ovaj fenomen zahtijeva dublju analizu.
This phenomenon requires deeper analysis.
Onaj osjećaj kada sve krene po zlu.
That feeling when everything goes wrong.
Ovo je trenutak istine.
This is the moment of truth.
Onaj tko ne cijeni prošlost, ne zaslužuje budućnost.
He who does not value the past does not deserve the future.
Taština je ta koja nas često zaslijepi.
Vanity is that which often blinds us.
Ovaj tekst odiše melankolijom.
This text exudes melancholy.
Ono što smo jučer smatrali istinom, danas je zabluda.
That which we considered truth yesterday is a fallacy today.
Easily Confused
Learners often use 'taj' for everything.
Mixing up 'Ovaj' (this) and 'On' (he).
Using masculine for all genders.
Errores comunes
Ovaj stolica
Ova stolica
Taj auto tamo
Onaj auto tamo
Ovo čovjek
Ovaj čovjek
Ovaj knjiga
Ova knjiga
Vidim taj stolica
Vidim tu stolicu
Dajem ovaj knjiga
Dajem ovoj knjizi
Ovaj su dobri
Ovi su dobri
Onaj tko radi, taj radi
Onaj tko radi, taj radi (correct, but contextually awkward)
To je onaj čovjek
To je taj čovjek
Ovaj stvar
Ova stvar
Ovaj fenomen su čudni
Ovaj fenomen je čudan
Taj odluka
Ta odluka
Onaj ideja
Ona ideja
Sentence Patterns
___ je moj.
Vidim ___.
___ mi se ne sviđa.
___ je ono što tražim.
Real World Usage
Ovaj kruh, molim.
Vidi ovo!
Ta pozicija me zanima.
Onaj hotel je daleko.
Ova pizza je hladna.
Što znači ova riječ?
Check the Noun
Don't skip gender
Use 'taj' for discourse
Be polite
Smart Tips
Look at the last letter of the noun.
Use 'onaj' for anything not within arm's reach.
Use 'taj' to refer back to what was just said.
Remember to use the plural demonstrative form.
Pronunciación
Vowel length
The 'a' in 'Ovaj' is short.
Declarative
Ovaj stol je moj. ↘
Falling intonation for statements.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Ovaj is for 'O' (Our side), Taj is for 'T' (Their side), Onaj is for 'O' (Over there).
Visual Association
Imagine holding an apple (Ovaj), handing it to a friend (Taj), and pointing at one on a tree far away (Onaj).
Rhyme
Ovaj, ova, ovo, blizu mene stoji, taj, ta, to, kod tebe se broji, onaj, ona, ono, daleko se boji.
Story
Marko holds a pen (Ovaj). He gives it to Ana (Taj). They both look at a bird in the sky (Onaj).
Word Web
Desafío
Point at 3 things in your room and say the correct Croatian demonstrative for each.
Notas culturales
In Dalmatia, demonstratives are often shortened or combined with particles.
Standard usage is strictly followed in formal settings.
Often uses 'taj' more frequently for emphasis.
Derived from Proto-Slavic deictic roots.
Conversation Starters
Što je ovo?
Koji auto želiš?
Što misliš o toj ideji?
Kako komentiraš onaj događaj?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
___ stol je lijep. (This)
___ kuća je velika. (This)
Find and fix the mistake:
Ovaj žena je sretna.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
That (near you) book is mine.
Answer starts with: Ta ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use 'Onaj' and 'auto'.
___ pismo je važno. (That over there)
Score: /8
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercises___ stol je lijep. (This)
___ kuća je velika. (This)
Find and fix the mistake:
Ovaj žena je sretna.
je / onaj / visok / čovjek
That (near you) book is mine.
Ovaj / Ova / Ovo
Use 'Onaj' and 'auto'.
___ pismo je važno. (That over there)
Score: /8
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
Croatian is a highly inflected language. The forms change to match the noun's gender and the case.
No, you will sound like a beginner. Use 'ovaj' for near and 'onaj' for far.
Look at the ending: -a is usually feminine, -o/-e is neuter, consonant is masculine.
Yes, it is the neuter form of 'taj'.
When the object is far from both you and the person you are talking to.
Yes, 'ovi', 'ove', 'ova' for 'ovaj'.
The demonstrative itself doesn't change, but the noun might.
Point at things in your house and name them with the correct demonstrative.
In Other Languages
este/ese/aquel
Spanish uses gendered endings, but the roots are different.
ce/cet/cette
French doesn't have a three-way system.
dieser/jener
German lacks the three-way distance distinction.
kono/sono/ano
Japanese demonstratives do not change for gender.
hadha/dhalika
Arabic uses a two-way system.
zhè/nà
Chinese has no gender agreement.
