Language/Croatian/Grammar/Nouns:-Gender-and-Number
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As a Croatian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I can confidently say that mastering the different genders and numbers of nouns is one of the most important aspects of learning Croatian. In this lesson, we will delve into the three genders of Croatian nouns (masculine, feminine, and neuter) and how to recognize them, as well as the singular and plural forms of nouns.
Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Prepositions and Pronouns & Future Tense.
Nouns: Gender
In Croatian, every noun has a specific gender. Unlike English, which has only two genders (masculine and feminine), Croatian also has a third gender, neuter. The gender of a noun is usually indicated by its suffix or ending, but there are some exceptions that you will need to memorize.
Masculine Nouns
Masculine nouns usually end with a consonant or -o, -e, -i, -u. However, there are many exceptions to this rule, so it's important to learn the gender of each noun individually. Here are some examples:
| Croatian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| dječak | /djɛʨak/ | boy |
| otac | /ɔtat͡s/ | father |
| grad | /grad/ | city |
| krevet | /krɛvɛt/ | bed |
As you can see, masculine nouns have no specific ending, so it's essential to memorize their gender.
Feminine Nouns
Feminine nouns usually end with -a, -ja, -ost, -nost, -tva, -va, -ina. Here are some examples:
| Croatian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| kuća | /kut͡ʃa/ | house |
| jabuka | /jabuka/ | apple |
| ruka | /ruka/ | hand |
| knjiga | /knjiga/ | book |
Feminine nouns are easier to recognize since they usually end with -a.
Neuter Nouns
Neuter nouns usually end with -o, -e, -lo, -ro, -no. Here are some examples:
| Croatian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| jaje | /jajɛ/ | egg |
| pismo | /pismo/ | letter |
| drvo | /drvɔ/ | tree |
| srce | /sr̩t͡sɛ/ | heart |
Neuter nouns are also relatively easy to recognize since they usually end with -o or -e.
Exceptions
There are some exceptions when it comes to determining the gender of Croatian nouns. For example, some nouns that end with -a are actually masculine, such as "dijalog" (dialogue) and "program" (program). Additionally, some nouns that end with -e are feminine, such as "vježba" (exercise) and "noćenje" (accommodation).
Nouns: Number
Just like in English, Croatian nouns can be either singular or plural. Singular nouns refer to one person, animal, object, or concept, while plural nouns refer to multiple ones. Here are some examples:
| Croatian singular | Croatian plural | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| kuća | kuće | /kut͡ʃa/, /kut͡ʃɛ/ | houses |
| dijete | djeca | /diʝɛtɛ/, /djɛt͡sa/ | children |
| konj | konji | /kɔɲ/, /kɔɲi/ | horses |
| pjesma | pjesme | /pjɛsma/, /pjɛsmɛ/ | songs |
Most Croatian nouns form the plural by adding -i, -e, or -a to the singular form. However, there are many exceptions to this rule, so it's important to learn the plural form of each noun individually.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we covered the basics of Croatian nouns, including their gender and number. Remember that while there are many rules and patterns to help you determine the gender and number of a noun, there are also many exceptions. Therefore, it's essential to memorize the gender and plural form of each noun individually. Keep practicing and you'll soon master this important aspect of the Croatian language!
Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Adjectives: Gender and Number & Croatian Idiomatic Expressions.
Videos
Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Grammar: Gender of Nouns - YouTube
Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Grammar: The Dative Singular of Nouns ...
Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Grammar: Declension of Nouns - YouTube
Other Lessons
- Adjectives
- Give your Opinion
- Advanced Noun and Adjective Declension
- Participles and Gerunds
- How to Use Be
- Negation
- Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
- Plurals
- Word Order and Sentence Structure
Sources
- General rules for noun gender in Croatian
- Serbo-Croatian grammar - Wikipedia
- Learn The Grammatical Croatian Genders: Masculine, Feminine ...
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