A Second Description of a Participant

Level 5

Add an adjective to say what state someone is in while the action happens.

How It Works

A second description comes after the verb. It does not change the action. It only says what the person was like while it happened.

  • Amir je došao kući umoran. Amir came home tired.
  • Selma se vratila sretna. Selma came back happy.
  • Djeca su zaspala umorna. The children fell asleep tired.

The adjective is in the nominative and copies the subject: masculine umoran, feminine umorna, plural umorni or umorne.

It often goes at the end of the sentence, and you can see the difference from a normal adjective by its place. Compare umoran čovjek (a tired man) and Čovjek je došao umoran (the man came tired).

If you leave it out, the sentence still works. The adjective only adds a detail, so it is easy to take out or move.

Examples (4)

  1. Amir je došao kući umoran.

    Amir came home tired.

    Umoran agrees with Amir.

  2. Selma se vratila sretna.

    Selma came back happy.

    Sretna is feminine, like Selma.

  3. Djeca su zaspala umorna.

    The children fell asleep tired.

    Umorna is the neuter plural, like djeca.

  4. Emina je stajala nasmijana na vratima.

    Emina stood smiling at the door.

    Nasmijana describes Emina while she stood.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the masculine adjective for a woman.

    Selma se vratila umoran.
    Selma se vratila umorna.

    The adjective must match the subject, and Selma is a woman.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

A Second Description of a ParticipantLevel 5

Learn This First

Extra description after a noun.

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Patterns that build on this one.