Capital Letters

Level 2

Names, cities and nationalities start with a capital letter, while days, months and languages do not: Amir, Sarajevo, Bosanac, ponedjeljak, bosanski.

How It Works

Capital letterSmall letter
names: Amir, Lejladays: ponedjeljak
places: Sarajevo, Unamonths: maj
nationalities (nouns): Bosanac, Bosankalanguages: bosanski
holidays: Bajram, Božićplace adjectives: sarajevski

A sentence begins with a capital letter. Many writers capitalise Vi and Vaš in a letter or an email to one person they address politely, but not in normal dialogue.

In English you write Monday and Bosnian. In Bosnian the same words are ponedjeljak and bosanski. If you are unsure, ask whether the word names one particular person or place. If it does not, it is usually small.

Examples (5)

  1. Amir živi u Sarajevu.

    Amir lives in Sarajevo.

    A name and a city start with capital letters.

  2. Ona je Bosanka, ali govori njemački.

    She is Bosnian, but she speaks German.

    The person is capital and the language is small.

  3. U utorak idemo u Mostar.

    On Tuesday we are going to Mostar.

    The day is small and the city is capital.

  4. Pišem na bosanskom.

    I am writing in Bosnian.

    A language stays small even after na.

  5. Rijeka Una je zelena.

    The Una river is green.

    The name Una is capital, and rijeka is small.

Common Mistakes

  • A day is written with a capital letter.

    U Ponedjeljak radim.
    U ponedjeljak radim.

    Days of the week are small-letter words.

  • A person from a place has a small letter.

    On je bosanac.
    On je Bosanac.

    A noun for a person from a place starts with a capital letter.

How It Connects

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

Capital LettersLevel 2

Learn This First

Capital letters are an alphabet rule.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

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