Dative Pronouns
Short forms are unstressed and sit early in the sentence: Dajem ti kafu. Long forms are stressed: Dajem kafu tebi, ne njemu.
How It Works
| Person | Long | Short |
|---|---|---|
| ja | meni | mi |
| ti | tebi | ti |
| on, ono | njemu | mu |
| ona | njoj | joj |
| mi | nama | nam |
| vi | vama | vam |
| oni, one, ona | njima | im |
The short forms are clitics. They cannot start a sentence or follow a preposition, and they go in second position: Amir mi piše. Dajem ti knjigu. A later entry gives the order of several clitics together.
Use the long form after a preposition: k meni, prema njemu. You also use it for a clear contrast: Meni se sviđa, a njoj ne.
Examples (5)
- Amir mi piše poruku.
Amir is writing me a message.
Mi is the short form of meni.
- Hoćeš li mi dati vodu?
Will you give me some water?
The short form follows li in second position.
- Dajem kafu tebi, a ne njemu.
I give the coffee to you, not to him.
Long forms add stress.
- Idem k tebi poslije škole.
I am coming to your place after school.
Prepositions need the long form.
- Emina nam kuha ručak.
Emina cooks lunch for us.
Nam is the short form of nama.
Common Mistakes
Using a short form after a preposition.
Idem k ti.Idem k tebi.A preposition needs the long form tebi.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Pronouns have dative forms.