Genitive of Quality
A genitive phrase after a noun gives a quality.
How It Works
This pattern adds a short description with no verb. It is common in stories and in people descriptions.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| čovjek dobre volje | a good-humoured man |
| žena visokog rasta | a tall woman |
| djevojka duge crne kose | a girl with long black hair |
| momak velikog srca | a big-hearted young man |
The adjective and noun agree: dobre volje (feminine genitive), visokog rasta (masculine genitive).
The main noun can be in any case. In Upoznao sam čovjeka visokog rasta (I met a tall man) čovjeka is the accusative, while the description stays in the genitive.
You can often say the same thing with koji ima or with s or sa and the instrumental: djevojka s dugom kosom. The genitive version is more compact and a little more formal.
Examples (4)
- Haris je čovjek dobre volje.
Haris is a good-humoured man.
Dobre volje is a genitive phrase.
- Ajla je djevojka duge crne kose.
Ajla is a girl with long black hair.
Duge crne kose is the genitive of a feminine phrase.
- Upoznao sam čovjeka visokog rasta.
I met a tall man.
Čovjeka is the accusative, and visokog rasta stays genitive.
- Tarik je momak velikog srca.
Tarik is a big-hearted young man.
Srca is a neuter genitive, and velikog has -og, the adjective ending of the genitive for masculine and neuter nouns.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the description in the nominative.
čovjek dobra voljačovjek dobre voljeThe quality goes in the genitive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Genitive of quality.
Related Patterns
Practice Genitive of Quality in Bubblegum
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