Seven Cases

Foundations

Bosnian nouns, pronouns and adjectives change their endings in seven cases, depending on their job in the sentence.

How It Works

English uses small words like to, of and with. Bosnian often changes the ending of the noun instead. Here is the name Amir in all seven cases.

CaseQuestionAmir
nominativko? šta?Amir
genitivkoga? čega?Amira
dativkome? čemu?Amiru
akuzativkoga? šta?Amira
vokativ(calling)Amire
lokativo kome? o čemu?o Amiru
instrumentals kim? s čim?s Amirom

Some forms look alike. For things that are not alive, the accusative of a masculine noun is the same as the nominative. Do not worry about the whole table now. Level 1 uses the nominative and the accusative, and Poppy adds one new case at a time.

Examples (5)

  1. Amir je došao.

    Amir has come.

    Amir is the subject, so it is in the nominative.

  2. Nema Amira.

    Amir is not here.

    Nema asks for the genitive: Amira.

  3. Dajem Amiru knjigu.

    I give Amir a book.

    The person who receives something is in the dative: Amiru.

  4. Idem s Amirom.

    I am going with Amir.

    S asks for the instrumental: Amirom.

  5. Amire, dođi!

    Amir, come here!

    The vocative is for calling someone: Amire.

Common Mistakes

  • After nema the name stays in the nominative.

    Nema Amir.
    Nema Amira.

    Nema (there is no) asks for the genitive, so the name takes its genitive ending.

How It Connects

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

Seven CasesFoundations

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

padež