Vocative of Bosnian Names

Level 4

Amire! Hasane! Harise! Adnane! For women, Lejla! Emina! Selma! keep their shape in most speech.

How It Works

NameVocative
AmirAmire
HasanHasane
HarisHarise
AdnanAdnane
LejlaLejla
EminaEmina

Female names in -a are often unchanged in everyday talk, so Lejla! and Emina! are safe. You may also hear Lejlo! or Emino!, and pet forms in -o such as Mejro and Fato. Names in -ana, like Ana and Ivana, usually stay as they are. Listen to the person you are talking to.

Not every male name behaves in the same way. Names that end in -k, -g or -h are less regular. Sadik can be Sadiče or Sadiku, and many speakers just use the basic form. If you are unsure, the basic form is understood everywhere.

Use the vocative when you call someone or start a message, as in Hasane, hvala ti!

Examples (5)

  1. Amire, dođi ovamo!

    Amir, come here!

    Amir becomes Amire.

  2. Hasane, gdje si?

    Hasan, where are you?

    Hasan becomes Hasane.

  3. Harise, čekam te kod kuće.

    Haris, I am waiting for you at home.

    Haris becomes Harise.

  4. Lejla, hvala ti na pomoći.

    Lejla, thank you for your help.

    The female name stays the same.

  5. Adnane, nazovi me sutra.

    Adnan, call me tomorrow.

    Adnan becomes Adnane.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting a male name in the feminine form.

    Amiro, dođi ovamo!
    Amire, dođi ovamo!

    A male name in a consonant takes -e, not -o.

How It Connects

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

Vocative of Bosnian NamesLevel 4

Learn This First

Bosnian names have a vocative.

Words in This Pattern

vokativ