Words in -džija and -džinica

Level 4

The Turkish-based suffixes -džija for a person and -džinica often for a place appear in ćevabdžija, kafedžija, ćevabdžinica and buregdžinica.

How It Works

Person (-džija)Place (-džinica)
ćevabdžija (ćevapi maker)ćevabdžinica (ćevapi shop)
buregdžija (burek maker)buregdžinica (burek shop)
kafedžija (café owner)

Words in -džija are masculine and change like other masculine words in -a, such as tata. The plural is ćevabdžije. The word usually names a man even though it ends in -a, so the verb and adjective are masculine: naš ćevabdžija je došao.

The shop name in -džinica is feminine: ćevabdžinica je puna. These are everyday food words, and you will see them on signs in Sarajevo and other cities. New words with these suffixes are rare today, so learn each word as it comes.

Examples (5)

  1. Najbolji ćevapi su kod ćevabdžije na Baščaršiji.

    The best ćevapi are at the ćevapi maker's on Baščaršija.

    Kod asks for the genitive: ćevabdžije.

  2. Amirov djed je kafedžija.

    Amir's grandfather is a café owner.

    Kafedžija names a man, so it takes masculine words.

  3. Ručamo u buregdžinici.

    We are having lunch at the burek shop.

    Buregdžinica is a feminine place noun.

  4. Ćevabdžinica je puna ljudi.

    The ćevapi shop is full of people.

    Ćevabdžinica names the place.

  5. Idemo u ćevabdžinicu.

    We are going to the ćevapi shop.

    U with movement takes the accusative: ćevabdžinicu.

Common Mistakes

  • The verb agrees with the -a ending and not with the man.

    Naš ćevabdžija je došla.
    Naš ćevabdžija je došao.

    The word names a man, so the verb is masculine.

How It Connects

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

Words in -džija and -džinicaLevel 4

Learn This First

These endings are easiest to meet in everyday Turkish-origin words.

Words in This Pattern

-džijaburegdžijakafedžija