Relative koji

Describing a Noun with a Clause

Level 3

Koji matches its noun but gets its case inside the relative clause.

How It Works

Compare žena koja govori and žena koju slušam. The antecedent is feminine singular in both, but koja is subject and koju is object.

A preposition may require another form: žena s kojom radim. The noun’s case in the main clause does not dictate the relative pronoun’s case.

For masculine singular direct objects, standard Croatian distinguishes animate kojega from inanimate koji. A longer relative clause must still have an identifiable antecedent.

Examples (3)

  1. To je žena koja radi ovdje.

    That is the woman who works here.

    Koja is the relative-clause subject.

  2. To je žena koju poznajem.

    That is the woman whom I know.

    Koju is the object of poznajem.

  3. Čitam knjigu koju si preporučila.

    I am reading the book you recommended.

    Koju refers to knjigu and is the embedded object; the listener is female.

How It Connects

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Relative kojiLevel 3Describing a Noun with a Clause

Learn This First

A relative pronoun agrees with an antecedent while receiving case inside its own clause.

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