Full Pronouns After Prepositions

Level 2

Common prepositional phrases use full forms such as za mene, kod njega and s njom. Ordinary clitics such as me or ga cannot simply replace them.

How It Works

Compare Čeka me. with To je za mene. The first uses an unstressed direct object, while the second contains a preposition and its full accusative complement.

Other cases have other forms: genitive kod njega, dative prema meni in a dative analysis, locative o njoj, instrumental s njom. Dative and locative pronoun shapes overlap, and prema itself has differing grammatical classifications.

A limited traditional short form nj does occur after prepositions, as in za nj. It is not a general license to say za ga. For an initial productive pattern, use the transparent full forms. Write sa mnom as two words.

Examples (4)

  1. To je za mene.

    That is for me.

    Za takes full accusative mene.

  2. Danas sam kod njega.

    I am at his place today.

    Kod selects genitive njega.

  3. Razgovaramo o njoj.

    We are talking about her.

    O selects locative njoj.

  4. Ideš li sa mnom?

    Are you coming with me?

    Sa mnom contains a separate preposition and instrumental pronoun.

How It Connects

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

Full Pronouns After PrepositionsLevel 2

Learn This First

A preposition governs the case of a full pronoun rather than a bare nominative subject form.

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