netko / nešto / neki

Indefinite People and Things

Level 1

Netko and nešto introduce an unspecified person or thing. Neki accompanies a noun and agrees with it, as in neki čovjek or neka knjiga.

How It Works

Netko dolazi. says a person is coming without naming them. Želim nešto. leaves the desired thing unspecified. Both can also refer to someone or something the speaker knows but chooses not to identify.

Neki has agreeing forms: neki prijatelj, neka knjiga, neko pitanje. It changes for case and number along with the noun. Netko as a person pronoun also changes case, such as nekoga for a direct object.

Keep standard written netko with t. This is not the same as the neuter modifier neko in neko pitanje. Regional personal neko occurs, but it should not be used to explain away the genuine modifier form.

Examples (4)

  1. Netko dolazi.

    Someone is coming.

    Netko is the subject.

  2. Želim nešto popiti.

    I want to drink something.

    Nešto names an unspecified thing.

  3. Neka knjiga je na stolu.

    There is some book on the table.

    Neka agrees with feminine knjiga.

  4. Imam neko pitanje.

    I have a question.

    Neko is a valid neuter modifier of pitanje.

How It Connects

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netko / nešto / nekiLevel 1Indefinite People and Things

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The indefinite forms reuse the person/thing distinctions introduced by question words.

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Words in This Pattern

netkoneštoneki