ovaj / ova / ovo

Pointing to Nearby Things

Level 1

Ovaj, ova and ovo point to a nearby or currently foregrounded singular referent. Their form agrees with the noun’s gender.

How It Works

Compare ovaj grad, ova kuća and ovo more. The demonstrative’s form follows the noun, not the speaker’s gender.

The usual starting meaning is proximity to the speaker. That proximity can be physical, temporal or part of the conversation. You can point to an idea currently under discussion without holding a physical object.

Distinguish an agreeing phrase from a fixed introduction. Ova žena je liječnica. has ova directly modifying žena. Ovo je moja sestra. introduces an identity; ovo there does not simply agree with the later noun sestra.

Examples (3)

  1. Ovaj grad je lijep.

    This city is beautiful.

    Ovaj agrees with masculine grad.

  2. Ova kuća je nova.

    This house is new.

    Ova agrees with feminine kuća.

  3. Ovo more je mirno.

    This sea is calm.

    Ovo agrees with neuter more.

How It Connects

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

ovaj / ova / ovoLevel 1Pointing to Nearby Things

Learn This First

The demonstrative ending must agree with the noun’s gender.

Words in This Pattern