Nouns Without Case Endings

Level 1Sounds Like imenki bez padežni nastavki

A Macedonian noun looks the same whether it is the subject, the object or after a preposition: Марко е дома, Го чекам Марко, Одам со Марко.

How It Works

One form for every role. Look at книгата (the book):

  • as the subject: Книгата е интересна. (The book is interesting.)
  • as the object: Ја читам книгата. (I'm reading the book.)
  • after a preposition: Сликата е во книгата. (The picture is in the book.)

What shows the role.

  • Word order: the usual order is subject, verb, object. See Basic Word Order.
  • Prepositions: во, на, со, од and others. See Being Somewhere. English of becomes the preposition на: куќата на Марко (Marko's house). See Possession With На.
  • Short pronouns such as го and ја repeat a known object: Го чекам Марко. See Short Object Pronouns.

What still changes.

  • A special form for calling someone: Петре!, мајко! See Addressing Someone.
  • Pronouns: јас, мене, ме, and the question word кого. See Whom and To Whom.

Tip for speakers of other Slavic languages. Do not add case endings such as -у, -ом or -а to Macedonian nouns. The noun stays the same, and a preposition or word order carries the meaning.

Examples (6)

  1. Марко е дома.

    Marko is at home.

    Марко is the subject.

  2. Го чекам Марко.

    I'm waiting for Marko.

    Марко is the object but keeps the same form. The short pronoun го points to him.

  3. Одам на кино со Марко.

    I'm going to the cinema with Marko.

    After со, Марко still keeps the same form.

  4. Книгата е на масата.

    The book is on the table.

  5. Ја читам книгата.

    I'm reading the book.

    The object книгата has the same form as the subject in the example before.

  6. Ова е куќата на Марко.

    This is Marko's house.

    На shows who owns the house; the name does not change.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding a Serbian or Russian object ending to a noun.

    Читам книгу.
    Читам книга.

    Macedonian nouns have no object ending. Книга stays книга.

  • Adding a case ending after a preposition.

    Живеам во Скопју.
    Живеам во Скопје.

    After во, на, со and other prepositions, the noun keeps its ordinary form.

  • Showing possession with a noun ending.

    Ова е куќа Марка.
    Ова е куќата на Марко.

    Macedonian shows possession with на, and the owned thing usually takes the article.

How It Connects

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Nouns Without Case EndingsLevel 1

Learn This First

No case endings is explained through word order and noun forms.

Words in This Pattern