-он / -на / -но / -не
The Far Article
The far article turns the into that … over there: куќата (the house) → куќана (that house over there).
How It Works
The forms:
- Masculine: човекот → човекон (that man over there), ридот → ридон
- Feminine: куќата → куќана (that house over there)
- Neuter: селото → селоно (that village over there)
- Plural in -и: планините → планинине (those mountains over there)
- Plural in -а: децата → децана (those children over there)
On an adjective, the article goes on the first word: старана куќа (that old house over there), високион човек (that tall man over there).
Meaning: the far article points to something away from the speaker, often something you can see: Кој е човекон крај вратата? It usually means the same as оној + noun (овој; тој; оној).
Feelings, not only distance: the far article can also show that the speaker feels distant from someone or is annoyed: Што сака човекон од мене? (What does that man want from me?) This use is covered in далечен член за став. Because of this, choose it with care when you talk about people who are present.
Examples (6)
- Куќана на ридот е многу стара.
That house over there on the hill is very old.
Word by Word: House-that on hill-the is very old.
- Кој е човекон крај вратата?
Who is that man over there by the door?
Word by Word: Who is man-that by door-the?
- Погледни ги планинине!
Look at those mountains over there!
Word by Word: Look them mountains-those!
- Селоно долу е родното место на баба ми.
That village down there is my grandmother's birthplace.
Word by Word: Village-that below is birth-the place of grandmother my.
- Старана куќа е продадена.
That old house over there has been sold.
Word by Word: Old-that house is sold.
The far article sits on the adjective, which comes first.
- Што сака човекон од мене?
What does that man want from me?
Word by Word: What wants man-that from me?
Here the far article can sound annoyed as well as distant.
Common Mistakes
Adding -он to a feminine noun instead of -на.
Куќаон е стара.Куќана е стара.Куќа is feminine, so it takes -на, just as it takes -та in куќата.
Using the feminine form -на on a neuter noun.
Селона е далеку.Селоно е далеку.Село is neuter (селото), so the far article is -но.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The far article follows the three-article system.
Related Patterns
- -ов / -ва / -во / -веThe Near Article
The near article is the opposite: this … here.
Level 3 - овој / тој / онојThis and That
Оној + noun often means the same as the far article.
Level 2 - Attitude With the Far Article
The far article can also show annoyance or emotional distance.
Level 5 - -от / -та / -то / -теThe Definite Article
The far article is built from the ordinary one by changing т to н.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice -он / -на / -но / -не in Bubblegum
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