-от / -ов / -он
The Three Articles
Macedonian can show where something is with the article itself: куќата (the house), куќава (this house here), куќана (that house over there).
How It Works
Macedonian is the only standard Slavic language with three definite articles. They match the three kinds of demonstratives in овој; тој; оној: тој (neutral), овој (this, near) and оној (that, far).
The forms: first choose the ordinary article as in определен член: -от; -та; -то; -те, then swap т for в (near) or н (far):
- Masculine: градот → градов → градон
- Feminine: куќата → куќава → куќана
- Neuter: селото → селово → селоно
- Plural in -и: куќите → куќиве → куќине
- Plural in -а: децата → децава → децана
A noun that takes -то takes -во and -но, so луѓето gives луѓево and луѓено.
On adjectives: the article goes on the first word of the phrase, as usual (see членот на првиот збор): новиов телефон (this new phone), старана куќа (that old house over there).
When to use them: -от is the everyday article and fits whenever you do not need to point. The near and far articles add a pointing meaning, like "this … here" and "that … over there". They are most common in speech. In careful language, use either the demonstrative (овој човек) or the article (човеков), not both; in casual speech you will also hear овој човеков. Each article has its own entry: -ов; -ва; -во; -ве and -он; -на; -но; -не.
Examples (6)
- Куќава е наша, а куќана е на соседите.
This house here is ours, and that house over there belongs to the neighbours.
Word by Word: House-this is ours, and house-that is of neighbours-the.
- Кој е човеков?
Who is this man here?
Word by Word: Who is man-this?
- Кој е човекон крај вратата?
Who is that man over there by the door?
Word by Word: Who is man-that by door-the?
- Селово е мало, но многу мирно.
This village is small but very quiet.
Word by Word: Village-this is small, but very quiet.
- Планинине сѐ уште се покриени со снег.
Those mountains over there are still covered with snow.
Word by Word: Mountains-those still are covered with snow.
- Земи ја книгата од масата.
Take the book from the table.
Word by Word: Take it book-the from table-the.
The ordinary -та: no pointing, just "the".
Common Mistakes
Adding -ов to a feminine noun instead of the feminine form -ва.
Куќаов е голема.Куќава е голема.The near article follows gender just like -от, -та, -то: a feminine noun takes -ва.
Using the neuter far form for a feminine noun.
Куќано е стара.Куќана е стара.Куќа is feminine, so it takes -на, just as it takes -та in куќата.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The three articles combine the article and the demonstratives.
Related Patterns
- -ов / -ва / -во / -веThe Near Article
The near article in detail.
Level 3 - -он / -на / -но / -неThe Far Article
The far article in detail.
Level 3 - The Article on the First Word
The near and far articles also go on the first word: новиов телефон.
Level 2 - -те / -таArticles in the Plural
The plural choice between -те and -та carries over: куќиве but децава.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice -от / -ов / -он in Bubblegum
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