Guide to Using the Definite Article in Macedonian
In the Macedonian language, definite articles are special endings added to nouns to show that we are talking about something specific. Just like when we say 'the' in English, Macedonian has its own way to point out specific things.
Important Points
- Definite articles depend on the gender of the noun: masculine, feminine, or neuter.
- They also change based on whether the noun is singular or plural.
- The position of the noun (whether it's near or far) can also affect the definite article.
For masculine nouns, the definite article is added at the end of the noun. It can be -от, -ов, or -он, depending on the context.
Examples
- човекот (the man)
- човеков (this man)
- човекон (that man)
For feminine nouns, the endings are -та, -ва, or -на. These endings help us know which specific thing we are talking about.
Examples
- жената (the woman)
- женава (this woman)
- женана (that woman)
Neuter nouns use the endings -то, -во, or -но. Just like with masculine and feminine nouns, these endings help us talk about specific things.
Examples
- детето (the child)
- детево (this child)
- детено (that child)
When nouns are plural, the definite articles change again. They become -те, -ве, or -не, depending on whether the nouns are close or far.
Examples
- луѓете (the people)
- луѓеве (these people)
- луѓене (those people)