Understanding the Vocative Case in Serbian (Latinica)
The vocative case is a special form used in the Serbian language to call or address someone directly. It's like when you say 'Hey, Mom!' or 'Look, Tom!' in English. The vocative case is used to get someone's attention or to speak to them directly.
Important Points
- The vocative case often changes the ending of a name or noun.
- It is mostly used with names and titles.
- The vocative case is common in spoken language, especially when calling someone.
- Not all words change in the vocative case; it depends on the ending of the noun.
In Serbian, when you use the vocative case, you often change the ending of the person's name or title. This change makes it clear that you are talking directly to them.
Examples
- Ana becomes Ano when you call her: 'Hej, Ano!'
- Marko becomes Marke when you call him: 'Dođi ovamo, Marke!'
- Dragan becomes Dragane when you call him: 'Gde si, Dragane?'
To use the vocative case, you need to know how the name or noun changes. For many names ending in -a, you change it to -o, like Ana to Ano. For names ending in -o, you change it to -e, like Marko to Marke.
Important Points
- Names ending in -a often change to -o.
- Names ending in -o often change to -e.
- Some names have special changes, so it's good to learn them by heart.
Examples
- Sanja becomes Sanjo: 'Ćao, Sanjo!'
- Miloš becomes Miloše: 'Zdravo, Miloše!'