Nouns#

Declension#

Nouns in [[index|Serbo-Croatian]] change their form depending on their [[Syntax|case]] and [[TODO|number]] by adding different endings. These endings differ from noun to noun, but all nouns can be separated into three distinct groups (declensions) based on their [[Syntax|genitive]] [[TODO|singular]] ending. These declensions are known as a-type, e-type and i-type. Nouns belonging to one group use largely the same endings, although some variations may be observed depending on the noun's [[TODO|gender]].

If you know the gender and the declension of a noun, then you can determine the endings this noun uses. Luckily though, this can often be done using only the [[Syntax|nominative]] [[TODO|singular]] form of the noun with the help of the following rules of thumb:
- If the noun ends in a consonant, then it is most likely an a-type masculine noun.
- If the noun ends in -e or -o, then it is almost certainly an a-type neuter noun. Most exceptions are proper male names such as Marko, Đorđe, Rade - these are a-type masculine nouns.
- If the noun ends in -a, then it is an e-type feminine noun. Note that the noun itself may actually refer to a male person such as "sudija" ("male judge"). Grammatically, however, the noun remains feminine.
- If the noun ends in a consonant and describes an abstract concept such as "ljubav" ("love"), "smrt" ("death"), "bolest" ("illness"), then it is most likely an i-type noun.

A-Type Nouns#

All a-type nouns are either masculine or neuter and there are two sets of endings - one for masculine nouns and another for neuter nouns.

Unfortunately, the a-type declension is not that simple. There are many different sub-patterns within this declension because many words undergo additional changes when adding the appropriate ending.

Masculine A-Type Nouns#

Most masculine monosyllabic and some masculine disyllabic nouns also add the infix "-ēv-" / "-ōv-" before the endings of the plural forms for the [[Syntax|nominative]], [[Syntax|genitive]], [[Syntax|dative]] and [[Syntax|accusative]]. Generally, the "-ēv-" infix is used when the stem ends in c, č, ć, đ, j, lj, nj, š, ž, št, and sometimes r, while the "-ōv-" infix is used the rest of the time, although exceptions do exist.

Neuter A-Type Nouns#

E-Type Nouns#

Almost all e-type nouns are feminine with very few which are masculine.

I-Type Nouns#

All feminine nouns which are not e-type nouns are i-type nouns and usually denote abstract concepts such as love, death, friendship, etc.