Dobro vecer!
I am trying hard with the bosnian language. At the moment I try to figure out how I know when to put -i or -u in the end of the name of a city.
Ja sam u ...... -i
or
Ja sam u ...... -u
nouns, musculine
1) without ending in nominative
PLURAL
N jeleni gradovi momci*
G jelenA gradovA momaka
D jelenIMA gradoviMA momcima*
A jelenE gradovE momke**
V jeleni gradovi momci
L jelenIMA gradoviMA momcima*
I jelenIMA gradoviMA momcima*
*Nominativ, dativ, lokativ and instrumental: changes similar like palatalizacija, only this one is called SIBILARIZACIJA.
K, G, H in front of I is changed to C, Z, S. (K --> C; G --> Z; H --> S)
** here don't go palatalizacija, it's not momče (K infront E).
Sometimes it can be short (-i) and long (-ovi, -evi) plural.
About cases:
This is what I found in grammar:
nouns, musculine
1) without ending in nominative
SINGULAR
N jelen grad momak
G jelenA gradA momka
D jelenU gradU momku
A jelenA grad momka
V jelenE gradE momče*
L jelenU gradU momku
I jelenOM gradOM momkom
Akuzativ (in singular) is the same like genitiv if noun is something alive (person or animal). If noun describe something unlive, akuzativ (in singular) is the same like nominativ.
*momče --> maybe it's not the best example, because here is one change: if you follow the rule that you add -E in vokativ, you would have momKE. That's uncorrect. When you have this (K infront of E), K is changed into Č. So it's momČE. The same happens with G and H infront E in vokativ (G is changed into Ž; H into Š). These changes are called PALATALIZACIJA.
This is continuing:
If nouns in nominativ end with -č, -ć, -dž, -đ, -j, -lj, - nj, -š, -ž, than in vokativ they have ending
-u
The same is with:
- nouns with -ic and -č(a)c
- nouns with -č(a)k, -ć(a)k, -d(a)k, -dž(a)k
- nouns with -z(a)g * this red "a" means that it's lost in vokativ, for example: nominativ is mačak --> vokativ is mačku
...
- there are more rules, but I don't want to confuse you. This is only for musculine nouns in singular (without ending in nominative).
With endings in nominative, plural and rules for feminime and neuter another day.
Dobro večer!
Sarajevo - Sarajevu (neuter)
Tuzla - Tuzli (female)
Mostar- Mostaru (male)
Also, depends on noun cases:
Idem u Sarajevo; živim u Sarajevu; dolazim iz Sarajeva;
idem u Tuzlu; živim u Tuzli; dolazim iz Tuzle;
idem u Mostar; živim u Mostru; dolazim iz Mostara;
Keep going Anna! ;)
Hvala puno M.K!
Would you please, explain a little more deatiled how I learn about the different noun cases you mentioned?