The Accusative case in Serbian is used to indicate the direct object of a sentence—the person or thing directly receiving the action of the verb.

Unlike masculine nouns in the Accusative case, where the form changes depending on whether the noun is animate (living) or inanimate (non-living), feminine nouns follow consistent rules in the Accusative case regardless of animacy. This means that for feminine nouns, it doesn’t matter if the noun is a living being or an object—the rules stay the same.

Note: Before learning the Accusative case for feminine nouns, make sure you understand Serbian gender rules. If you’re not familiar with them yet, you can read the Serbian Gender post.

Rules for Feminine Nouns in the Accusative Case

• Singular: Change the ending “-a” to “-u”.
• Plural: The ending remains “-e” (same as the Nominative plural).

Examples

Example Sentences

1. I bought a book.
   • Kupila sam knjigu.
2. I bought books.
   • Kupila sam knjige.

In the singular, the ending “-a” changes to “-u” in the Accusative case. In the plural, the form remains the same as the Nominative plural.

Possessive and Demonstrative Pronouns, and Adjectives

These words must agree with the noun in case, number, and gender. They follow the same rules as feminine nouns in the Accusative case.

• Singular: Change the ending “-a” to “-u”.
• Plural: The ending remains “-e”.

Examples

Example Sentences

1. I found your book.
   • Našla sam tvoju knjigu.
2. I found your old book.
   • Našla sam tvoju staru knjigu.
3. I saw his sister.
   • Videla sam njegovu sestru.
4. I found your books.
   • Našla sam tvoje knjige.
5. I found your old books.
   • Našla sam tvoje stare knjige.
6. I saw his sisters.
   • Videla sam njegove sestre.

In these examples, the singular forms change their endings from “-a” to “-u”, while the plural forms remain the same as in the Nominative case.

Don’t stop!

Learning Serbian grammar, especially cases, can be challenging. Don’t be discouraged if it seems difficult at first. With patience and consistent practice, you’ll find that it becomes easier over time. Trust yourself—you can do it!

Tips for Learning

• Understand Serbian Gender: Knowing the gender of nouns is important since it affects how words change in different cases.
• Review the Nominative Case: Make sure you’re comfortable with the Nominative forms of nouns and pronouns.
• Practice Regularly: Construct your own sentences using feminine nouns in both singular and plural forms.
• Be Patient: If you’re finding these rules confusing, take a step back and review the basics. It’s normal to find this challenging at first.

Additional Resources

• Serbian Gender
• Serbian Personal Pronouns
• Serbian Possessive and Demonstrative Pronouns
• Nominative Case
• Accusative Masculine

The key to mastering Serbian cases is practice and persistence. Keep working at it.