Nouns: Vocative Case

01

When You Use It

Use the vocative for greetings, letters, requests and getting someone's attention.

• Dobar dan, doktore.

  Good day, doctor.

• Draga gospođo Smith,

  Dear Mrs. Smith,

• Braco, donesi mi čaj.

  Bro, bring me some tea.

02

The Endings

The vocative singular has its own endings for masculine and feminine nouns; neuter nouns and all plurals just reuse the nominative.

Masculine usually adds -e (or -u after a soft consonant):

• doktor → doktore, gospodin → gospodine, prijatelj → prijatelju

• Dobar dan, gospodine Brown.

  Good day, Mr. Brown.

Feminine -a nouns take -o:

• žena → ženo, gospođa → gospođo

The one large group that does otherwise is the feminine nouns in -ica - the ordinary way Bosnian names a woman by her job or her role. Those take -e instead of -o:

• studentica → studentice, prijateljica → prijateljice, and konobarica likewise

03

Neuter and Plural

Neuter nouns, and all nouns in the plural, keep the nominative form in the vocative.

• Ljudi, vidite li ovo?

  People, do you see this?

04

Names and Titles

Personal names and titles also shift to the vocative when you address someone, although many foreign names are simply left unchanged.

• Doviđenja, Alex.

  Goodbye, Alex.

• Hvala, doktore.

  Thank you, doctor.

05

Adjectives in Address

An adjective in front of the person you address goes into the vocative too, which is why Bosnian letters open with Dragi or Draga (dear).

• Draga gospođo Smith,

  Dear Mrs. Smith,

• Drag-a takes the feminine -a to match gospođo, which is itself the vocative of gospođa

06

Getting Someone's Attention

The vocative is how you call out before a question or request.

• Zdravo, možeš li otvoriti vrata?

  Hi, can you open the door?

• Ljudi, vidite li ovo?

  People, do you see this?

07

Optional in Casual Speech

In relaxed speech, especially with first names, people often just use the nominative to call out to someone. In polite address, in letters and with titles, however, the vocative is expected.