onaj
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
From Proto-Slavic *onъ + *jь. Akin to tȃj and òvāj.
Pronoun
ònāj (Cyrillic spelling о̀на̄ј)
- (distal demonstrative) that, that one (farther away than denoted by tȃj)
- onaj čov(j)ek ― that man
- pratite onaj taksi! ― follow that cab!
- (with an adjective) the (one)
- gd(j)e je onaj drugi? ― where is the other guy?
- onaj s puškom? ― the one with the rifle?
- various idiomatic and figurative meanings in phrases
- na ovaj ili onaj način ― one way or another
- ovo i ono ― this and that
- kad ono ― when suddenly
Usage notes
Standardized forms of Serbo-Croatian make a three-way distinction between demonstratives in relation to the speaker and addressee: ovaj (meaning "this one", near the speaker), taj ("that one", near the addressee) and onaj ("that one", away from the two); in other words onaj denotes the distal demonstrative, whereas taj denotes the medial and ovaj the proximal equivalent. However, in the everyday vernacular, onaj and taj are used interchangeably in cases where the object discussed is deducible from context.
Declension
Declension of onaj
| singular | masculine | feminine | neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | ònāj | ònā | ònō | |
| genitive | ònōg/onoga | ònē | ònōg(a) | |
| dative | ònōm(u/e) | ònōj | ònōm(u/e) | |
| accusative | inanimate animate | ònāj ònōg(a) | ònū | ònō |
| vocative | - | - | - | |
| locative | ònōm(e/u) | ònōj | ònōm(e/u) | |
| instrumental | ònīm(e) | ònōm | ònīm(e) | |
| plural | masculine | feminine | neuter | |
| nominative | ònī | ònē | ònā | |
| genitive | ònīh | ònīh | ònīh | |
| dative | ònīm | ònīm | ònīm | |
| accusative | ònē | ònē | ònā | |
| vocative | - | - | - | |
| locative | ònīm | ònīm | ònīm | |
| instrumental | ònīm | ònīm | ònīm | |
Related terms
- òvāj
- tȃj
References
- “onaj” in Hrvatski jezični portal