Formation of Basic Interrogative Sentences

In Bosnian grammar, interrogative sentences allow the speaker to seek information from the listener. The core structure of an interrogative sentence comprises an interrogative pronoun, adjective, or adverb placed at the beginning of the question. For example:

• Ko je to? (Who is that?)
• Šta radiš? (What are you doing?)

The word order in Bosnian questions may differ from the word order in English, as some interrogative phrases, adjectives, and adverbs are placed before the verb and subject. In addition, subject pronouns are often omitted in Bosnian interrogative sentences, as the verb ending reveals the subject.

Interrogative Pronouns, Adjectives, and Adverbs

A comprehensive understanding of Bosnian grammar involves familiarizing oneself with different interrogative pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. Here are the most common ones:

1. Pronouns: These words replace the noun in an interrogative sentence.
   • Ko? (Who?)
   • Šta? (What?)
   • Koje? (Which?)
2. Adjectives: These words modify the noun in an interrogative sentence.
   • Kakav? (What kind of?)
   • Čiji? (Whose?)
3. Adverbs: These words answer questions about verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs in an interrogative sentence.
   • Kako? (How?)
   • Kada? (When?)
   • Gdje? (Where?)
   • Zašto? (Why?)
   • Koliko? (How much/many?)

Yes/No Questions

In Bosnian grammar, to form yes/no questions, operators’, such as “da li” or “li,” are used at the beginning of the sentence or after the verb, respectively:

• Da li si iz Bosne? / Jesi li iz Bosne? (Are you from Bosnia?)
• Da li se osjećaš dobro? / Osjećaš li se dobro? (Do you feel well?)

It is essential to place the conjugated verb before the pronoun in yes/no questions, creating an inversion of the standard subject-verb order found in declarative sentences.

Tag Questions

Bosnian interrogative sentences can also take the form of tag questions, which are statements followed by a question tag that seeks confirmation. In Bosnian grammar, tag questions typically use the phrase “zar ne?” (right?/isn’t it?)

• Danas je lijep dan, zar ne? (It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?)

Conclusion

Mastering the diverse aspects of interrogative sentences in Bosnian grammar is crucial for effectively forming and asking questions in the Bosnian language. The usage of interrogative pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, yes/no operators, and tag phrases contribute to the multifaceted nature of questions in Bosnian. Practice and exposure to authentic Bosnian conversations will help refine your understanding and usage of interrogative sentences in this rich language.