Promjenama

Promjenama is the instrumental plural form of the noun promjena, used in Croatian and Bosnian to denote changes or modifications. The base promjena is a feminine noun formed from the verb promijeniti, meaning to change. The instrumental plural promjenama is used when changes are the means, manner, or object of consideration in a sentence, often after prepositions such as u, uz, or sa, for example: promjenama u pravilima (changes in the rules) or sa promjenama u operativnim procesima (with changes in operating procedures).

In Serbian, a closely related form exists with different standard spelling: promene as the nominative plural and promenama as the instrumental plural. While promjena/promjena’s Croatian-Bosnian form is promjenama, Serbian may use promjene/promenama depending on the dialect and standard variant. The concept remains the same across these languages: it refers to alterations, reforms, or adjustments in a given context.

Usage contexts for promjenama include law and regulation (promjenama u zakonodavstvu), economics and business (promjenama u poslovanju), technology and science (promjenama u tehnologiji), and social policy (promjenama u društvenim okvirima). The term emphasizes ongoing or proposed alterations rather than a single, completed change, aligning with discussions of reform, adaptation, or improvement.

Etymology traces promjena to the verb promijeniti, meaning to change, with the noun-forming suffix -ja. The instrumental plural marks agreement with plural objects or circumstances in which changes occur or are enacted.