Zemlji

Zemlji is a word found in several South Slavic languages, typically as an inflected form related to the noun zemlja, which means land, earth, soil, or territory. In standard usage, zemlja (singular) refers to the ground or to a country or region, while zemlje is the plural form referring to multiple lands or countries. The specific form zemlji appears as a grammatical case form in these languages, depending on the syntactic role in a sentence. Because of this, zemlji is usually encountered as part of a larger word or phrase rather than as a standalone lexical entry.

Etymology and cognates

The word zemlja originates from Proto-Slavic zemlja and has cognates across the Slavic language family. Related terms include Russian zemlya, Polish ziemia, Czech země, and Slovene zemlja. The common thread across these languages is a root meaning earth, ground, or land, reflecting how the concept is shared across the region.

Usage and meanings

Zemlja and its related forms cover several meanings: the physical soil or ground, the land as a geographical or political entity, and the planet Earth in some contexts. In plural form, zemlje is often used to refer to lands or countries collectively. The root also appears in compound words such as zemljšte or zemljopis, which relate to land use and geography. In historical or legal contexts, references to zemlja or zemlje can denote territories, estates, or domains controlled by a ruler or community.

Regional variation

Usage and exact inflection vary among Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Slovenian, and other South Slavic varieties. While the core idea of land or earth is shared, stylistic and grammatical differences shape how zemlji and related forms function in each language.