djelovala

Djelovala is a form found in several South Slavic languages, notably Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian. It represents the feminine singular past tense of the verb djelovati, meaning to act, to operate, or to have an effect. In usage, djelovala describes actions carried out by a feminine subject or a grammatically feminine noun in the past.

Etymology and related forms: The verb djelovati derives from a root related to doing or acting, with cognates across related languages. The past tense forms follow standard gender and number inflection: djelovao (masculine), djelovala (feminine), djelovalo (neuter), and djelovali/djelovale (plural). Spelling variations can occur between standard varieties; for example, some dialects or orthographic traditions may also appear with delovati in place of djelovati, though djelovati is the common form in modern Croatian and Bosnian usage.

Grammar and usage: Djelovala is used when the subject is feminine. It appears in past-tense statements about actions or operations performed by a female subject or a feminine noun, for example: Ona je djelovala brzo i učinkovito tijekom sastanka. Tvrtka je djelovala na tržištu deset godina. In these sentences, djelovala conveys that the subject acted or operated in the past.

See also: djelovati, delovati, conjugation of djelovati, past tense forms in South Slavic languages.