ozbiljnih

Ozbiljnih is the genitive plural form of the Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin adjective ozbiljan, meaning serious, earnest, or important. In these languages, ozbiljnih is used when the noun it modifies is in the genitive plural. This occurs in contexts such as describing abstract concepts, quantities, or conditions, often in formal or written language.

In practice, ozbiljnih appears in phrases like ozbiljnih razloga (serious reasons), ozbiljnih posljedica (serious consequences), and bez ozbiljnih dokaza (without serious evidence). The form signals both plurality and a genitive case, aligning the adjective with the noun it describes in cases common to these South Slavic languages. It can accompany masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns, depending on the noun’s gender and number in the genitive plural.

Usage of ozbiljnih is typical in formal writing, journalism, law, policy documents, and academic prose, where precise grammatical agreement is important. It contrasts with other forms of the adjective ozbiljan used in nominative or accusative positions, such as ozbilan ili ozbiljna, depending on the noun they modify.

Etymologically, ozbiljnih is derived from the base adjective ozbiljan and follows the standard genitive plural inflection pattern found across the South Slavic languages for adjectives. The exact historical development traces to Proto-Slavic roots shared by these languages, reflecting the common grammatical tradition of expressing quantity and case through adjective endings.

See also: ozbiljan, ozbiljnost, serious in South Slavic languages.