pozvala

Pozvala is a verb form used in South Slavic languages, primarily Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian. It is the feminine singular past tense of the verb pozvati, meaning to invite or to summon. The form indicates that a female subject performed the action of inviting at a point in the past.

Etymology and morphology: Pozvati is derived from the prefix po- combined with zvati (to call). The past tense feminine singular pozvala marks a completed action by a female subject. Related forms include pozvao (masculine singular), pozvali (masculine or mixed plural), and pozvale (feminine plural). In sentences the form often appears with a linking element or auxiliary, such as "Ona me pozvala" or "Ana je pozvala svoje prijatelje," though it can also stand without an explicit auxiliary in context.

Usage: Pozvala is used to report an invitation carried out by a woman. For example, "Ona me pozvala na večeru" means "She invited me to dinner," and "Ana je pozvala svoje kolege" means "Ana invited her colleagues." As a past tense form, it conveys a completed action and is standard in both spoken and written language.

Related notes: The form is specific to Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian orthography and grammar. While similar past-tense feminine forms exist in related languages, Slovenian uses different verbs and inflections to express invitation. Pozvala should be understood in the context of a feminine subject and past action.

See also: pozvati, invitational constructions in South Slavic languages, verb conjugation in Croatian/Bosnian/Serbian.