zahtevna

Zahtevna is an adjective used in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian (and by extension in related Montenegrin usage) to describe something that requires considerable effort, skill, time, or resources. The term conveys a sense of being demanding, exacting, or onerous, and it can modify tasks, procedures, requirements, or conditions.

Etymology and forms: The word is derived from the noun zahtev, meaning “demand,” together with the adjectival suffix -na. It agrees in gender with the noun it modifies. The base forms include zahtevni (masculine), zahtevna (feminine), and zahtevno (neuter), with corresponding plural forms such as zahtevni (masculine), zahtevne (feminine and mixed), and zahtevno (neuter) where appropriate.

Usage: Zahtevna is commonly used to describe tasks or processes that are challenging or require substantial effort. Examples include: “zahtevna procedura” (a demanding procedure), “zahtevna zadaća” or “zahtevni zadaci” (demanding tasks), and “zahtevni ispitni uslovi” (demanding examination conditions). It can also describe requirements, standards, or environments that place high demands on people or systems.

Semantics and regional use: In everyday speech, zahtevan and its feminine form zahtevna carry a broad range of nuance from moderately challenging to highly onerous, depending on context. The term is widely understood across the Serbo-Croatian speaking world and appears in both formal and informal registers. It does not imply negativity by itself but emphasizes the level of difficulty or resource intensity involved.