zmanjuje

Zmanjuje is a present-tense verb form used in several South Slavic languages, notably Croatian, Serbian, and Bosnian, meaning to reduce or decrease. It is commonly described as the third-person singular form of the verb zmanjivati (imperfective) or its perfective counterpart zmanjiti, depending on regional or dialectal usage. The root manj- carries the sense of “less” or “smaller,” and the prefix z- forms part of the standard verbal system in these languages.

In standard usage, zmanjuje is used to indicate that something is being reduced in amount, number, or intensity. It typically governs a direct object in the accusative when specifying what is being reduced, for example: broja novih slučajeva zmanjuje se iz dana u dan (the number of new cases decreases day by day). The construction may include a reflexive clitic sezam in phrases describing changes in quantity or degree.

Relation to related terms: zmanjuje is closely associated with other verbs of reduction such as smanjuje (to decrease) and smanjivanje (a reduction). While smanjuje is more common in everyday language, zmanjuje appears frequently in formal, media, or technical contexts, often where a nuance of measurable decrease is emphasized. The choice between zmanjivati/zmanjiti and smanjivati/smanjiti can vary by dialect and register.

See also: zmanjivanje, zmanjiti, smanjivanje, smanjiti.