od + genitive of cause and of part of a group
In short
| Use | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cause of a reaction | od + gen sg | plakati od radosti, drhtati od straha, umirati od gladi |
| one of a group (pronoun) | od + nas / vas / njih | jedan od njih, neko od vas |
| one of a group (noun) | od + gen pl | jedna od mojih koleginica, jedno od dece |
| quantifier + od | svako / niko / mnogi od | niko od njih nije došao |
| superlative + od | naj- ... od | najbolji od svih, najstariji od nas |
Verb agrees with the word before od. od = involuntary reaction; zbog = neutral 'because of'.
B1 · Lesson 48 · Od + genitiv: od radosti, jedan od njih
The full explanation, from the lesson that teaches this rule
You already know od + genitive as 'from' (pismo od majke), for material (sto od drveta) and for belonging (ključ od stana). This lesson adds two more jobs for the same preposition. The genitive itself is nothing new: what is new is when od asks for it.
1. The cause of a reaction: od straha, od radosti
When something happens to your body or your feelings because of a feeling or a physical state, Serbian names that cause with od + genitive singular. English says 'with joy', 'from fear', 'of hunger', 'for tiredness' — Serbian says od every time.
| Reaction | od + genitive | English |
|---|---|---|
| plakati (cry) | od radosti | cry with joy |
| drhtati (shake) | od straha, od hladnoće | shake with fear, with cold |
| skakati (jump) | od sreće | jump for joy |
| umirati (be dying) | od gladi, od smeha | be dying of hunger, of laughter |
| pocrveneti (blush) | od stida | blush with shame |
| zaspati (fall asleep) | od umora | fall asleep from tiredness |
| ne moći da spava (can't sleep) | od buke | can't sleep for the noise |
Two nouns here are i-declension feminines: radost and glad — their genitive is radosti, gladi.
od or zbog? zbog + genitive is the neutral 'because of' for any reason: Nismo izašli zbog kiše. Use od when the cause is a feeling or a state that produces a reaction you cannot help — crying, shaking, blushing, not being able to sleep. Drhtim od hladnoće (I am shaking with cold), but Ostali smo kod kuće zbog hladnoće (We stayed home because of the cold).
2. One of a group: jedan od njih, svako od nas
To pick someone or something out of a group, put od before the group, and the group stands in the genitive plural. English says 'of'.
| Group | od + genitive | English |
|---|---|---|
| a pronoun | od nas, od vas, od njih | of us, of you, of them |
| a plural noun | od mojih prijatelja, od dece, od tvojih drugarica | of my friends, of the children, of your (girl)friends |
What stands before od is a number, a quantifier or a superlative:
| Word before od | Example | English |
|---|---|---|
| jedan / jedna / jedno | Jedan od njih je moj brat. | One of them is my brother. |
| svako / svaki / svaka | Svaka od tvojih drugarica je donela poklon. | Each of your friends brought a present. |
| neko | Neko od vas je zaboravio ključeve. | One of you (someone) forgot the keys. |
| niko | Niko od njih nije došao. | None of them came. |
| mnogi | Mnogi od mojih kolega su ljuti. | Many of my colleagues are angry. |
| koji | Koji od njih je tvoj kolega? | Which of them is your colleague? |
| a superlative | Ona je najbolja od svih. | She is the best of all. |
- jedan agrees with the group: jedan od prijatelja (masculine), jedna od koleginica (feminine), jedno od dece (neuter).
- niko od still needs ne on the verb, as always with niko: Niko od njih nije došao.
- After od the pronoun is always the full form — nas, vas, njih — never a clitic.
- svih is the genitive plural of svi: najbolji od svih = the best of all.
The verb agrees with the word BEFORE od, not with the plural group: Jedan od njih je došao (one came), Mnogi od njih su došli (many came). Don't let the plural after od pull a singular verb into the plural.
Check what you read
3 of the 16 questions this lesson asks in the app. Type the form or pick the answer.
Plakala je ___ radosti.
Drhteo je ___ hladnoće.
Which sentence is correct?
Examples from the course
The marked word is where the rule applies. Press play to hear the sentence.
Deca drhte od hladnoće.
The children are shaking with cold.
Niko od njih nije došao.
None of them came.
Nisam mogao da spavam od buke.
I couldn't sleep for the noise. (man speaking)
Jedan od njih je moj brat.
One of them is my brother.
Koja od njih je tvoja cimerka?
Which of them is your roommate?
Zevala sam od dosade na sastanku.
I was yawning with boredom at the meeting. (woman speaking)
Mnogi od mojih kolega su ljuti.
Many of my colleagues are angry.
Neko od vas je zaboravio ključeve.
One of you forgot the keys.
Zubi su mu cvokotali od zime.
His teeth were chattering with cold.
Umirem od gladi, hajde da nešto pojedemo.
I'm dying of hunger, let's eat something.
Sentences in the course that use this rule: 27
Try it yourself
Translate a sentence that uses this rule. The check marks the word that went wrong and names the rule behind it, as in the app.
Sentences
Write it in Serbian
I couldn't sleep for the noise. (man speaking)