Editing Macedonian language (section)

===Syntax===
Macedonian syntax has a [[subject-verb-object]] (SVO) [[word order]] which is nevertheless flexible and can be [[topicalization|topicalized]].{{sfn|Friedman|2001}} For instance, the sentence ''Марија го сака Иван'' (Marija loves Ivan) can become of the [[object–verb–subject]] (OVS) form as well, ''Иван го сака Марија''.{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=116}} Topicalization can also be achieved using a combination of word order and intonation; as an example all of the following sentences give a different point of emphasis:
* ''Мачката ја каса кучето.'' – The dog bites the cat (the focus is on the object)
* ''Кучето мачката ја каса.'' – The dog bites the cat (the focus is on the object)
* ''Мачката кучето ја каса.'' – The dog bites the cat (the focus is on the subject)
* ''Ја каса кучето мачката.'' – The dog bites the cat (the focus is on both the subject and the verb)
* ''Ја каса мачката кучето.'' – The dog bites the cat (the focus is on the verb and the object){{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=50}}

Macedonian is a [[null-subject language]] which means that the subject pronoun can be omitted, for instance ''Што сакаш (ти)?'' (what do you want?), ''(јас) читам книга'' (I am reading a book), ''(ние) го видовме'' (we saw him).{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=116}} Macedonian [[passive voice|passive]] construction is formed using the short reflexive pronoun ''се'' (''девојчето се уплаши'', the girl got scared) or a combination of the verb "to be" with verbal adjectives (''Тој е миен'', he is washed). In the former case, the active-passive distinction is not very clear.{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=117}} Subordinate clauses in Macedonian are introduced using [[relativizer]]s, which can be wh-question words or relative pronouns.{{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=58}} A [[Interlinear gloss|glossed]] example of this is:

{{interlinear|abbreviations=ITR:intransitive; IM:imperfect|indent=3
|човек-от со кого(што) се шета-ше вчера
|person-DEF with whom(that) ITR stroll-3SG.IM yesterday
|the person with whom he walked yesterday{{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=58}}}}

Due to the absence of a case system, Macedonian makes wide use of [[prepositions]] (''предлози'') to express relationships between words in a sentence. The most important Macedonian preposition is ''на'' which can have local ('on') or motional meanings ('to').{{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=49}} As a replacement for the [[dative case]], the preposition ''на'' is used in combination with a short indirect object form to denote an action that is related to the indirect object of a sentence, ''Му давам книга на Иван'' (I am giving a book to Ivan), ''Им велам нешто на децата'' (I am saying something to the children).{{sfn|Usikova|2005|page=116}} Additionally, ''на'' can serve to replace the [[genitive case]] and express possession, ''таткото на другар ми'' (my friend's father).{{sfn|Friedman|2001|p=49}}