"He does not wait for the last day."

Translation: Nečeká na poslední den.

[StephenHal854184]

I'm finding this particular skill very difficult but I'm pressing on and trying to understand how it all works - with a lot of help from these discussions and the comments/advice given by the very helpful and patient moderators. My question is, why isn't 'On nečeká na posledni den' acceptable?

[VladaFu]

Yes, it is.

[StephenHal854184]

Thank you.

[Karel770580]

Why does 'poslední den' in this case not carry the accusative ('posledniho dne)?

[BoneheadBass]

"Den" is an masculine inanimate noun and its form does not change in the accusative. The form of "poslední" does not change here either, because it is modifying a masculine inanimate noun.

[VladaFu]

I will add that posledniho dne would be the genitive case. Nečeká do posledního dne. (till the last day)

[CarlaHahnC]

Is this acceptable: Na posledni den nečeká. ???

[VladaFu]

yes

[AgnusOinas]

Note that this word order stresses the "nečeká", as in "he is NOT waiting".

[2200Lucia60]

On na ten poslední den nečeká. Can this be ?

[VladaFu]

We considere these as "for that last day". It is useful to show that první and poslední usually do not have any demonstrative (unlike English where those are almost always required).

[AgnusOinas]

I can imagine using this. Just remember that it's very emphatic as it has three(!) optional extra bits: "on", "ten", and the verb at the end.

i.e.: "But he is really not waiting for that very last day!"