Editing Vocative case (section)

===== First declension =====
The first declension comprises masculine nouns that end with a consonant. These have a vocative suffix of either {{lang|sh|-e}} ({{lang|sh|doktor : doktore}} {{gloss|doctor}}) or {{lang|sh|-u}} ({{lang|sh|gospodar : gospodaru}} {{gloss|master}}).

Nouns terminating in {{lang|sh|-or}} have the {{lang|sh|-e}} vocative suffix: {{lang|sh|doktor : doktore}} {{gloss|doctor}}, {{lang|sh|major : majore}} {{gloss|major}}, {{lang|sh|majstor : majstore}} {{gloss|artisan}}, as well as nouns possessing an unsteady {{lang|sh|a}}: {{lang|sh|vetar : vetre}} {{gloss|wind}}, {{lang|sh|svekar : svekre}} {{gloss|father-in-law}}, and the noun {{lang|sh|car : care}} {{gloss|emperor}}. All other nouns in this class form the vocative with {{lang|sh|-u}}: {{lang|sh|gospodar : gospodaru}} {{gloss|master}}, {{lang|sh|pastir : pastiru}} {{gloss|shepherd}}, {{lang|sh|inženjer : inženjeru}} {{gloss|engineer}}, {{lang|sh|pisar : pisaru}} {{gloss|scribe}}, {{lang|sh|sekretar : sekretaru}} {{gloss|secretary}}.

In particular, masculine nouns ending with a [[Palatal consonant|palatal]] or prepalatal consonant {{lang|sh|j, lj, nj, č, dž, ć, đ}} or {{lang|sh|š}} form vocatives with the {{lang|sh|-u}} suffix: {{lang|sh|heroj : heroju}} {{gloss|hero}}, {{lang|sh|prijatelj : prijatelju}} {{gloss|friend}}, {{lang|sh|konj : konju}} {{gloss|horse}}, {{lang|sh|vozač : vozaču}} {{gloss|driver}}, {{lang|sh|mladić : mladiću}} {{gloss|youngster}}, {{lang|sh|kočijaš : kočijašu}} {{gloss|coachman}}, {{lang|sh|muž : mužu}} {{gloss|husband}}.

Nouns ending with the [[velars]] {{lang|sh|-k, -g}} and {{lang|sh|-h}} are [[Palatalization (sound change)|palatalized]] to {{lang|sh|-č, -ž, -š}} in the vocative: {{lang|cs|vojnik : vojniče}} {{gloss|soldier}}, {{lang|cs|drug : druže}} {{gloss|comrade}}, {{lang|sh|duh : duše}} {{gloss|ghost}}. A final {{lang|sh|-c}} becomes {{lang|sh|-č}} in the vocative: {{lang|sh|stric : striče}} {{gloss|uncle}}, {{lang|sh|lovac : lovče}} {{gloss|hunter}}. Likewise, a final {{lang|sh|-z}} becomes {{lang|sh|-ž}} in only two cases: {{lang|sh|knez : kneže}} {{gloss|prince}} and {{lang|sh|vitez : viteže}} {{gloss|knight}}.

The loss of the unsteady {{lang|sh|a}} can trigger a [[Consonant voicing and devoicing|sound change by hardening consonants]], as in {{lang|sh|vrabac : vrapče}} {{gloss|sparrow}} (not {{lang|sh|*vrabče}}), {{lang|sh|lisac : lišče}} {{gloss|male fox}} (not {{lang|sh|*lisče}}) and {{lang|sh|ženomrzac : ženomršče}} {{gloss|misogynist}} (not {{lang|sh|*ženomrzče}}). There may be a loss of {{lang|sh|-t}} before {{lang|sh|-c}} like in {{lang|sh|otac : oče}} {{gloss|father}} (instead of {{lang|sh|*otče}}), {{lang|sh|svetac : sveče}} {{gloss|saint}} (instead of {{lang|sh|*svetče}}). When these phonetic alterations would substantially change the base noun, the vocative remains equal to the nominative, for example {{lang|sh|tetak}} {{gloss|uncle}}, {{lang|sh|mačak}} {{gloss|male cat}}, {{lang|sh|bratac}} {{gloss|cousin}}. This also holds true for foreign names ending with {{lang|sh|-k, -g}} and {{lang|sh|-h}} like {{lang|sh|Džek}} {{gloss|Jack}}, {{lang|sh|Dag}} {{gloss|Doug}}, {{lang|sh|King, Hajnrih}}.

Male names ending with {{lang|sh|-o}} and {{lang|sh|-e}} have a vocative equal to the nominative, for example: {{lang|sh|Marko, Mihailo, Danilo, Đorđe, Pavle, Radoje}}.