This is the 200th most frequent Croatian word.
bile
The Croatian word "bile" means "white" in English (feminine plural form).
The word 'bile' serves as a past tense auxiliary verb in the second plural form of the verb 'to be', matching the plural feminine subject.
Djevojke su bile sretne.
The girls were happy.
'Bile' acts again as a past tense auxiliary verb to support the state of the subject in plural feminine.
Njihove haljine bile su bijele.
Their dresses were white.
In this case, 'bile' is part of the past tense construction, corresponding to the plural feminine past participle in the subordinate clause.