Why do my definite suffixes (-ot, -ta, -to) feel so unnatural when I speak?

I’ve been studying Macedonian grammar for a few months, but I struggle to decide whether to attach the suffix based on proximity or just general definiteness in real-time conversation. I often freeze up trying to remember if it should be 'kuhnata' or 'kuhnava'. Does anyone have a mental shortcut for applying these suffixes naturally while speaking, or should I just focus on getting the base nouns right for now?