Serbian phrasebook

Table of Contents

Pronunciation guide / Vowels / Consonants / Common diphthongs / Phrase list / Basics / Problems / Numbers / Time / Clock time / Duration / Days / Months / Writing time and date / Colors / Transportation / Bus and train / Directions / Taxi / Lodging / Money / Eating / Serbian phrasebook nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Shopping / Driving / Authority / Asking about language / External links

Serbian is the official and main language of Serbia and Montenegro. It is also an official language of Bosnia and Kosovo. Barring a few vocabulary differences, it is almost identical to the Bosnian and Croatian languages. You may use any of the phrasebooks mentioned and get along with it in either Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia or Montenegro (all three "languages" are better known as Serbo-Croatian). Serbian is written mostly in Cyrillic in Serbia, Bosnia (Serb Rep.) and Kosovo. However in Montenegro the Latin alphabet is almost always used. Sometimes both versions are used. There are also Serbian minority speakers in portions of southern and eastern Croatia. Germany and Austria also have large Serbian minority populations in major cities.

Like all other Balto-Slavic languages (except Bulgarian-Macedonian), pronouns, adjectives and nouns in Serbo-Croatian are declensed through cases (eg. kuća, kuće, kući… house, of the house, to the house, etc) in a pattern not easy to learn. However, tenses are more simple than in English - there is no difference between "I go" and "I'm going" or "I saw" and "I have seen". While an English speaker will express himself correctly only if he says "I was drinking whisky when you came", both verbs of this sentence could use any of Serbo-Croatian past tenses, and still be correct. Note the difference between the polite "you" pronoun, "vi" ("vous" in French, "Sie" in German) and informal "ti" ("tu" in French, "Du" in German). Serbo-Croatian has no articles and the difference between "a house" and "the house" is understood from the context and noun declensions.

Pronunciation guide

Serbo-Croatian uses both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets—the only Slavic language to do so. In everyday usage the Roman alphabet is utilized and the Cyrillic alphabet is used for official purpose and is considered more traditional. Pronunciation is usually very simple, as almost every word is written exactly as it is pronounced. Both Roman and Cyrillic alphabets will be shown here.

Vowels

There are five vowels in Serbo-Croatian language. They can be both long and short.

a: the 'a' in "past", 'u' in "sun"
e: the 'e' in "there", "help"
i: the 'ee' in "speek", 'i' in "sit"
o: the 'oo' in "door", 'o' in "obey"
u: the 'oo' in "moon", 'u' in "put"

Unfortunately, neither stresses (which can fall at any syllable) nor vowel lengths are marked in the written language, but the stress is more predictable than it is in Russian, where it is almost obligatory to put an accent on the stressed syllable. For example, in the sentence sam sam (I am alone), the first "sam" is long, and the second is short (SAHM sam); in the clause da da (that he/she gives), it's reverse (da DAH). The most notorious example is a pun Gore gore gore gore (Up there, forests are burning worse), however, it is not likely that you will use this sentence in everyday speech. In practice, the second or third-last syllable of any word is almost always stressed, and stressing the wrong syllable rarely creates misunderstandings.

Consonants

Many of the consonants are pronounced as in English, except for a few variations.

b: the 'b' in "abuse"
c: always as 'ts' in "bits"; never as 'c' in "car"
č: the 'ch' in "chair"
ć: the 'ci' in "ciao" [no real English equivalent]
d: the 'd' in "dog"
đ: the 'du' in "schedule"; rarely used at the beginning of a word; this letter is sometimes written as dj; [cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "ђ"]
dž: the 'dge' in "edge", but harder [cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "џ"]; this is seldom used
f: the 'ph' in "phrase"
g: the 'g' in "gone" [hard 'g' sound always]
h: the 'ch' in "loch" [aspirated sound]
j: the 'y' in "yes"
k: the 'ck' in "duck"
l: the 'l' in "like"
lj: the 'lli' in "million" [lee sound] [cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "љ"] - equivalent to a sound in Italian article gli or Spanish doubled l (paella)
m: the 'm' in "monkey"
n: the 'n' in "noise"
nj: the 'ny' in "canyon" [Spanish ñ nasal sound, Italian gn in signore] [cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "њ"]
p: the 'p' in "post"
r: the 'r' in "barco" [trilled 'r' like in Spanish language]; r also can be found between consonants, in which case is considered a hard vocal, and is distincly heard, as in Scotland - examples: Srbija (Serbia), trn (thorn)
s: the 's' in "sun"; never as 's' in "reason"
š: the 'sh' in "shower"
t: the 't' in "talk"
v: the 'v' in "vase"
z: the 'z' in "zone"
ž: the 'su' in "pleasure"

q w x and y are not part of Serbian alphabet, and they can occur only in foreign quotations. Hence, "text" in Serbian is written as "tekst", "expert" as "ekspert", "wagon" as "vagon", "quota" as "kvota" and "myth" as "mit".

Common diphthongs

oa: the 'oa' in "boa"
ao: the 'a' in "another" and 'o' in "open"
eo: the 'eo' in "video" ('e' as in 'there')
io: the 'io' in "radio"

Note that the diphthong ia is usually written as ija; eg, policija (police) is pronounced exactly as Italian polizia; name Lydia is written as Lidija; Serbia is, as you have well guessed, spelled Srbija.

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.: Здраво. Zdravo. (ZDRAH-voh)
How are you?: Kaкo стe? Kako ste? (KAH-koh steh?)
Well, thanks.: Добро, хвала. Dobro, hvala. (DOH-broh, HVAH-lah)
What is your name?: Kaкo ce зoвeтe? Kako se zovete? (KAH-koh seh zoh-VEH-teh)
My name is ______ .: Зoвeм ce_____. Zovem se_____. (ZOH-vehm seh_____.)
Pleased to meet you.: Дpaгo ми je. Drago mi je. (DRAH-goh mee yeh)
Please.: Mолим. Molim. (MOH-leem)
Thank you.: Xвала. Hvala. (HVAH-lah)
You're welcome.: Mолим. Molim. (MOH-leem)
Yes.: Да. Da. (DAH)
No.: Не. Ne. (NEH)
Excuse me. (getting attention): Извинитe. Izvinite. (eez-VEE-nee-teh)
Excuse me. (begging pardon): Извинитe. Izvinite. (eez-VEE-nee-teh)
I'm sorry. (if it isn't speaker's fault, eg if you hear bad news): Жao ми je. Žao mi je. (zhow mee yeh)
I'm sorry. (if it's speaker's fault, eg if you step on someone): Извините. Izvinite. (eez-VEE-nee-teh)
Goodbye: Дoвиђeњa. Doviđenja. (doh vee-juhehn-yah)
I can't speak name of language [well].: Не говорим name of language. Ne govorim name of language. (neh GOH-voh-reem ...)
Do you speak English?: Говорите ли енглески? Govorite li engleski? (GOH-voh-ree-teh lee eng-leh-skee ?)
Is there someone here who speaks English?: Има ли неког ко говори енглески? Ima li nekog ko govori engleski? (ЕЕ-mah lee NEH-kogh koh GOH-voh-ree ENG-leh-skee ?)
Help!: Upomoć! (upomots!)
Look out!: Пази! Pazi! (pazi!)
Good morning.: Добро jутро. Dobro jutro. (dobro yutro)
Good evening.: Добро вече. Dobro veče. (dobro veche)
Good night.: Добро вече. Dobro veče. (dobro veche)
Good night (to sleep): Лаку ноћ. Laku noć. (laku noch)
I don't understand.: Не разумем. Ne razumem. (ne razumem);
Where is the toilet?: Где је тоалет? Gde je toalet? (gde ye toalet?)

Problems

Leave me alone.: Остави ме на миру. Ostavi me na miru. (...)
Don't touch me!: Не дирај ме! Ne diraj me! (...)
I'll call the police.: Зваћу полицију. Zvaću policiju. (...)
Police!: Полиција! Policija! (...)
Stop the thief!: Зауставите лопова! Zaustavite lopova! (...)
I need your help.: Треба ми помоћ. Treba mi pomoć. (...)
It's an emergency.: Хитно је. Hitno je. (...)
I'm lost.: Изгубио сам се (m). Изгубила сам се (f). Izgubio sam se (m). Izgubila sam se (f). (...) (m = if spoken by a man, f = if spoken by a women)
I lost my bag.: Изгубио сам торбу (m). Изгубила сам торбу (f). Izgubio sam torbu (m). Izgubila sam torbu (f). (...)
I lost my wallet.: Изгубио сам новчаник (m). Изгубила сам новчаник (f). Izgubio sam novčanik (m). Izgubila sam novčanik (f). (...)
I'm sick.: Болестан сам (m). Болесна сам (f). Bolestan sam (m). Bolesna sam (f). (...)
I've been injured.: Повређен сам (m). Повређена сам (f). Povređen sam (m). Povređena sam (f). (...)
I need a doctor.: Треба ми доктор. Treba mi doktor. (...)
Can I use your phone?: Могу ли да телефонирам? Mogu li da telefoniram? (...)

Numbers

1: један jedan (...)
2: два dva (...)
3: три tri (...)
4: четири četiri (...)
5: пет pet (...)
6: шест šest (...)
7: седам sedam (...)
8: осам osam (...)
9: девет devet (...)
10: десет deset (...)
11: једанаест jedanaest (...)
12: дванаест dvanaest (...)
13: тринаест trinaest (...)
14: четрнаест četrnaest (...)
15: петнаест petnaest (...)
16: шеснаест šesnaest (...)
17: седамнаест sedamnaest (...)
18: осамнаест osamnaest (...)
19: деветнаест devetnaest (...)
20: двадесет dvadeset (...)
21: двадесет један dvadeset jedan (...)
22: двадесет два dvadeset dva (...)
23: двадесет три dvadeset tri (...)
30: тридесет trideset (...)
40: четрдесет četrdeset (...)
50: педесет pedeset (...)
60: шездесет šezdeset (...)
70: седамдесет sedamdeset (...)
80: осамдесет osamdeset (...)
90: деведесет devedeset (...)
100: сто sto (...)
200: двеста dvesta (...)
300: триста trista (...)
400: четристо četristo (...)
500: петсто petsto (...)
600: шестсто šeststo (...)
700: седамсто sedamsto (...)
800: осамсто osamsto (...)
900: деветсто devetsto (...)
1000: хиљаду/тисућу hiljadu/tisuću (...); both are correct and used equally (The first one is a Greek loanword for the same number, while the latter is the Slavic word)
2000: две хиљадe/тисућe dve hiljade/tisuće (...)
1,000,000: милион milion (...)
1,000,000,000: милијарда milijarda - one thousand million in UK, one billion in USA
1,000,000,000,000: билион bilion - one billion in UK, one trillion in USA
number _____ (train, bus, etc.): број _____ broj _____ (...)
half: пола pola (...)
less: мање manje (...)
more: више više (...)

Time

now: сада sada (...)
later: касније kasnije (...)
before: пре pre (...)
morning: јутро jutro (from dawn to 8-9 AM) / преподне prepodne (from 8-9 AM till noon) (...)
afternoon: после подне posle podne (...)
evening: вече veče (...)
night: ноћ noć (...)

Clock time

In common speech 12 hour clock is used. 24 hour clock is used in announcements, schedules, formal statements and situations where misunderstanding may arise.

one o'clock AM: један сат jedan sat (...)
two o'clock AM: два сата dva sata (...)

NOTE: There is no exact equivalence of AM and PM, since 12 hour clock is used mainly in common speech. Therefore "one o'clock AM" in Serbian would be stated as "one o'clock past midnight" and 7 AM as "seven in the morning". Likewise, "one o'clock PM" is "one o'clock in the afternoon" and 9 PM would be "nine o'clock in the evening".

noon: подне podne (...)
one o'clock PM: један сат поподне jedan sat popodne SEE ABOVE (...)
two o'clock PM: два сата поподне dva sata popodne SEE ABOVE (...)
midnight: поноћ ponoć (...)

Duration

_____ minute(s): _____ минута minuta (...)
_____ hour(s): _____ сати sati (...)
_____ day(s): _____ дана dana (...)
_____ week(s): _____ недеља nedelja (...)
_____ month(s): _____ месеци meseci (...)
_____ year(s): _____ година godina (...)

Days

today: данас danas (...)
yesterday: јуче juče (...)
tomorrow: сутра sutra (...)
this week: ове недеље ove nedelje (...)
last week: прошле недеље prošle nedelje (...)
next week: следеће недеље sledeće nedelje (...)

Monday: понедељак ponedeljak (...)
Tuesday: уторак utorak (...)
Wednesday: среда sreda (...)
Thursday: четвртак četvrtak (...)
Friday: петак petak (...)
Saturday: субота subota (...)
Sunday: недеља nedelja (...)

NOTE: Week starts on Monday.

Months

January: јануар januar (...)
February: фебруар februar (...)
March: март mart (...)
April: април april (...)
May: мај maj (...)
June: јун jun (...)
July: јул jul (...)
August: август avgust (...)
September: септембар septembar (...)
October: октобар oktobar (...)
November: новембар novembar (...)
December: децембар decembar (...)

Names of months aren't capitalized.

Writing time and date

Clock times are written in schedules as 24 hours clock, but in speech the usage of 12 hour clock is prefered.

Dates are always written in the following order: date-month-year, and they can be written in three main ways, for example 12th September 2006:

12.09.2006. or 12. sept. 2006. or 12. IX 2006. (Roman cipher denoting the month)

Colors

black: црно crno (...)
white: бело belo (...)
gray: сиво sivo (...)
red: црвено crveno (...)
blue: плаво plavo (...)
yellow: жуто žuto (...)
green: зелено zeleno (...)
orange: наранџасто narandžasto (...)
purple: љубичасто ljubičasto (...)
brown: смеђе smeđe (...)

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____?: Колоко кошта карта до _____? Koliko košta karta do _____? (...)
One ticket to _____, please.: Једну карту до _____, молим. Jednu kartu do _____, molim.(...)
Where does this train/bus go?: Куда иде овај воз/аутобус? Kuda ide ovaj voz/autobus?(...)
Where is the train/bus to _____?: Где је воз/аутобус за _____? Gde je voz/autobus za _____? (...)
Does this train/bus stop in _____?: Да ли воз/аутобус стаје у _____? Da li voz/autobus staje u _____? (...)
When does the train/bus for _____ leave?: Када воз/аутобус полази? Kada voz/autobus polazi? (...)
When will this train/bus arrive in _____?: Када овај воз/аутобус стиже у _____? Kada ovaj voz/autobus stiže u _____? (...)

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?: Како могу да стигнем до _____ ? Kako mogu da stignem do _____ ?(...)
...the train station?: ...железничке станице? ... železničke stanice?(...)
...the bus station?: ...аутобуске станице? ... autobuske stanice? (...)
...the airport?: ...аеродрома? ... aerodroma? (...)
...downtown?: ...центра града? ... centra grada? (...)
...the youth hostel?: ...омладинског хостела? ...omladinskog hostela? (...)
...the _____ hotel?: ...хотела _____ ? ...hotela _____? (...)
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate?: ...америчког/канадског/аустралијског/британског конзулата? ...američkog/kanadskog/australijskog/britanskog konzulata? (...)
Where are there a lot of...: Где има пуно... Gde ima puno... (...)
...hotels?: ...хотела? ...hotela? (...)
...restaurants?: ...ресторана? ...restorana? (...)
...bars?: ...барова? ...barova? (...)
...sites to see?: ...знаменитости? ...znamenitosti? (...)
Can you show me on the map?: Можете ли ми показати на карти? Možete li mi pokazati na karti? (...)
street: улица ulica (...)
Turn left.: Скрените лево. Skrenite levo. (...)
Turn right.: Скрените десно. Skrenite desno. (...)
left: лево levo (...)
right: десно desno (...)
straight ahead: право pravo (...)
towards the _____: према _____ prema _____ (...)
past the _____: после _____ posle _____ (...)
before the _____: пре _____ pre _____ (...)
Watch for the _____.: Обратите пажњу на _____. Obratite pažnju na _____. (...)
intersection: раскрсница raskrsnica (...)
north: север sever (...)
south: југ jug (...)
east: исток istok (...)
west: запад zapad (...)
uphill: узбрдо uzbrdo (...)
downhill: низбрдо nizbrdo (...)

Taxi

Taxi!: Такси! Taksi! (...)
Take me to _____, please.: Одвезите ме до _____, молим. Odvezite me do _____, molim. (...)
How much does it cost to get to _____?: Колико кошта вожња до _____? Koliko košta vožnja do _____? (...)
Take me there, please.: Возите ме тамо, молим. Vozite me tamo, molim. (...)

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available?: Имате ли слободних соба? Imate li slobodnih soba? (...)
How much is a room for one person/two people?: Колико кошта једнокреветна/двокреветна соба? Koliko košta jednokrevetna/dvokrevetna soba? (...)
Does the room come with...: Да ли соба има... Da li soba ima... (...)
...bedsheets?: ...постељину? ...posteljinu? (...)
...a bathroom?: ...купатило? ...kupatilo? (...)
...a telephone?: ...телефон? ...telefon? (...)
...a TV?: ...телевизор? ...televizor? (...)
May I see the room first?: Могу ли да погледати собу? Mogu li da pogledati sobu? (...)
Do you have anything quieter?: Имате ли нешто тише? Imate li nešto tiše? (...)
...bigger?: ...веће? ...veće? (...)
...cleaner?: ...чистије? ...čistije? (...)
...cheaper?: ...јефтиније? ...jeftinije? (...)
OK, I'll take it.: У реду, узимам. U redu, uzimam. (...)
I will stay for _____ night(s).: Остаћу _____ ноћи. Ostaću _____ noći. (...)
Can you suggest another hotel?: Можете ли предложити други хотел? Možete li predložiti drugi hotel? (...)
Do you have a safe?: Имате ли сеф? Imate li sef? (...)
...lockers?: ...ормарић? ...ormarić? (...)
Is breakfast/supper included?: Да ли су укључени доручак/вечера? Da li su uključeni doručak/večera? (...)
What time is breakfast/supper?: У колико сати је доручак/вечера? U koliko sati je doručak/večera? (...)
Please clean my room.: Молим вас, очистите ми собу. Molim vas, očistite mi sobu. (...)
Can you wake me at _____? | Можете ли ме пробудити у _____? Možete li me probuditi u _____? (...)
I want to check out.: Желим да се одјавим. Želim da se odjavim. (...)

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?: Примате ли америчке/аустралијске/канадске доларе? Primate li američke/australijske/kanadske dolare? (...)
Do you accept British pounds?: Примате ли британске фунте? Primate li britanske funte? (...)
Do you accept credit cards?: Примате ли кредитне картице? Primate li kreditne kartice? (...)
Can you change money for me?: Можете ли ми разменити новац? Možete li mi razmeniti novac? (...)
Where can I get money changed?: Где могу разменити новац? Gde mogu razmeniti novac? (...)
Can you change a traveler's check for me?: Можете ли ми уновчити путнички чек? Možete li mi unovčiti putnički ček? (...)
Where can I get a traveler's check changed?: Где могу уновчити путнички чек? Gde mogu unovčiti putnički ček? (...)
What is the exchange rate?: Колики је курс? Koliki je kurs? (...)
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?: Где је банкомат? Gde je bankomat? (...)

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please.: Молим сто за једно/двоје. Molim sto za jedno/dvoje. (...)
Can I look at the menu, please?: Могу ли добити јеловник? Mogu li dobiti jelovnik? (...)
Can I look in the kitchen?: Могу ли погледати кухињу? Mogu li pogledati kuhinju? (...)
Is there a house specialty?: Постоји ли специјалитет куће? Postoji li specijalitet kuće? (...)
Is there a local specialty?: Постоји ли локални специјалитет? Postoji li lokalni specijalitet? (...)
I'm a vegetarian.: Ја сам вегетаријанац. Ja sam vegetarijanac. (...)
I don't eat pork.: Не једем свињетину. Ne jedem svinjetinu. (...)
I don't eat beef.: Не једем говедину. Ne jedem govedinu. (...)
I only eat kosher food.: Једем само кошер храну. Jedem samo košer hranu. (...)
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard): Могу ли добити малу порцију? Mogu li dobiti malu porciju? (...)
fixed-price meal: фиксна цена оброка fiksna cena obroka (...)
a la carte: a la carte (...)
breakfast: доручак doručak (...)
lunch: ручак ručak (...)
tea (meal): No exact equivalent
supper: вечера večera (...)
I want _____.: Желим _____. Želim _____. (...)
I want a dish containing _____.: Желим јело с _____. Želim jelo s _____. (...)
chicken: пилетином piletinom (...)
beef: говедином govedinom (...)
fish: рибом ribom (...)
ham: шунком šunkom (...)
sausage: кобасицом kobasicom (...)
cheese: сиром sirom (...)
eggs: јајима jajima (...)
salad: салатом salatom (...)
(fresh) vegetables: (свежим) поврћем (svežim) povrćem (...)
(fresh) fruit: (свежим) воћем (svežim) voćem (...)
bread: хлебом hlebom (...)
toast: тостом tostom (...)
noodles: нудлама nudlama (...)
rice: пиринчем pirinčem (...)
beans: пасуљем pasuljem (...)
May I have a glass of _____?: Могу ли добити чашу _____? Mogu li dobiti čašu _____? (...)
May I have a cup of _____?: Могу ли добити шољу _____? Mogu li dobiti šolju _____?(...)
May I have a bottle of _____?: Могу ли добити флашу _____? Mogu li dobiti flašu ______? (...)
coffee: кафе kafe (...)
tea (drink): чаја čaja (...)
juice: сока soka (...)
(bubbly) water: минералне воде mineralne vode(...)
water: воде vode (...)
beer: пива piva (...)
red/white wine: црног/белог вина crnog/belog vina (...)
May I have some _____?: Могу ли добити _____? Mogu li dobiti _____? (...)
salt: соли soli (...)
black pepper: бибера bibera (...)
butter: бутера butera (...)
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): Конобар! Konobar! (...)
I'm finished.: Завршио сам. Završio sam. (...)
It was delicious.: Било је укусно. Bilo je ukusno. (...)
Please clear the plates.: Молим вас, склоните тањире. Molim vas, sklonite tanjire. (...)
The check, please.: Pачун, Молим. Račun, molim. (...)