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 can use any of the phrasebooks mentioned and get along with it in either Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia or Montenegro (during the period of common state of Yugoslavia these languages were 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 Serbian are declined through cases (kuća, kuće, kući, etc. mean house, of the house, to the house, etc). 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 by saying, "I was drinking when you came", both verbs of this sentence could be translated by any of Serbian 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). Serbian has no articles and the difference between "a house" and "the house" is understood from the context and noun declensions.
The most common word order is SVO (subject-verb-object).
Pronunciation guide
Serbian uses both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets, the only Slavic language to do so. Everyday use is the the Roman alphabet, but 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 the Roman and the Cyrillic alphabets will be shown here.
Serbian Cyrillic Alphabet:
Аа Бб Вв Гг Дд Ђђ Ее Жж Зз Ии Јј Кк Лл Љљ Мм Нн Њњ Оо Пп Рр Сс Тт Ћћ Уу Фф Хх Цц Чч Џџ Шш
Serbian Latin Alphabet:
Aa Bc Cc Čč Ćć Dd Dždž Đđ Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Ljlj Mm Nn Njnj Oo Pp Rr Ss Šš Tt Uu Vv Zz Žž
Stress
Generally, in complex words, the emphasis is on the first syllable 'Kako' [KAH-koh]. In some cases, such as in words with a prefix ['autobus' (ow-TOH-boos)] the stress is on the middle syllable. The last syllable is never stressed.
Vowels
There are five vowels in Serbo-Croatian language. They can be long or short.
a
the 'a' in "article"
e
the 'e' in "end"
i
the 'ee' in "week"
o
the 'o' in "obey"
u
the 'oo' in "took"
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"
č
the 'ch' in "chair"
ć
the 'ch' in "church"
d
the 'd' in "dog"
đ
the 'd(u)' in "endure"; rarely used at the beginning of a word; this letter is sometimes written as dj; [the Cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "ђ"]
dž
the 'dge' in "edge", but harder [the Cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "џ"]; seldom used
f
the 'f' in "face"
g
the 'g' in "gone" [always hard 'g']
h
the 'ch' in "loch" [aspirated sound]
j
the 'y' in "yes"
k
the 'k' in "kick"
l
the 'l' in "like"
lj
the 'li' in "million" [the Cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "љ"]
m
the 'm' in "monkey"
n
the 'n' in "noise"
nj
the 'ny' in "canyon" [Spanish ñ nasal sound, the Cyrillic equivalent of this letter is "њ"]
p
the 'p' in "post"
r
the 'r' in "barco" [trilled 'r' like in Spanish language]
s
the 's' in "sun"
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 the Serbian alphabet, and they can occur only in foreign words. Hence, "text" in Serbian is written as "tekst", "expert" as "ekspert", "wagon" as "vagon", "quota" as "kvota" and "myth" as "mit".
Common diphthongs
ija
the 'ia' in "Lydia"
ije
the 'ie' in "miedo"
aj
the 'ie' in "pie" (ia sound)
oj
the 'oy' in "boy"
oa
the 'oa' in "boa"
ao
similar to the 'ou' in "out"
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
Common signs
OPEN
отворено otvoreno (oht-voh-REH-noh)
CLOSED
затворено zatvoreno (zaht-voh-REH-noh)
ENTRANCE
улаз ulaz (OO-lahz)
EXIT
излаз izlaz (EEZ-lahz)
PUSH
гурај guraj (GOO-rai)
PULL
вуци vuci (VOO-tsee)
TOILET
тоалет toalet (TWAH-leht) WC (VEHT TSEH)
MEN
мушкарци muškarci (moosh-KAHR-tsee)
WOMEN
жене žene (ZHEH-neh)
FORBIDDEN
забрањено zabranjeno (ZAH-brah-nyeh-noh)
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)
Треба ми помоћ. Treba mi pomoć. (TREH-bah mee POH-mohtch)
It's an emergency.
Хитно је. Hitno je. (HEET-noh yeh)
I'm lost.
Изгубио сам се (m). Изгубила сам се (f). Izgubio sam se (m). Izgubila sam se (f). (eez-GOO-byoh sahm seh/ eez-GOO-bee-lah sahm seh) (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). (eez-GOO-byoh sahm TOHR-boo/ eez-GOO-bee-lah sahm TOHR-boo)
I lost my wallet.
Изгубио сам новчаник (m). Изгубила сам новчаник (f). Izgubio sam novčanik (m). Izgubila sam novčanik (f). (eez-GOO-byoh sahm nohv-CHAH-neek/ eez-GOO-bee-lah sahm nohv-CHAH-neek)
I'm sick.
Болестан сам (m). Болесна сам (f). Bolestan sam (m). Bolesna sam (f). (BOH-lehs-tahn sahm / BOH-lehs-nah sahm)
I've been injured.
Повређен сам (m). Повређена сам (f). Povređen sam (m). Povređena sam (f). (POHV-reh-jehn sahm / POHV-reh-jeh-nah sahm)
I need a doctor.
Треба ми доктор. Treba mi doktor. (TREH-bah mee DOHK-tohr)
Can I use your phone?
Могу ли да телефонирам? Mogu li da telefoniram? (MOH-goo lee dah teh-leh-FOH-nee-rahm)
Numbers
0
нула, nula (NOO-lah)
1
један, jedan (YEH-dahn)
2
два, dva (dvah)
3
три, tri (tree)
4
четири, četiri (CHEH-tee-ree)
5
пет, pet (peht)
6
шест, šest (shehst)
7
седам, sedam (SEH-dahm)
8
осам, osam (OH-sahm)
9
девет, devet (DEH-veht)
10
десет, deset (DEH-seht)
11
једанаест, jedanaest (yee-DAH-nah-ehst)
12
дванаест, dvanaest (DVAH-nah-ehst)
13
тринаест, trinaest (TREE-nah-ehst)
14
четрнаест, četrnaest (cheh-TEHR-nah-ehst)
15
петнаест, petnaest (PEHT-nah-ehst)
16
шеснаест, šesnaest (SHEHS-nah-ehst)
17
седамнаест, sedamnaest (seh-DAHM-nah-ehst)
18
осамнаест, osamnaest (oh-SAHM-nah-ehst)
19
деветнаест, devetnaest (deh-VEHT-nah-ehst)
20
двадесет, dvadeset (DVAH-deh-seht)
21
двадесет један, dvadeset jedan (DVAH-deh-seht YEH-dahn)
22
двадесет два, dvadeset dva (DVAH-deh-seht dvah)
23
двадесет три, dvadeset tri (DVAH-deh-seht tree)
30
тридесет, trideset (TREE-deh-seht)
40
четрдесет, četrdeset (cheh-tuhr-DEH-seht)
50
педесет, pedeset (peh-DEH-seht)
60
шездесет, šezdeset (shehz-DEH-seht)
70
седамдесет, sedamdeset (seh-dahm-DEH-seht)
80
осамдесет, osamdeset (oh-sahm-DEH-seht)
90
деведесет, devedeset (deh-veh-DEH-seht)
100
сто, sto (stoh)
200
двеста, dvesta (DVEH-stah)
300
триста, trista (TREES-tah)
400
четристо, četristo (CHEH-trees-toh)
500
петсто, petsto (PEHTS-toh)
600
шестсто, šeststo (SHEHST-stoh)
700
седамсто, sedamsto (SEH-dahms-toh)
800
осамсто, osamsto (OH-sahms-toh)
900
деветсто devetsto (DEH-vehts-toh)
1000
хиљаду/тисућу, hiljadu/tisuću (HEE-lyah-doo/ TEE-soo-tchoo); 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 (dveh HEE-lyah-deh/ TEE-soo-tcheh)
1,000,000
милион, milion (mee-LY-ohn)
1,000,000,000
милијарда, milijarda - one thousand million in UK, one billion in USA(mee-LYAHR-dah)
1,000,000,000,000
билион, bilion - one billion in UK, one trillion in USA (bee-LY-ohn)
number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
број _____ broj _____ (broy)
half
пола, pola (POH-lah)
less
мање, manje (MAH-nyeh)
more
више, više (VEE-sheh)
Time
now
сада. sada (SAH-dah)
later
касније. kasnije (KAHS-nyeh)
before
пре. pre (preh)
morning
јутро. jutro (from dawn to 8-9 AM) / преподне prepodne (from 8-9 AM till noon) (YOO-troh)
afternoon
поподне. popodne. (poh-POHD-neh)
evening
вече. veče (VEH-cheh)
night
ноћ. noć (nohtch)
dawn
зора. zora. (ZOH-rah)
early
дан. dan. (dahn)
sunrise
свануће. svanuće. (svah-NOO-tcheh)
sunset
залазак сунца. zalazak sunca. (ZAH-lah-zahk SOON-tsah)
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 (YEH-dahn saht)
two o'clock AM
два сата. dva sata (dvah SAH-tah)
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 (POHD-neh)
one o'clock PM
један сат поподне. jedan sat popodne [SEE ABOVE] (YEH-dahn saht poh-POHD-neh)
two o'clock PM
два сата поподне. dva sata popodne [SEE ABOVE] (dvah SAH-tah poh-POHD-neh)
Можете ли предложити други хотел? Možete li predložiti drugi hotel? (MOH-zheh-teh lee prehd-LOH-zhee-tee DROO-gee KHOH-tehl?)
Do you have a safe?
Имате ли сеф? Imate li sef? (EE-mah-teh lee sehf?)
...lockers?
...ормарић? ...ormarić? (ohr-MAH-reetch?)
Is breakfast/supper included?
Да ли су укључени доручак/вечера? Da li su uključeni doručak/večera? (dah lee soo OO-klyoo-cheh-nee DOH-roo-chahk/ VEH-cheh-rah?)
What time is breakfast/supper?
У колико сати је доручак/вечера? U koliko sati je doručak/večera? (oo koh-LEE-koh SAH-tee yeh DOH-roo-chahk/ VEH-cheh-rah?)
Please clean my room.
Молим вас, очистите ми собу. Molim vas, očistite mi sobu. (MOH-leem vahs, OH-chees-tee-teh mee SOH-boo)
Can you wake me at _____?
Можете ли ме пробудити у _____? Možete li me probuditi u _____? (MOH-zheh-teh lee meh proh-BOO-dee-tee oo...?)
I want to check out.
Желим да се одјавим. Želim da se odjavim. (ZHEH-leem dah seh OH-dyah-veem)
Money
Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars?
Примате ли америчке/аустралијске/канадске доларе? Primate li američke/australijske/kanadske dolare? (PREE-mah-teh lee ah-MEH-reech-keh/ ows-TRAH-lees-keh/ KAH-nahds-keh DOH-lah-reh?)
Do you accept British pounds?
Примате ли британске фунте? Primate li britanske funte? (PREE-mah-teh lee BREE-tahns-keh FOON-teh?)
Do you accept credit cards?
Примате ли кредитне картице? Primate li kreditne kartice? (PREE-mah-teh lee KREH-deet-neh KAHR-tee-tseh?)
Can you change money for me?
Можете ли променити новац за мене? Možete li promeniti novac za mene? (MOH-zheh-teh lee proh-MEH-nee-tee NOH-vahts zah MEH-neh?)
Where can I get money changed?
Где могу променити новац? Gde mogu promeniti novac? (gdeh MOH-goo proh-MEE-neh-tee NOH-vahts?)
Can you change a traveler's check for me?
Можете ли ми променити путнички чек? Možete li mi promeniti putnički ček? (MOH-zheh-teh lee mee proh-MEH-nee-tee POOT-neech-kee chehk?)
Where can I get a traveler's check changed?
Где могу променити путнички чек? Gde mogu dobiti promeniti putnički ček? (gdeh MOH-goo proh-MEH-nee-tee POOT-neech-kee chehk?)
What is the exchange rate?
Колики је курс? Koliki je kurs? (koh-LEE-kee yeh koors?)
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
Где је банкомат? Gde je bankomat? (gdeh yeh bahn-KOH-maht?)
Eating
A table for one person/two people, please.
Молим сто за једно/двоје. Molim sto za jedno/dvoje. (MOH-leem stoh zah YEHD-noh/ DEH-voie)
Can I look at the menu, please?
Могу ли добити јеловник? Mogu li dobiti jelovnik? (MOH-goo lee DOH-bee-tee YEH-lohv-neek?)
Can I look in the kitchen?
Могу ли погледати кухињу? Mogu li pogledati kuhinju? (MOH-goo lee POH-gleh-dah-tee KOO-khee-nyoo?)
Is there a house specialty?
Постоји ли специјалитет куће? Postoji li specijalitet kuće? (pohs-TO-yee lee speh-tsyah-LEE-teht KOO-tcheh?)
Is there a local specialty?
Постоји ли локални специјалитет? Postoji li lokalni specijalitet? (pohs-TO-yee lee LOH-kahl-nee speh-tsyah-LEE-teht?)
I'm a vegetarian.
Ја сам вегетаријанац. Ja sam vegetarijanac. (yah sahm veh-geh-TAH-ryah-nahts)
I don't eat pork.
Не једем свињетину. Ne jedem svinjetinu. (neh YEH-dehm SVEE-nyeh-tee-noo)
I don't eat beef.
Не једем говедину. Ne jedem govedinu. (neh YEH-dehm GOH-veh-dee-noo)
I only eat kosher food.
Једем само кошер храну. Jedem samo košer hranu. (YEH-dehm SAH-moh KOH-shehr KHRAH-noo)
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard)
Могу ли добити малу порцију? Mogu li dobiti malu porciju? (MOH-goo lee DOH-bee-tee MAH-loo POHR-tsyoo)
fixed-price meal
фиксна цена оброка fiksna cena obroka (FEEKS-nah TSEH-nah OB-roh-kah)
breakfast
доручак doručak (DOH-roo-chahk)
lunch
ручак ručak (ROO-chahk)
supper
вечера večera (VEH-cheh-rah)
I want _____.
Желим _____. Želim _____. (ZHEH-leem)
spoon
Кашика, kašika (kah-SHEE-kah)
fork
виљушка, viljuška (vee-LYOOSH-kah)
knife
нож, nož (nohzh)
plate
тањир, tanjir (TAH-nyeer)
(drinking) glass
чаша, čaša (CHAH-shah)
bowl
чинија, činija (chee-NEE-yah)
cup
шоља, šolja (SHOH-lyah)
saucer
тањирић, tanjirić (tah-NYEE-reetch)
napkin
салвета, salveta (sahl-VEH-tah)
I want a dish containing _____.
Желим јело с _____. Želim jelo s _____. (ZHEH-leem YEH-loh ehs...?)
Нисам учинио(m)/учинила(f) ништа лоше. Nisam učinio(m)/učinila(f) ništa loše. (NEE-sahm oo-CHEE-nyoh/ oo-CHEE-nee-lah NEESH-tah LOH-sheh)
It was a misunderstanding.
То је неспоразум. To je nesporazum. (toh yeh NEHS-poh-rah-zoom)
Where are you taking me?
Куда ме водите? Kuda me vodite? (KOO-dah meh VOH-dee-teh?)
Am I under arrest?
Јесам ли ухапшен? Jesam li uhapšen? (YEH-sahm lee OO-hahp-shehn?)
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.
Ја сам амерички/аустралијски/британски/канадски држављанин. Ja sam američki/australijski/britanski/kanadski državljanin. (yah sahm ah-MEH-reech-kee/ ows-TRAH-lees-kee/ BREE-tahns-kee/ KAH-nahds-kee dehr-ZHAH-vlyah-neen)
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.
Желим да разговарам с америчком/аустралијском/британском/канадском амбасадом/конзулатом. Želim da razgovaram s američkom/australijskom/britanskom/kanadskom ambasadom/konzulatom. (ZHEH-leem dah rahz-GOH-vah-rahm ehs ah-MEH-reech-kohm/ ows-TRAH-lees-kohm/ BREE-tahns-kohm/ KAH-nahdsS-kohm/ ahm-bah-SAH-dohm/ kohn-zoo-LAH-tohm)
I want to talk to a lawyer.
Желим да разговарам с адвокатом. Želim da razgovaram s advokatom. (ZHEH-leem dah rahz-GOH-vah-rahm ehs ahd-voh-KAH-tohm)
Can I just pay a fine now?
Могу ли само да платим казну? Mogu li samo da platim kaznu? (MOH-goo lee SAH-moh dah PLAH-teem KAHZ-noo?)
Asking about language
How do you say _____ ?
Како се каже _____ ? Kako se kaže _____? (KAH-koh seh KAH-zheh...?)
What is this/that called?
Како се ово/то зове? Kako se ovo/to zove? (KAH-koh seh OH-voh/ toh ZOH-veh?)
Do you speak English?
Говорите ли енглески? Govorite li engleski? (GOH-voh-ree-teh lee EHN-glehs-kee?)
Does anyone speak English?
Да ли било ко говори енглески? Da li bilo ko govori engleski? (Dah lee BEE-loh koh GOH-voh-ree EHN-glehs-kee?)
I speak very little Serbian.
Ја врло мало говорим српски. Ja vrlo malo govorim srpski. (yah VEHR-loh MAH-loh GOH-voh-reem SEHRPS-kee)
Где је полицијска станица?, Gde je policijska stanica? (gdeh yeh poh-LEE-tsee-skah STAH-nee-tsah)
Can you help me please?
Можете ли да ми помогнете молим вас?, Možete li da mi pomognete molim vas? (MOH-zheh-teh lee dah mee POH-mohg-neh-teh MOH-leem vahs)
Could I use your telephone/mobil/cell phone?
Могу ли користити ваш телефон/ мобилни телефон?, Mogu li koristiti vaš telefon/ mobilni telefon? (MOH-goo lee koh-REES-tee-tee vahsh teh-LEH-fohn/ MOH-BEEL-nee teh-LEH-fohn)
There's been an accident!
Догодила се несрећа! Dogodila se nesreća! (doh-GOH-dee-lah seh NEH-sreh-tchah!)
Call a
Зовите, Zovite (ZOH-vee'teh)
...doctor!
доктора!, doktora! (DOH-toh-rah)
...an ambulance!
хитну помоћ!, hitnu pomoć! (HEET-nooh POH-motch)
I need medical attention!
Треба ми доктор!, Treba mi doktor! (TREH-bah mee DOK-tohr)
This is a guide phrasebook. It covers all the major topics for traveling without resorting to English. But please Plunge forward and help us make it a star!
