Serbian, a South Slavic language, is primarily spoken in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and in parts of Croatia. It’s unique in its use of both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. Learning Serbian can significantly enhance your experience in the Balkans, allowing for deeper cultural interactions. This lesson covers essential conversational phrases and questions in Serbian, including transliterations for pronunciation help, to navigate various social interactions.

Greetings

• Hello/Hi – “Здраво” (Zdravo)
• Good morning – “Добро јутро” (Dobro jutro)
• Good afternoon – “Добар дан” (Dobar dan)
• Good evening – “Добро вече” (Dobro veče)
• Goodbye – “Довиђења” (Doviđenja – formal) / “Ћао” (Ćao – informal)

Introducing Yourself or Others

• My name is [name]. – “Зовем се [name].” (Zovem se [name].)
• This is [name]. – “Ово је [name].” (Ovo je [name].)
• I am from [country]. – “Ја сам из [country].” (Ja sam iz [country].)
• I live in [city/place]. – “Живим у [city/place].” (Živim u [city/place].)

Asking for Directions or People

• Where is the [place]? – “Где је [place]?” (Gde je [place]?)
• How do I get to [place]? – “Како да дођем до [place]?” (Kako da dođem do [place]?)
• Is this the way to [place]? – “Да ли је ово пут за [place]?” (Da li je ovo put za [place]?)
• Can you show me on the map? – “Можете ли ми показати на мапи?” (Možete li mi pokazati na mapi?)

Solving a Misunderstanding

• Sorry, I don’t understand. – “Извини, не разумем.” (Izvini, ne razumem.)
• Can you please repeat that? – “Можете ли то поновити?” (Možete li to ponoviti?)
• I mean… – “Мислио/Мислила сам…” (Mislio/Mislila sam…)
• What does [word] mean? – “Шта значи [word]?” (Šta znači [word]?)

Farewell Expressions

• See you later – “Видимо се касније” (Vidimo se kasnije)
• Take care – “Чувај се” (Čuvaj se)
• Have a good day – “Леп дан” (Lep dan)

Travel and Dining

• I would like to book a room. – “Желео/Желела бих да резервишем собу.” (Želeo/Želela bih da rezervišem sobu.)
• Can I see the menu, please? – “Могу ли да видим мени?” (Mogu li da vidim meni?)
• I am vegetarian. – “Ја сам вегетаријанац/вегетаријанка.” (Ja sam vegetarijanac/vegetarijanka.)
• The bill, please. – “Рачун, молим.” (Račun, molim.)

Shopping

• How much does this cost? – “Колико ово кошта?” (Koliko ovo košta?)
• Do you have this in another size? – “Имате ли ово у другој величини?” (Imate li ovo u drugoj veličini?)
• I’m just looking, thanks. – “Само гледам, хвала.” (Samo gledam, hvala.)
• Can I pay by card? – “Могу ли платити картицом?” (Mogu li platiti karticom?)

Dating and Love

• You look beautiful. (to a woman) / You look handsome. (to a man) – “Прелепа си.” (Prelepa si) / “Згодан си.” (Zgodan si)
• I miss you. – “Недостајеш ми.” (Nedostaješ mi)
• I love you. – “Волим те.” (Volim te)
• Would you like to go out with me? – “Да ли би желео/желела да изађеш са мном?” (Da li bi želeo/želela da izađeš sa mnom?)

Emergencies

• Help! – “У помоћ!” (U pomoć!)
• Call the police! – “Позовите полицију!” (Pozovite policiju!)
• I need a doctor. – “Потребан ми је доктор.” (Potreban mi je doktor.)
• Where is the nearest hospital? – “Где је најближа болница?” (Gde je najbliža bolnica?)

These phrases provide a solid foundation for basic communication in Serbian. Practice speaking and listening regularly, engage with Serbian media, and don’t hesitate to converse with native speakers. Remember, language learning is a journey—embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and continue to explore the rich linguistic and cultural nuances of the Serbian language.