Animals

1. Пас

   Pas

   Dog

   Usage

   "Ујео ме је пас" — a dog bit me. Loose guard dogs are common on village roads, so take care on foot

   Grammar Note

   The stem shifts: accusative "пса", plural "пси"

2. Мачка

   Mač-ka

   Cat

   Usage

   Community cats fill Kalemegdan and the old streets, and they will join you on a café terrace

3. Птица

   Pti-ca

   Bird

   Usage

   The general word; the Vojvodina wetlands such as Carska bara are famous for birdwatching

4. Риба

   Ri-ba

   Fish

   Usage

   The same word for the animal and the dish; riverside restaurants on the Danube and Sava are known for "рибља чорба", fish soup

5. Коњ

   Konj

   Horse

   Usage

   Used on riding tours around Zlatibor and Tara; in the countryside horses still pull carts

6. Крава

   Kra-va

   Cow

   Usage

   Herds often block mountain roads; cow's milk is "кравље млеко"

7. Свиња

   Svi-nja

   Pig

   Usage

   Pork as a food is "свињетина"; say "Без свињетине" if you need to avoid it

8. Овца

   Ov-ca

   Sheep

   Usage

   A common sight on mountain pasture; "овчији сир", sheep's cheese, is a highland speciality

9. Коза

   Ko-za

   Goat

   Usage

   Herded in the southern hill villages; you will order "козји сир"

10. Кокошка

    Ko-koš-ka

    Chicken (hen)

    Usage

    The living bird; chicken as a meat is the separate word "пилетина" on menus

11. Патка

    Pat-ka

    Duck

    Usage

    One word for the farmyard duck and the wild one alike; common along the Danube and Sava

12. Магарац

    Ma-ga-rac

    Donkey

    Usage

    Famous for the donkey cheese made at the Zasavica reserve. Applied to a person it means "idiot", so keep it to the animal

13. Медвед

    Med-ved

    Bear

    Usage

    Brown bears live in the western mountains such as Tara National Park. Ijekavian speakers say "медвјед"

14. Вук

    Vuk

    Wolf

    Usage

    Present in the mountains but rarely seen; the same word is also a common Serbian man's name

15. Лисица

    Li-si-ca

    Fox

    Usage

    Often seen at dusk on the edge of towns and on mountain roads; do not feed them

16. Дивља свиња

    Div-lja svi-nja

    Wild boar

    Usage

    Widespread in Serbian forests and a hunting quarry; the male is "вепар". Never approach one with young

17. Јелен

    Je-len

    Deer

    Usage

    Lives in the forests; watch for them crossing mountain roads at night

18. Зец

    Zec

    Rabbit / Hare

    Usage

    One word for the wild hare and the pet rabbit alike; on a menu it is the meat

19. Јеж

    Jež

    Hedgehog

    Usage

    Turns up in gardens and campsites after dark; do not handle it — they carry fleas and ticks

20. Веверица

    Ve-ve-ri-ca

    Squirrel

    Usage

    Common in Belgrade's Košutnjak park and in the woods of Fruška Gora

21. Миш

    Miš

    Mouse

    Usage

    The small one; if you find one at your lodging, say "Има миш у соби"

22. Пацов

    Pa-cov

    Rat

    Usage

    A separate word from "миш" for the big one; use it when a hygiene complaint needs to be precise

23. Слепи миш

    Sle-pi miš

    Bat

    Usage

    Literally "blind mouse"; it comes up on tours of the Resava and Risovača caves. Never touch one

24. Змија

    Zmi-ja

    Snake

    Usage

    The venomous one is the nose-horned viper, "поскок", found on rocky ground in the south. If bitten, say "Ујела ме је змија" and call an ambulance

25. Гуштер

    Guš-ter

    Lizard

    Usage

    Everywhere on sunny walls and old fortresses in summer, and harmless

26. Корњача

    Kor-nja-ča

    Tortoise / Turtle

    Usage

    The land tortoise is protected — illegal to move or take, so look and leave it

27. Жаба

    Ža-ba

    Frog

    Usage

    Abundant in the wetlands along the Danube; the same word covers toads

28. Комарац

    Ko-ma-rac

    Mosquito

    Usage

    A serious summer nuisance along the Danube, Sava and Tisa — Belgrade even sprays for them. Ask a pharmacy "Има ли нешто против комараца?"

29. Крпељ

    Kr-pelj

    Tick

    Usage

    The insect to watch for in Serbian grass and forest — it carries Lyme disease. Do not pull it out yourself: say "Ујео ме је крпељ" at a clinic

30. Пчела

    Pče-la

    Bee

    Usage

    If you are allergic, say "Алергичан сам на убод". A wasp is the separate word "оса"

31. Мрав

    Mrav

    Ant

    Usage

    For a complaint about your room: "Има мрава" — there are ants

32. Бубашваба

    Bu-baš-va-ba

    Cockroach

    Usage

    The word for a hygiene complaint: "Има бубашваба у соби" will get you another room

33. Паук

    Pa-uk

    Spider

    Usage

    Serbia has virtually no dangerous spiders. The same word also means a tow truck, which is why it appears on parking signs

34. Мува

    Mu-va

    Fly

    Usage

    A nuisance on summer terraces; "Има много мува" may get you a different table

35. Рода

    Ro-da

    Stork

    Usage

    Nests on utility poles are a Vojvodina sign of spring, and a nest on your house is thought to bring luck

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