Directions

1. Где је Калемегдан?

   Gde je Ka-le-meg-DAN?

   Where is Kalemegdan (fortress)?

   Usage

   Used to ask directions to Belgrade's famous fortress and park

   Grammar Note

   Serbian question word "Где" always comes first. "Је" is the third-person singular of the verb "to be"

2. Идите право, па скрените лево

   I-di-te PRA-vo, pa skre-NI-te LE-vo

   Go straight, then turn left

   Usage

   Basic phrase for giving directions

   Grammar Note

   "Па" is a conjunction meaning "then/and." Directions: "десно" (right), "лево" (left), "право" (straight)

3. Колико је далеко пешке?

   KO-li-ko je DA-le-ko PEŠ-ke?

   How far is it on foot?

   Usage

   Used to ask how far away a destination is on foot

   Grammar Note

   "Пешке" is an adverb meaning "on foot." Replace with "таксијем" (by taxi) or "аутобусом" (by bus)

4. Где је најближа станица трамваја?

   Gde je naj-BLI-ža STA-ni-ca tram-VA-ja?

   Where is the nearest tram stop?

   Usage

   Used in Belgrade to find the nearest tram stop (Belgrade has no metro)

   Grammar Note

   "Најближа" is the feminine superlative of "близу", agreeing with the feminine noun "станица"; "трамваја" is the genitive of "трамвај" (tram). For a bus stop use "Где је најближа аутобуска станица?"

5. Можете ли да ми покажете на мапи?

   Mo-ŽE-te li da mi po-KA-že-te na MA-pi?

   Could you show me on the map?

   Usage

   Used when verbal directions are unclear and you need to see the location on a map

   Grammar Note

   "Да + verb" is the typical Serbian subjunctive structure, shared with other South Slavic languages

6. Скрените десно на светлосном сигналу

   SKRE-ni-te DES-no na svet-LOS-nom SIG-na-lu

   Turn right at the traffic light

   Usage

   Used to give directions using a traffic light as a landmark

   Grammar Note

   "Светлосни сигнал" (traffic light) in the locative form. Serbian has 7 cases; "на + locative" indicates location. To turn at a junction use "скренути" ("окренути се" means to turn around)

7. Да ли је ово прави пут за центар?

   Da li je O-vo PRA-vi put za CEN-tar?

   Is this the right way to the city centre?

   Usage

   Used to confirm you are heading in the right direction to the city centre

   Grammar Note

   "Да ли" creates yes/no questions. "Центар" is masculine; "за центар" uses the accusative

8. Који број аутобуса иде до Новог Сада?

   KO-ji BROJ au-TO-bu-sa I-de do NO-vog SA-da?

   Which bus number goes to Novi Sad?

   Usage

   Used to find a bus to Novi Sad, home of the EXIT music festival

   Grammar Note

   "До + genitive" means "to/until." "Нови Сад" (New Garden) changes to "Новог Сада" in the genitive

9. Прођите поред Скупштине

   Pro-ĐI-te PO-red Skupš-TI-ne

   Pass by the National Assembly building

   Usage

   Used to give directions using Belgrade's National Assembly as a landmark

   Grammar Note

   "Поред + genitive" means "beside/past." Nouns following prepositions take the case the preposition governs

10. Изгубио/Изгубила сам се

    Iz-GU-bi-o / Iz-GU-bi-la sam se

    I am lost

    Usage

    Used when lost and asking for help. Males say "Изгубио сам се", females "Изгубила сам се"

    Grammar Note

    Serbian perfect tense uses "past participle + auxiliary." The participle agrees with the subject's gender

11. Десно

    Des-no

    Right

    Usage

    A single word to show a driver mid-journey — faster than a sentence and readable at the wheel

    Grammar Note

    Adverb; "скрените десно" means turn right, and "на десно" also occurs

12. Лево

    Le-vo

    Left

    Usage

    A single word to show a driver mid-journey

    Grammar Note

    Adverb in the ekavian form "лево"; the ijekavian (Croatian) form is "lijevo"

13. Право

    Pra-vo

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    "Право" means straight ahead in Serbian, not right. Russian and Bulgarian speakers often misread it, so always point at "десно" for right

    Grammar Note

    Adverb. The identical noun "право" means a right or the law, but in a car or on the street it means straight on: "Идите право"

14. Назад

    Na-zad

    Back / turn around

    Usage

    Show it when you have gone too far; to ask for a U-turn, "окрените се"

    Grammar Note

    Adverb; "вратите се" (go back) fits the same situation

15. Станите овде

    Sta-ni-te ov-de

    Stop here

    Usage

    Tells a taxi driver where to drop you; show it while pointing out of the window

    Grammar Note

    Polite (Ви) imperative; "овде" is ekavian, against the ijekavian "овдје"

16. Север

    Se-ver

    North

    Usage

    For matching a map or a road sign; Serbian motorway signage labels directions "север" and "југ"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun in the ekavian form "север"; the adjective is "северни"

17. Југ

    Jug

    South

    Usage

    For matching a map or a road sign

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; the adjective is "јужни"

18. Исток

    Is-tok

    East

    Usage

    For matching a map or a road sign

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; the adjective is "источни"

19. Запад

    Za-pad

    West

    Usage

    For matching a map or a road sign

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; the adjective is "западни"

Browse all TravelPhrases languages