Markets & Souvenirs

1. Колико ово кошта?

   KO-li-ko O-vo KOŠ-ta?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Basic phrase for asking the price in markets or shops

   Grammar Note

   кошта is the third-person singular present of коштати (to cost)

2. Можемо ли се цењкати?

   MO-že-mo li se CENJ-ka-ti?

   Can we negotiate the price?

   Usage

   Used at outdoor markets or small shops to start bargaining

   Grammar Note

   цењкати is a reflexive verb (with се) meaning to negotiate mutually

3. Понудићу вам...

   po-nu-DI-ću vam...

   I'll offer you...

   Usage

   Used when stating a counter-offer; follow with the amount

   Grammar Note

   понудићу is the first-person singular future of понудити (to offer)

4. Можете ли дати попуст?

   MO-že-te li DA-ti PO-pust?

   Can you give a discount?

   Usage

   Used to request a discount, e.g. for bulk purchase or last item

   Grammar Note

   можете is the polite second-person plural of моћи (to be able to)

5. Да ли је ово ручно рађено?

   da li je O-vo RUČ-no RA-đe-no?

   Is this handmade?

   Usage

   Used to check if a craft or souvenir is handmade

   Grammar Note

   ручно рађено is an adverb + past passive participle construction

6. Од чега је ово направљено?

   od ČE-ga je O-vo na-PRA-vlje-no?

   What is this made of?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the material or ingredients of an item

   Grammar Note

   чега is the genitive of шта (what). Preposition од governs the genitive case

7. Можете ли упаковати за поклон?

   MO-že-te li u-pa-KO-va-ti za PO-klon?

   Can you gift-wrap this?

   Usage

   Used to request gift wrapping for a souvenir or present

   Grammar Note

   за + accusative expresses purpose. за поклон = "as a gift"

8. Где је ноћна пијаца?

   GDE je NOĆ-na pi-JA-ca?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Used to ask for directions to a local night market

   Grammar Note

   пијаца is borrowed from Italian piazza. ноћна agrees with the feminine noun пијаца

9. Могу ли добити рачун?

   MO-gu li DO-bi-ti RA-čun?

   Can I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Used to request a receipt after a purchase

   Grammar Note

   могу is the first-person singular of моћи (to be able). ли is the yes/no question marker

10. Када ради пијаца?

    KA-da RA-di pi-JA-ca?

    What are the market opening hours?

    Usage

    Used to check when the market is open

    Grammar Note

    ради is the third-person singular of радити (to work/operate). Question adverbs go sentence-initial

11. Само разгледам, хвала.

    SA-mo raz-GLE-dam, HVA-la.

    I'm just looking, thank you.

    Usage

    Used to politely tell a vendor you're just browsing

    Grammar Note

    разгледам is the first-person singular present of разгледати (to browse/look around)

12. Да ли примате картицу?

    da li pri-MA-te kar-TI-cu?

    Do you accept card payment?

    Usage

    Used to check if card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    картица (card) takes the accusative form картицу. примати (to accept) governs the accusative case

13. Ово купујем као сувенир.

    O-vo ku-PU-jem kao su-VE-nir.

    I'm buying this as a souvenir.

    Usage

    Used to let the vendor know you're buying something as a souvenir

    Grammar Note

    купујем is the first-person singular of куповати (to buy). као means "as / in the capacity of"

14. Може ли се ово послати у иностранство?

    MO-že li se O-vo PO-sla-ti u i-nos-TRAN-stvo?

    Can this be shipped internationally?

    Usage

    Used to ask if international shipping is available

    Grammar Note

    може ли се is a passive construction meaning "can it be (done)"

15. Шта вам је најсвежије?

    ŠTA vam je naj-SVE-ži-je?

    What's your freshest item?

    Usage

    Used at food stalls to ask for the freshest item

    Grammar Note

    најсвежије is the superlative of свеж (fresh). Serbian superlatives are formed with the prefix нај-

16. Ово је превише скупо.

    O-vo je pre-VI-še SKU-po.

    This is too expensive.

    Usage

    Used to signal the price is too high and open negotiations

    Grammar Note

    скупо is the neuter predicative form of скуп (expensive). превише is an adverb meaning "too (much)"

17. Воће

    Vo-će

    Fruit

    Usage

    Point at it to find the fruit stalls. Vegetables are "поврће" — a near-identical word, so read carefully

    Grammar Note

    A neuter collective noun, always singular: "Колико кошта воће?"

18. Бели лук

    Be-li luk

    Garlic

    Usage

    Buy it at a market or ask for a dish without it. "Лук" alone means onion, so always keep "бели"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun phrase, literally "white onion"; Serbian "бели лук" against the Croatian "češnjak"

19. Црни лук

    Cr-ni luk

    Onion

    Usage

    Buy it or ask for a dish without it. Plain "лук" already means onion, but "црни" is kept so it cannot be read as garlic

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun phrase, literally "black onion"; spring onions are "млади лук"

20. Љута паприка

    Lju-ta pa-pri-ka

    Chilli pepper

    Usage

    For buying or avoiding hot chillies. "Паприка" on its own also covers sweet peppers, so keep "љута" (hot)

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun phrase; ground chilli is "љута алева паприка" and the hot relish "ајвар (љути)"

21. Свеж коријандер

    Svež ko-ri-jan-der

    Fresh coriander (cilantro)

    Usage

    Coriander leaf is rare in Serbian cooking and not always stocked at markets — look in big-city produce markets or Asian grocers. The usual green herb in Serbia is parsley, "першун", which looks similar, so check before buying

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun covering both the herb and the seed; "свеж" marks the fresh leaf and "семе коријандера" the seed

22. Ђумбир

    Đum-bir

    Ginger

    Usage

    Point at it to find ginger at a market or supermarket; ginger tea ("чај од ђумбира") is a common cold remedy

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun

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