Basic Nouns

39 phrases · Serbian with romanization, English and audio

  1. Вода

    Vo-da

    Water

    Usage

    The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

    Grammar Note

    Headwords are nominative. Serbian has seven cases: воду, воде, водом.

  2. Храна

    Hra-na

    Food

    Usage

    The general word when you are looking for something to eat

  3. Новац

    No-vac

    Money

    Usage

    Comes up when paying or changing currency

  4. Тоалет

    To-a-let

    Toilet

    Usage

    The word alone is enough to ask for directions

  5. Марамице

    Ma-ra-mi-ce

    Tissue

    Usage

    For asking at a shop or a diner

  6. Лек

    Lek

    Medicine

    Usage

    The core word at a pharmacy, paired with your symptom

  7. Пртљаг

    Prt-ljag

    Luggage

    Usage

    For checking in, picking up, or storing bags

    Grammar Note

    "Пртљаг" is masculine and collective — the whole set of bags. A single bag is "торба".

  8. Кључ

    Ključ

    Key

    Usage

    For collecting or returning it at hotel reception

  9. Карта

    Kar-ta

    Ticket

    Usage

    The base word for transport and admission tickets

  10. Пасош

    Pa-soš

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at every check-in and border control

  11. Телефон

    Te-le-fon

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to the device and to making a call

  12. Пуњач

    Pu-njač

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café

  13. Станица

    Sta-ni-ca

    Station

    Usage

    The easiest landmark to name when asking directions

  14. Болница

    Bol-ni-ca

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

  15. Полиција

    Po-li-ci-ja

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; the word alone gets help

  16. Продавница

    Pro-dav-ni-ca

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when hunting for somewhere to buy things

  17. Соба

    So-ba

    Room

    Usage

    For negotiating a stay or confirming a room number

  18. Пут

    Put

    Road

    Usage

    Used when asking directions, often over a map

  19. Породица

    Po-ro-di-ca

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up in small talk about who you are travelling with

  20. Име

    I-me

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

  21. Глава

    Gla-va

    Head

    Usage

    A body part for pointing out where it hurts; in a sentence, "Боли ме глава"

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun; hair is a separate word, "коса"

  22. Око

    O-ko

    Eye

    Usage

    Point at it for an eye complaint; the plural "очи" covers both eyes

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun with the irregular plural "очи". The preposition "око" (around, approximately) is spelled identically, so use it as a body part by pointing

  23. Зуб

    Zub

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point at it for toothache; a dentist is a "зубар"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; the plural is "зуби"

  24. Грло

    Gr-lo

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat. The neck itself is a different word, "врат"

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun; "Боли ме грло" means my throat hurts

  25. Стомак

    Sto-mak

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    For belly pain; it covers both the abdomen generally and the stomach organ

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; the set phrase is "Боли ме стомак"

  26. Леђа

    Le-đa

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain; the lower back is treated separately as "крста"

    Grammar Note

    A plural-only neuter noun; the verb agrees in the plural: "Боле ме леђа"

  27. Крста

    Krs-ta

    Lower back

    Usage

    For lower-back pain; "Боле ме крста" is the everyday complaint

    Grammar Note

    Plural-only noun. The singular "крст" means a cross (crucifix), so the body part is always the plural "крста"

  28. Нога

    No-ga

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Serbian "нога" covers the whole leg and the foot. For the foot alone use "стопало"; when pointing, your own body settles it

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun; the plural is "ноге"

  29. Рука

    Ru-ka

    Hand / arm

    Usage

    Serbian "рука" covers both the hand and the arm. The hand alone is "шака" and the upper arm "надлактица"; when pointing, your own body settles it

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun; the plural is "руке"

  30. Грудни кош

    Grud-ni koš

    Chest (ribcage)

    Usage

    For chest pain or tightness. "Груди" on its own can also mean breasts, so the anatomically unambiguous form is used here

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun phrase, literally "chest basket"; when a heart problem is suspected, "Боли ме у грудима" is also said

  31. Хотел

    Ho-tel

    Hotel

    Usage

    Point at it in a taxi or when asking directions; signs read "ХОТЕЛ" or "HOTEL"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; accommodation in general is "смештај"

  32. Аеродром

    A-e-ro-drom

    Airport

    Usage

    Show it to a taxi driver as your destination; Belgrade's is "Аеродром Никола Тесла" (BEG)

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun. Serbian uses "аеродром"; the Croatian term is "zračna luka"

  33. Аутобуска станица

    Au-to-bus-ka sta-ni-ca

    Bus station

    Usage

    Refers to the larger intercity bus terminal. A roadside city stop is the separate word "аутобуско стајалиште"

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun phrase; Belgrade's intercity terminal is known as "БАС"

  34. Амбасада

    Am-ba-sa-da

    Embassy

    Usage

    Show it as a destination after losing a passport or in an incident; "јапанска амбасада" is the Japanese embassy

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun. Serbian says "амбасада"; the Croatian word is "veleposlanstvo". A consulate is "конзулат"

  35. Банкомат

    Ban-ko-mat

    ATM

    Usage

    Point at it when hunting for a cash machine; Serbia uses the dinar (RSD) and ordinary shops do not take euros

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; a fee is "провизија" and the exchange rate "курс"

  36. Мењачница

    Me-njač-ni-ca

    Currency exchange office

    Usage

    Point at it to find a bureau de change; signs read "МЕЊАЧНИЦА" or "MENJAČNICA" with the rates posted in the window

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun in the ekavian form "мењачница"; the ijekavian spelling is "мјењачница"

  37. Перионица веша

    Pe-ri-o-ni-ca ve-ša

    Laundrette

    Usage

    Point at it to find somewhere to wash clothes. Self-service coin laundrettes are scarce in Serbia; a drop-off "перионица" is the norm

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun phrase; "веш" means laundry or underwear, and dry cleaning is "хемијско чишћење"

  38. Ватрогасно возило

    Va-tro-gas-no vo-zi-lo

    Fire engine

    Usage

    The fire engine that comes to a fire; a firefighter is a "ватрогасац"

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun phrase: "ватрогасно" (fire-fighting) + "возило" (vehicle); the adjective is built from "ватра" (fire) + "гасити" (to extinguish)

  39. Конзулат

    Kon-zu-lat

    Consulate

    Usage

    Where to go for a replacement passport or emergency help; an embassy is an "амбасада"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; a consul is a "конзул"

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