Slang

1. Ћао

   Ća-o

   Hi / Bye

   Usage

   An Italian import used both on meeting and parting. Fine with friends, colleagues and familiar staff; with an older stranger use "Здраво" or "Добар дан" from the Greetings category

2. Шта има?

   Šta i-ma?

   What's up?

   Usage

   Literally "what is there?" — only with peers you already know. With an elder or a stranger, "Како сте?"

3. Хајде

   Haj-de

   Come on / Let's go

   Usage

   A Turkish-derived word shared across the Balkans, often shortened to "ајде". It both urges someone along and closes a conversation. It hurries the listener, so avoid it with elders

4. Бре

   Bre

   Hey / Come on (emphatic particle)

   Usage

   The most distinctively Serbian particle, dropped into a sentence to add feeling. Close friends only — aimed at staff, an elder or a stranger it reads as irritation or rudeness

5. Брате

   Bra-te

   Bro

   Usage

   The vocative of "брат". Used between male friends of the same age — not with strangers, elders, or women

6. Може

   Mo-že

   Sure / OK

   Usage

   Literally "it can", used on its own as an agreement, and in a café as "Може кафа" — a coffee, please. Safe with anyone

7. Нема везе

   Ne-ma ve-ze

   Never mind

   Usage

   Literally "there is no connection" — a reply to an apology, or a shrug at something that did not work out. Safe with anyone, though "У реду је" is politer in formal settings

8. Полако

   Po-la-ko

   Take it easy

   Usage

   Both "slowly" and "calm down", and across the Balkans a statement about the pace of life. Safe with anyone, as long as you say it with a smile rather than as an order

9. Опуштено

   O-puš-te-no

   Relaxed / No pressure

   Usage

   An adverb for "no need to make an effort", also used to describe how casual a gathering or a dress code is. For friends and peers

10. Екстра

    Eks-tra

    Great

    Usage

    A positive that has been in use since Yugoslav times, applied to things and experiences. Understood at any age, though formal settings call for "одлично"

11. Мрак

    Mrak

    Amazing

    Usage

    Literally "darkness", but in youth slang it means excellent. Use it about things and events, not people, and only with friends your own age — "екстра" is safer with an elder

12. Лудило

    Lu-di-lo

    It was wild

    Usage

    Literally "madness", used in praise of a concert or a festival. Positive about an event — said about a person it becomes an insult, so keep it to occasions

13. Скроз

    Skroz

    Totally

    Usage

    An intensifier of agreement: "Скроз тако" is "exactly so". For conversation with friends; in writing use "потпуно"

14. Фазон

    Fa-zon

    Vibe / The thing about it

    Usage

    From the French "façon", meaning a style, a vibe or the point of something. "У фазону" softens an explanation into "sort of like…". For chat among peers

15. Идемо на кафу

    I-de-mo na ka-fu

    Let's go for a coffee

    Usage

    The basic Serbian invitation. It means sitting and talking for hours; the coffee is not really the point. Fine with friends, colleagues and new acquaintances alike

16. Живели

    Ži-ve-li

    Cheers

    Usage

    Literally "may we live". Safe with anyone — but meet the other person's eyes as you clink, since looking away is taken as rude

17. Гужва

    Guž-va

    Crowd / Traffic jam

    Usage

    One word for a crush of people and a traffic jam, and the everyday excuse for being late. Safe with anyone

18. Ћале

    Ća-le

    Dad (slang)

    Usage

    A colloquial word for one's own father; the mother is "кева". Long established, especially in Belgrade. Use it only about your own family — applied to someone else's father it is rude

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