How I studied Serbian
A short in Serbian text at level B1. The translation sits next to it: reading with a dictionary is still too early at this level, and without support it will not happen at all. I enrolled in the course three months after arriving. At the first lesson I understood nothing but the greeting, and I…
Text
- Курс сам уписао три месеца после доласка. На првом часу нисам разумео ништа осим поздрава, и било ме је срамота да питам поново. Наставница је рекла да је то нормално и да идемо корак по корак. Најтеже ми је ишао изговор, а најлакше речи које личе на руске, док нисам схватио да реч слово значи буква. После пола године се видео напредак: не говорим течно, али разумем кад неко говори споро и не бојим се да прецизирам ако нешто нисам чуо.Kurs sam upisao tri meseca posle dolaska. Na prvom času nisam razumeo ništa osim pozdrava, i bilo me je sramota da pitam ponovo. Nastavnica je rekla da je to normalno i da idemo korak po korak. Najteže mi je išao izgovor, a najlakše reči koje liče na ruske, dok nisam shvatio da reč slovo znači bukva. Posle pola godine se video napredak: ne govorim tečno, ali razumem kad neko govori sporo i ne bojim se da preciziram ako nešto nisam čuo.I enrolled in the course three months after arriving. At the first lesson I understood nothing but the greeting, and I was ashamed to ask again. The teacher said it was normal and that we were going step by step. Pronunciation was hardest for me, and words similar to Russian were easiest — until I realized that the word 'slovo' means 'letter'. After six months progress became visible: I don't speak fluently, but I understand slow speech and I'm not afraid to clarify if I miss something.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- When did he enroll in the course?
- Why was he ashamed at the first lesson?
- What was hardest for him?
- Which word tripped him up?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Serbian?
B1. That means: you know the letters and have a stock of everyday words — about two or three hundred.
How to read a text in an unfamiliar language usefully?
First all the way through without peeking at the translation — just to catch the familiar words. Then with the translation. Then all the way through again: the second pass brings noticeably more, and that feeling matters more than any rule.