Where I am: the at-form after u and na
The preposition u answers both "where to" and "where at". The ending tells them apart: Idem u apoteku — on my way, Ja sam u apoteci — already there. For example: “Лек се купује у апотеци” — Medicine is bought at the pharmacy. A rule from the Serbian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The preposition u answers both "where to" and "where at". The ending tells them apart: Idem u apoteku — on my way, Ja sam u apoteci — already there.
The at-form is simple. Masculine and neuter take -u: na stolu, u gradu. Feminine takes -i: u sobi, u školi.
Then comes the twist. A feminine word ending in k, g, h softens that consonant before the -i. ruka → u ruci, noga → na nozi, banka → u banci. Hearing u banci, do not hunt for a new word.
Na behaves the same. The choice between u and na is vocabulary: u gradu but na pijaci, u stanu but na spratu.
Table
| the word | where to (into) | where at (at-form) |
|---|---|---|
| apoteka | u apoteku | u apoteci |
| banka | u banku | u banci |
| ruka | — | u ruci |
| noga | — | na nozi |
| soba | u sobu | u sobi |
| grad | u grad | u gradu |
| sprat | na sprat | na spratu |
By example
- Лек се купује у апотециLek se kupuje u apoteciMedicine is bought at the pharmacy
- Кључеви су на столу у кухињиKljučevi su na stolu u kuhinjiThe keys are on the table in the kitchen
- Боли ме у грлуBoli me u grluIt hurts me in the throat
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Where I am: how does it work in Serbian?
The preposition u answers both "where to" and "where at". The ending tells them apart: Idem u apoteku — on my way, Ja sam u apoteci — already there.
What does it look like in an example sentence Serbian?
“Лек се купује у апотеци” (Lek se kupuje u apoteci) — Medicine is bought at the pharmacy. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.