Dobrota, lenjost, poštenje: what the nouns of character are made of
This unit is almost entirely abstract nouns: dobrota, lenjost, poštenje, sebičnost, snalažljivost. English builds the same shelf with -ness, -ity and -ship; Serbian derives all of it from adjectives and verbs with four suffixes — and knowing the suffix lets you both read a new word and coin your own. For example: “Његова доброта и поштење свима су познати” — His kindness and honesty are known to everyone. A rule…
How it works
This unit is almost entirely abstract nouns: dobrota, lenjost, poštenje, sebičnost, snalažljivost. English builds the same shelf with -ness, -ity and -ship; Serbian derives all of it from adjectives and verbs with four suffixes — and knowing the suffix lets you both read a new word and coin your own.
-ost — the commonest and the most reliable. Take an adjective and add -ost: sebičan → sebičnost — selfishness; tvrdoglav → tvrdoglavost; nemaran → nemarnost — negligence; snalažljiv → snalažljivost — resourcefulness; stabilan → stabilnost. The fleeting a drops out. All such words are feminine and decline like stvar: bez stabilnosti, sa stabilnošću.
-ota — older and prettier, but open to no newcomers. Dobar → dobrota — kindness; lep → lepota — beauty; topao → toplota — warmth; slep → slepota — blindness. No new words are coined with this suffix; the list is shut.
-stvo and -štvo — a property of a group, or an occupation. Društvo — society; prijateljstvo — friendship; bogatstvo — wealth; siromaštvo — poverty. The split from -ost is not always logical: bogatstvo is the property, and "bogatost" is simply not said.
-nje — from a verb, not from an adjective. Poštovati → poštovanje — respect; strpeti se → strpljenje — patience; sažaliti → sažaljenje — pity; verovati → poverenje — trust. Such nouns are neuter and name a state or a process, not a property.
And the reverse task, the one exams prefer. Recover the adjective from the noun: radoznalost → radoznao — curious; poštenje → pošten; lenjost → lenj; samokontrola → there is no adjective at all. The last case matters: not every abstract noun has a partner — and not every adjective has a noun.
Table
| the suffix | from what | the word | in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ost | sebičan | sebičnost | selfishness |
| -ost | tvrdoglav | tvrdoglavost | stubbornness |
| -ost | nemaran | nemarnost | negligence |
| -ota | dobar | dobrota | kindness |
| -ota | lep | lepota | beauty |
| -stvo | bogat | bogatstvo | wealth |
| -nje | strpeti se | strpljenje | patience |
| -nje | verovati | poverenje | trust |
By example
- Његова доброта и поштење свима су познатиNjegova dobrota i poštenje svima su poznatiHis kindness and honesty are known to everyone
- Тврдоглавост без стрпљења не води никудаTvrdoglavost bez strpljenja ne vodi nikudaStubbornness without patience gets you nowhere
- Ценим сналажљивост више од дипломеCenim snalažljivost više od diplomeI value resourcefulness more than a diploma
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
Dobrota, lenjost, poštenje: how does it work in Serbian?
This unit is almost entirely abstract nouns: dobrota, lenjost, poštenje, sebičnost, snalažljivost. English builds the same shelf with -ness, -ity and -ship; Serbian derives all of it from adjectives and verbs with four suffixes — and knowing the suffix lets you both read a new word and coin your…
What does it look like in an example sentence Serbian?
“Његова доброта и поштење свима су познати” (Njegova dobrota i poštenje svima su poznati) — His kindness and honesty are known to everyone. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.