Serbian phrasebook
A Serbian phrasebook arranged by situation, not alphabetically: introductions, cafés, directions. Each has both sides' lines, so you understand not only what to say but what you will be told back.
Conversations by situation
- 💬Getting acquaintedA chat in the courtyard
- 💬At the caféAn order at a Belgrade café
- 💬How to get thereLooking for the train station
- 💬At the green marketSaturday, a vegetable and fruit stall
- 💬Calling a repairmanA call to a repairman: no hot water in the apartment
- 💬At the pharmacyA pharmacy on the corner, a cold for the third day
- 💬Weather and plansTwo people arranging their weekend
- 💬Talking about workA conversation between two neighbors in the courtyard
- 💬At the airportThe check-in desk, the flight is in two hours
- 💬We're renting a boatA small port, a fisherman rents out boats
- 💬At the shoe storeA store downtown, a customer is looking for boots
- 💬Sorry I'm lateTwo people agreed to meet at a café; one arrived half an hour late
- 💬At the restaurantEvening, a table for two, the waiter takes the order
- 💬The Wi-Fi passwordA café downtown, a guest asks for internet and a charger
- 💬Where is the museum?A street downtown, a tourist asks a passerby for directions
- 💬We run in the morningA park on Ada, two people arrange a jog
- 💬A wedding invitationTwo colleagues discuss a wedding invitation
- 💬How old are they?Neighbors' first conversation in the courtyard, children playing nearby
- 💬I got into universityA student dorm cafeteria, a freshman questions an older student
- 💬A five-year loanA bank branch, a customer questions a clerk about a loan
- 💬I think I've caught the fluA therapist's office, a patient describes symptoms
- 💬Tell us something about yourselfA job interview at a company, a candidate and an HR officer
- 💬We're moving on SaturdayA phone call with a moving company
- 💬We rented a car for a weekA car rental desk at the airport, a customer and a clerk
- 💬What should we watch tonight?A living room, two people in front of the TV with a remote
- 💬Registering residence at the counterA police station for foreigners, the document intake window
- 💬You have a chance, don't miss itA café, a friend talks his friend out of hastily refusing an offer
- 💬Though it's pricier, it's worth itTwo neighbors discuss whether to buy a car or make do with rentals
- 💬What's the new colleague like?Two colleagues discuss the new employee during a break
- 💬I didn't mean to offend youTwo friends make up after a quarrel, a phone conversation
- 💬What are we cooking for lunch?The kitchen, two people cook lunch and check the recipe
- 💬I'm returning the shoesA shoe store, a customer returns a pair
- 💬The phone won't chargeA service center, an intake clerk and a customer
- 💬Shall we go to the mountains?Two people check the forecast and pick a day for a mountain trip
- 💬How do I get to the square?A newcomer asks a passerby the way to the square
- 💬I want to enroll in a courseA call to a language school: signing up for a Serbian course
- 💬Let's move the meetingA phone call: rescheduling an arranged meeting
- 💬Sorry? I didn't hear youA bad connection: a call about a rental ad for an apartment
- 💬A job interviewAn interview at a small company: past work and skills
- 💬The order that's lateA call to an online store: the order didn't arrive on time
- 💬A cleanup in the neighborhoodNeighbors arrange to pool money and clean up the riverbank
- 💬Tickets for the playAt the theater box office: choosing seats for the premiere
- 💬I'm signing up at the gymAt the gym front desk: membership, a trainer and the rules
- 💬The device repair shopAt the workshop: the projector overheats and the flash drive won't read
- 💬My back hurtsAt the pharmacy: a sore back after the move, something over the counter is needed
- 💬An invitation to the slavaA neighbor invites them to his slava, and the guest finds out what one is supposed to bring
- 💬An argument at the meetingA work meeting: two people argue over a client's proposal and raise their voices
- 💬Advice about the moveA friend advises how not to lose a weekend to moving
- 💬Choosing the materialAt the building supply store: picking a surface for a worktop
- 💬Where exactly is it?On the phone: explaining how to find a house on the edge of the settlement
- 💬How much do we need?At home: counting the material for renovating a room
- 💬The job that ran longAt the office: why the work dragged on and what to do next
- 💬Checking out a rumorA conversation between two colleagues: a rumor about a workshop closing
- 💬How it used to beA grandson questions his grandmother about life in her youth
- 💬Sorting wasteA residents' meeting: separate waste collection in the courtyard
- 💬Receiving goods at the warehouseAt the warehouse: accepting a batch with a defect
- 💬What happened on the roadTwo friends: an account of an incident on the road
- 💬The neighbor who bragsTwo neighbors talk about a third neighbor
Phrases that always rescue you
These are learned first not for politeness. They bring back a conversation that has already gone wrong — which makes them more useful than any list of nouns.
- хвалаhvalathank you
- молимmolimplease (for requests)
- како сте?kako ste?how are you (formal)?
- виviyou (formal or plural)
- извинитеizviniteexcuse me
- не разумемne razumemI do not understand
- полакоpolakoslowly
- поновите, молимponovite, molimrepeat, please
- говорите ли енглески?govorite li engleski?do you speak English?
- помоћ!pomoć!help!
- изгубио сам сеizgubio sam seI am lost
- не радиne radidoes not work
Frequently asked
Which Serbian phrases to learn first?
“Hello”, “thank you”, “sorry”, “I don't understand”, “repeat, please”. The first three open a conversation; the last two save it.
Is a phrasebook enough without grammar?
For a short trip — yes. For living in the country — no: memorized phrases do not assemble into new ones, and the other person does not follow your script.