Home and things in Serbian
193 words Serbian words on the topic “home and things”: кућа — house, покварен — broken, смештај — accommodation, соба — room. 193 words can be played from recordings.
193 words on the topic
- кућаkućahouseWatch the spelling — it is "house", nothing to do with cooking. An apartment is stan, its own little trap.
- покваренpokvarenbrokenBroken down and spoiled alike: pokvaren lift, but also pokvareno meso — "spoiled meat".
- смештајsmeštajaccommodationLodging in general. An apartment is stan, a house is kuća; smeštaj is the word in the ads.
- собаsobaroomA one-room apartment is jednosoban stan; a two-room one, dvosoban — the room count lives in the adjective.
- кухињаkuhinjakitchenA soft nja at the end: ku-hi-nja, not "kuhinia".
- купатилоkupatilobathroomFrom kupati se, "to bathe". A separate toilet room is toalet or, colloquially, ve-ce.
- балконbalkonbalconyJust like the English word. A glazed loggia is also called balkon — no separate word.
- спратspratfloor (of a building)A counting trap: the ground level is prizemlje, and prvi sprat — the "first floor" — is what English calls the second.
- лифтliftelevatorThe word is familiar; the phrase is new: lift ne radi — "the elevator is out of order".
- степеницеstepenicestairsAlways plural, from stepen, "a step". Idem stepenicama — "I am going by the stairs".
- стоstotableA double agent: sto is both "table" and the number one hundred. Context, as always, picks the meaning.
- столицаstolicachairThe headline trap of the unit: stolica is a chair. The capital of a country is prestonica or glavni grad.
- креветkrevetbedA Turkish word. The bed linen is posteljina.
- орманormanwardrobeTurkish too. A built-in closet is plakar.
- прозорprozorwindowFrom the seeing-root — literally "the thing you see through". A cousin of English "transparent" territory.
- вратаvratadoorPlural only and neuter: vrata su zatvorena — "the door is closed", with a plural verb.
- кључključkeyLike English: the key to a door and the wrench. Ključ od stana — the key to the apartment.
- лампаlampalampThe light bulb is sijalica, from sijati, "to shine" — a smaller word for a smaller thing.
- топла водаtopla vodahot waterToplo covers both warm and hot for the Serbs. Scalding water is vrela voda.
- струјаstrujaelectricityLiterally "a current, a stream". Nema struje — "the power is out" — a phrase you will hear sooner than many.
- смећеsmećetrashA soft ć in the middle: sme-će.
- чишћењеčišćenjecleaningŠć is a soft "sh-ch" blend and nje a soft "nye": či-šće-nje.
- прање вешаpranje vešalaundryVeš is the linen; prati means both to wash and to do the laundry. The machine is veš-mašina.
- посуђеposuđedishesđ is a soft "dj": po-su-đe.
- пешкирpeškirtowelTurkish. Bath, kitchen or beach — one word for all of them.
- сапунsapunsoapFrom Latin sapo — the same source as the shampoo next to it on the shelf.
- комшијаkomšijaneighborMasculine despite the -a ending, and it declines like a feminine noun. The neighbor woman is komšinica.
- газда станаgazda stanalandlordGazda — the owner, the boss; stan — the apartment. You address him as gospodine, "sir".
- киријаkirijarentThe payment for housing: plaćam kiriju — "I pay the rent". Renting an apartment is iznajmiti stan.
- депозитdepozitdepositUsually one month of rent paid ahead. The second name for it is kavcija.
- рачун за режијеračun za režijeutility billRežije is the utilities as a whole: electricity, water, heating.
- поправкаpopravkarepairFixing what broke. Renovating a whole apartment is renoviranje — a different scale, a different word.
- бучноbučnonoisilyFrom buka, "noise". Komšije su bučne — "the neighbors are noisy" — a sentence for every city.
- не радиne radidoes not workRaditi is both "to work" and "to do" — and it works for appliances too: bojler ne radi — "the boiler is out".
- покварило сеpokvarilo seit brokePast tense with se, and the helper je vanishes here: not "pokvarilo se je" but simply pokvarilo se.
- цуриcuriit leaksFrom curiti. The tap leaks and so does a nose: curi mi nos — "my nose is running".
- позовите мајстораpozovite majstoracall a repairmanMajstor is anyone with tools: a plumber, an electrician, a furniture man.
- када ћете доћи?kada ćete doći?when will you come?The future through ću/ćeš/će: ćete doći — "you will come". The will-word is glued into one form.
- не могу да отворимne mogu da otvorimI cannot open itThe usual mogu da instead of an infinitive: ne mogu da otvorim vrata — literally "I cannot that I open the door".
- светлостsvetlostlightA trap: svet alone means "the world", not light. Light is svetlost, and a lamp is turned on with upali svetlo.
- грејатиgrejatito heatPresent: grejem, greješ, greje. Heating is grejanje, and its bill arrives with the utilities. Warming food up is podgrejati.
- баштаbaštagardenA Turkish word: the garden, the vegetable patch and the cafe terrace in the yard. The orchard is vocnjak.
- фрижидерfrižiderfridgeA French word. The freezer is zamrzivac.
- кровkrova roofKrov nad glavom, a roof over your head, is the same image in Serbian as in English.
- зидzida wallFrom zidati, to build. Serbian stena is a cliff, a false friend.
- спаваћа собаspavaća sobaa bedroomSpavaci is sleeping: spavaca kola, a sleeper train, works the same way.
- двориштеdvorištea yardA trap: dvor in Serbian is a royal court. The yard by the house is dvoriste.
- плафонplafonthe ceilingA French word. The native tavanica exists, but in an apartment people say plafon.
- капијаkapijaa gateA Turkish word, singular only: jedna kapija. Football goals are gol.
- оградаogradaa fenceFrom ograditi. Both the fence and the railing on a balcony.
- гаражаgaražaa garageFeminine in Serbian: nasa garaza.
- поштанско сандучеpoštansko sandučea mailboxSanduk is a chest, sanduce a little box. The che diminutive is always neuter.
- подрумpodruma cellarA Greek word. Every Serb knows the podrum: that is where the rakija lives.
- прати судовеprati sudoveto do the dishesSudovi are plates and pots together; posudje is the same dishes in one word.
- местиmestito sweepThe present tense is off pattern: metem, metes, mete.
- прати вешprati vešto launderThe same verb prati as with dishes: Serbs wash everything. Ves is laundry, from German Wasche.
- пеглатиpeglatito press the clothesOnly about the iron. Stroking a cat is maziti, and mixing these two verbs up is funny.
- спремити вечеруspremiti večeruto cook dinnerSpremiti prepares anything; spremati stan means to clean the apartment, the same verb.
- избацити смећеizbaciti smećeto take out the trashLiterally to throw out the trash: baciti is to throw. Izneti would sound odd here.
- усисивачusisivača vacuum cleanerFrom usisati, to suck in. There is no dust in the word at all.
- четкаčetkaa brushThe toothbrush is cetkica za zube, with a diminutive suffix.
- кантаkantaa bucketKanta za smece, the trash can, is the most common pairing.
- пеглаpeglaan ironThe partner of peglati: first the pegla, then the action.
- помагатиpomagatito helpThe perfective is pomoci, and pomoc from unit nine is the cry for help.
- затвори вратаzatvori vrataclose the doorVrata is plural only. Zatvorena vrata is a closed door.
- отвори прозорotvori prozoropen the windowThe imperative of otvoriti. Politer: otvorite, molim vas.
- додај миdodaj mipass meDodati means both to add and to hand over. At the table you ask: dodaj mi so, pass the salt.
- тише, молим теtiše, molim tequiet, pleaseTih is quiet, tise its comparative. Stricter: bidi tisa, be quiet.
- изнајмити станiznajmiti stanto rent an apartmentThe trap of the whole topic: iznajmiti means both to rent and to rent out. To be understood, add od, rent from someone.
- издати станizdati stanto rent out an apartmentThis is the word that shows the direction: izdajem stan, I rent out; iznajmljujem stan, I rent. A second meaning of izdati is to betray.
- уговор о закупуugovor o zakupua lease agreementZakup is the legal word for renting, kirija the everyday one. The contract has the first, the conversation the second.
- станаринаstanarinathe rentFrom stan, an apartment: money for the apartment. Kirija from unit six means the same, only wider, payment for any rented housing.
- рок закупаrok zakupathe lease termThe same rok as rok placanja and rok za predaju. To extend: produzhiti rok; to terminate: raskinuti ugovor.
- агент за некретнинеagent za nekretninea real estate agentNekretnina is literally the immovable, what cannot be moved. The agent fee is provizija, as at a bank.
- обилазак станаobilazak stanaan apartment viewingFrom obici, to go around: the apartment is not looked at but walked around. Pregled will not do, that is a border check or a medical exam.
- намештен станnamešten stana furnished apartmentFrom namestaj, furniture. Ads list three degrees: namesten, polunamesten and prazan, empty.
- уселити сеuseliti seto move inWith se, always: without it useliti means to move someone else in. Past: uselio sam se.
- иселити сеiseliti seto move outThe pair of useliti se: the prefix is- instead of u-, as iskljuciti against ukljuciti. Iseliti without se is to evict.
- селидбаselidbathe move (relocation)From seliti, of the same root as selo and the Slavic word for resettlement. The haulers firm is called selidbe.
- селити сеseliti seto relocateNo prefix like move-away: Serbs simply settle elsewhere. Doseliti se is to come to live, odseliti se to leave for good.
- носачnosača porterFrom nositi, to carry: the one who carries. The same word names a station porter and the roof rack of a car.
- спаковатиspakovatito pack upFrom paket, the parcel from unit sixteen. Spakovati kofer means to pack a suitcase, and that is its most common use.
- распаковатиraspakovatito unpackThe prefix ras- takes apart what s- assembled: spakovati gives raspakovati, as sastaviti gives rastaviti.
- нова адресаnova adresaa new addressAdresa is feminine, as in English. To change it officially, prijaviti prebivaliste at the police.
- превоз ствариprevoz stvarithe transport of belongingsStvar is a thing, feminine, plural stvari. A trap: stvarno, of the same root, means really.
- удомаћити сеudomaćiti seto settle inThe soft ch in the middle: u-do-ma-chi-ti. You can hear dom inside.
- навикнути се на ново местоnaviknuti se na novo mestoto get used to the new placeThe preposition is na, not to: Serbs get used onto something. Navika is a habit; naviknut sam na means I am used to.
- намештајnameštajfurnitureFrom namestiti, to arrange. Singular in Serbian: namestaj je star, not stari.
- каучkauča couchStraight from the English couch. Divan also exists but sounds old-fashioned; a three-seater is a trosed.
- фотељаfoteljaan armchairThe lj in the middle is the soft ly: fo-te-lja, stress on te.
- полицаpolicaa shelfDo not mix with polisa, the insurance policy from unit twenty-one: one letter apart. A bookshelf is polica za knjige.
- тепихtepiha carpetA Turkish loanword, like many household words: jastuk, jorgan, sat. A koverat is an envelope, not a carpet.
- огледалоogledaloa mirrorFrom gledati, to look: the thing you look into. Ogledati se means to look at yourself.
- завесаzavesaa curtainFrom zavesiti, to hang over. Do not mix with zavoj, the bandage from unit twenty-two; sheer curtains are zavesa, heavy ones draperija.
- јастукjastuka pillowAnother Turkish word, like jorgan. A throw pillow is also a jastuk; the pillowcase is jastucnica.
- јорганjorgana blanketA quilted one; a thin throw is cebe. There is a saying: pruzi se koliko ti je jorgan dug, stretch as far as your blanket goes.
- лустерlustera chandelierMasculine: novi luster. The bulb in it is sijalica; a desk lamp is lampa.
- фарбаfarbapaintFrom the German Farbe. Boja also means paint, but first of all color, as in unit twelve.
- фарбати зидовеfarbati zidoveto paint the wallsZid, the wall, from unit nineteen, plural zidovi. Whitewashing the ceiling is kreciti plafon, a different verb.
- тапетеtapetewallpaperAlways plural. The wallpaper on a phone screen is called the same, tapeta.
- плочицеpločicetileA diminutive of ploca, a slab; always plural. The same word names pills in a blister.
- одвијачodvijača screwdriverFrom odviti, to unscrew, literally an unscrewer. The same build as punjac, a charger.
- бушилицаbušilicaa drillFrom busiti, to bore. Kosilica, a lawnmower, and susilica, a dryer, work the same: the ilica suffix makes a machine out of a verb.
- цевceva pipeFeminine. The chimney on the roof is a different word, dimnjak; cev is the water pipe or a gun barrel.
- прегорела је сијалицаpregorela je sijalicathe bulb has burned outSijalica comes from sijati, to shine. Do not mix with lampa, the whole fixture; you screw a sijalicu into the chandelier.
- грејањеgrejanjeheatingThe nj at the end is the soft ny: gre-ja-nje.
- реновирати станrenovirati stanto renovate the apartmentA trap: popravka from unit six is fixing a broken thing; redoing the whole apartment is renoviranje or adaptacija.
- бројилоbrojiloa utility meterFrom brojati, to count; broj, a number, has the same root. In speech people say sat za struju, a clock for the electricity.
- стање бројилаstanje brojilameter readingsThe same stanje as stanje na racunu, the state of things. Taking readings is ocitati brojilo.
- рачун за водуračun za voduthe water billIn Belgrade water comes on one slip with the trash pickup, called infostan. The combined utilities bill you know as racun za rezije.
- рачун за струјуračun za strujuthe electricity billStruja is both electricity and a river current, literally what flows. An electrician is elektricar, an outlet uticnica.
- искључили су водуisključili su voduthe water was shut offAn impersonal they with no subject: Serbian does not say who exactly shut it off. The same verb iskljuciti that switches off the phone.
- контејнер за смећеkontejner za smećea dumpsterThe big street container is kontejner; the household bucket is kanta za smece from unit nineteen. The difference is size, not the word for trash.
- улаз у зградуulaz u zgraduthe stairwellThere is no separate word for it: people say ulaz, the entrance. Ulaz 2 on the plaque is the second stairwell.
- интерфонinterfonthe intercomNot domofon: a Serb will not understand that one. To ring it is zvonti na interfon.
- бука од комшијаbuka od komšijanoise from the neighborsBuka is noise; bucnio, noisy, from unit six has the same root. Quiet hours by law are kucni red, from three to five and after eleven.
- кућни редkućni redhouse rulesThe soft ch in kucni, as in kuca: ku-chni.
- рернаrernathe ovenSporet is the stove as a whole, rerna the oven inside it. Zagrejati rernu na dvesta stepeni, preheat to two hundred.
- микроталаснаmikrotalasnathe microwaveIn full mikrotalasna rerna, a micro-wave oven; talas is a wave. In speech the noun is dropped.
- рендеrendea graterNeuter: ovo rende. Rendati is to grate; izrendan sir is grated cheese.
- кутлачаkutlačaa ladleOnly about soup: sipaj kutlacu supe. An ordinary spoon is kasika, and a wooden spatula varjaca.
- поклопацpoklopaca lidFrom poklopiti, to cover. With poklon, a gift, it only shares the start. Fleeting a: poklopca.
- даска за сечењеdaska za sečenjea cutting boardDaska is a board in general, seci to cut. The name is assembled literally: a board for cutting.
- кецељаkeceljaan apronThe word looks like nothing else, it has to be learned on its own. The apron of the folk costume is called the same.
- столњакstolnjaka tableclothThe nj before ak: stol-njak.
- блендерblendera blenderSame word. The immersion kind is stapni blender, while mikser is the one with beaters.
- посуда за хрануposuda za hranua food containerKontejner in Serbian is only the street trash kind. The plastic box is posuda, or fondly kutija.
- чешаљčešalja combFrom cesljati, to comb. The brush for hair is separately cetka za kosu, and the fleeting a goes: ceslja.
- бријачbrijača razorFrom brijati se, to shave. The blade is zilet, after the brand, and the foam is pena za brijanje.
- шампонšamponshampooMasculine: ovaj sampon. The conditioner is regenerator.
- маказеmakazescissorsAlways plural, and the word is Turkish, resembling nothing else. The nail ones are makazice za nokte.
- иглаiglaa needleSame word, and it covers everything sharp and thin: a sewing needle, a medical one, the hand of a compass. Udeti konac u iglu is to thread it.
- конацkonaca threadAn everyday trap: konac is a thread, while the end is kraj. Dental floss is konac za zube; the fleeting a goes: konca.
- бацитиbacitito throw awayOne word for to throw and to throw away: baci loptu and baci to u kantu. Baciti pogled is to cast a glance.
- чуватиčuvatito keepThree jobs for one word: to keep a thing, to guard health and to babysit, cuvam unuke. Cuvaj se means take care.
- веш машинаveš mašinaa washing machineVes is the laundry, hence the name. In full masina za pranje vesa, but people say that only in a store.
- машина за судовеmašina za sudovea dishwasherSudovi is the dishes, the plural of sud. The same sud means a court and a vessel, so context decides everything.
- замрзивачzamrzivača freezerFrom zamrznuti, to freeze. Frizider is the fridge, and a zamrzivac can also stand as a separate chest in the cellar.
- вентилаторventilatora fanSame word. The air conditioner is klima, feminine: klima ne radi.
- грејалицаgrejalicaa heaterFrom grejati, to warm, like grejanje. The oil one is uljana grejalica.
- фенfena hair dryerSame word, of German origin. Fenirati kosu is to blow-dry and style the hair.
- продужни каблprodužni kablan extension cordProduziti is to lengthen, kabl a cable. The splitter is razdelnik or simply produzhni.
- прекидачprekidača switchFrom prekinuti, to interrupt: the switch interrupts the current. The same word stands in prekinuti kontakt from unit thirty-one.
- шрафšrafa screwColloquial, from the German Schraube; the price tag in a store will say zavrtanj or vijak. Srafciger is the screwdriver.
- француски кључfrancuski ključa wrenchLiterally a French key: the kind with opening jaws. The set of sized keys is viljuskasti kljucevi.
- клештаkleštapliersAlways plural, neuter: ova klista. Wire cutters are sekac, and the doctors forceps are the same klista.
- изолир тракаizolir trakainsulating tapeTraka is a tape, on a gift or on the road, a lane. The English word is shorter: Serbian always says two.
- лепакlepakglueFrom lepiti, to glue. The root with lepo, nice, is different though they look alike: lepak sticks, lepo pleases.
- селотејпselotejpadhesive tapeAfter the Sellotape brand, the way English tape came from Scotch. Officially lepljiva traka.
- конопацkonopaca ropeDo not mix with konac, the thread from unit thirty-three: there the thin one, here the thick one. Uze is a hawser, vrpca a ribbon.
- залепитиzalepitito glue onThe prefix za- finishes the action off. Odlepiti is to unglue; zalepiti se is to stick to something.
- зашрафитиzašrafitito screw inFrom sraf: to screw in, specifically a screw. Odsrafiti is to unscrew; stegnuti is to tighten harder.
- измеритиizmeritito measureMeriti measures length, weighs, and takes a temperature alike. Metar is both the meter and the masters tape.
- све поправљам самsve popravljam samto fix things myselfSam here means without a master, by my own forces; Serbian does not mention hands. The master nobody calls is majstor.
- тушtuša showerFrom the French douche. To take one is istusirati se; the shower stall is tus kabina.
- будилникbudilnikan alarm clockFrom buditi, to wake. To set one is naviti budilnik, though there is nothing to wind anymore.
- термометарtermometara thermometerFleeting a: termometar, but termometra.
- тостерtostera toasterThe machine for bread. The toasted slice is tost, while a toast at the table is zdravica, a different thing.
- шиваћа машинаšivaća mašinaa sewing machineFrom siti, to sew. The suffix aci makes an adjective of purpose: sivaca masina, pisaci sto.
- темељtemelja foundationThe lj at the end is one soft sound: te-me-lj.
- завршни радовиzavršni radovithe finishing workLiterally the concluding works. There is no separate word; about a surface people say obrada, about an apartment renovation uredjenje.
- спуститиspustitito lowerWith se it means "to go down yourself". One little particle, a different role.
- померитиpomeritito shiftDo not let the look suggest "to measure" — measuring is meriti. This one only nudges things.
- испуститиispustitito drop (accidentally)From pustiti, "to let go". To drop something is to let it slip out of your hands.
- подићиpodićito pick up from the floorPresent: podignem. The same verb lifts money from an ATM: podići novac — "withdraw cash".
- окачитиokačitito hang upFrom kuka, "a hook". The same verb ends a phone call: okačiti slušalicu — "hang up the receiver".
- скинутиskinutito take down (from a shelf)Three jobs: take down from a shelf, take off an item of clothing, download a file. One verb, three errands.
- сложитиsložitito foldWith se it means "to agree": slažem se — "I agree". Two distant meanings, one word.
- разложитиrazložitito spread outThe partner of složiti through the raz- prefix. About a map, people more often say raširiti.
- одмотатиodmotatito unwrapThe partner of umotati: the od- prefix unwinds what the u- wound up.
- пустити унутраpustiti unutrato let inPustiti is a heavily loaded verb: let go, release, put on music.
- пустити напољеpustiti napoljeto let outThe partner of pustiti unutra. Napolje — "outward"; napolju — "outside": two different words.
- отворитиotvoritito openPerfective; the imperfective partner is otvarati. A pair to learn whole, both sides together.
- затворитиzatvoritito closeImperfective: zatvarati. The same root gives zatvor — the prison — Serbian keeping the "shut away" idea honest.
- закључатиzaključatito lockBuilt on kljuc, the "key" word — literally "to key something in". Its own verb, no preposition gymnastics.
- откључатиotključatito unlockThe partner of zakljucati. The same word does "to unlock" a phone screen.
- упалити светлоupaliti svetloto turn on the lightFrom paliti, "to burn": Serbian lights the light rather than switching it. Fire language for electricity.
- угасити светлоugasiti svetloto turn off the lightFrom gasiti, "to extinguish" — the partner of upaliti. Lights, fires and engines are all quenched the same way.
- окренути квакуokrenuti kvakuto turn the handleKvaka is the door handle. The same word means "the catch, the trick": u cemu je kvaka? — "what is the catch?"
- куцатиkucatito knockThree jobs: knock on a door, type on a keyboard, and — about a heart — to beat. One verb, three errands.
- звонити на вратаzvoniti na vratato ring the doorbellZvono is a bell. Serbian keeps knocking and ringing apart — the ear decides which one the visitor used.
- прагpragthresholdThe step under the door, and — figuratively — "on the threshold of" something new, just like English.
- квакаkvakadoor handleThe door kind only. A bag handle is drska; a pen, oddly, is olovka — "the little lead thing".
- браваbravadoor lockIt looks like "bravo" but locks doors. A castle, the other kind of lock, is zamak.
- звонце на вратимаzvonce na vratimadoorbellZvono is a big bell, so the door one takes the diminutive zvonce. Vrata, the door, is always plural.
- прозорска даскаprozorska daskawindowsillLiterally "the window board", from prozor. In the locative the k softens to c: na dasci.
- фирангаfirangacurtainA German loanword for the light curtain; the heavy one is zavesa.
- ноћна лампаnoćna lampanight lightNocna comes from noc with the soft acute. Even the humble night light needs two words.
- лавабоlavabosinkAn Italian loanword, and it belongs to the bathroom. The kitchen sink is sudopera; a seashell is skoljka.
- када за купањеkada za kupanjebathtubOne-word kada is a trap: it also means "when". In the bathroom no one gets confused.
- клозетска шољаklozetska šoljatoiletSolja is really a cup — here, the bowl of the toilet. The room itself is kupatilo.
- цревоcrevohoseA look-alike warning: the same word means "intestine". The garden one gets the adjective: bastensko crevo.
- кућиkućihomeA frozen case form of kuća that needs no preposition: direction — idem kući; the place "at home" is kod kuće.
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- Њихова кућа има велику баштуNjihova kuća ima veliku baštuTheir house has a big garden
- Лифт је покварен од јучеLift je pokvaren od jučeThe elevator has been broken since yesterday
- Тражим смештај близу центраTražim smeštaj blizu centraI am looking for accommodation near the center
- Стан има две собеStan ima dve sobeThe apartment has two rooms
- Кухиња је мала али светлаKuhinja je mala ali svetlaThe kitchen is small but bright
- Купатило је мало али чистоKupatilo je malo ali čistoThe bathroom is small but clean
What is worth knowing about these words
кућа (kuća) — house. Watch the spelling — it is "house", nothing to do with cooking. An apartment is stan, its own little trap.
покварен (pokvaren) — broken. Broken down and spoiled alike: pokvaren lift, but also pokvareno meso — "spoiled meat".
смештај (smeštaj) — accommodation. Lodging in general. An apartment is stan, a house is kuća; smeštaj is the word in the ads.
соба (soba) — room. A one-room apartment is jednosoban stan; a two-room one, dvosoban — the room count lives in the adjective.
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is кућа (kuća) — house.
- What is this word?
It is спрат (sprat) — floor (of a building).
- What is this word?
It is прозор (prozor) — window.
- What is this word?
It is чишћење (čišćenje) — cleaning.
- What is this word?
It is кирија (kirija) — rent.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “house” in Serbian?
Watch the spelling — it is "house", nothing to do with cooking. An apartment is stan, its own little trap.
- How do you say “floor (of a building)” in Serbian?
A counting trap: the ground level is prizemlje, and prvi sprat — the "first floor" — is what English calls the second.
- How do you say “window” in Serbian?
From the seeing-root — literally "the thing you see through". A cousin of English "transparent" territory.
- How do you say “cleaning” in Serbian?
From čistiti, "to clean". The act of tidying up is spremati or čistiti.
- How do you say “rent” in Serbian?
The payment for housing: plaćam kiriju — "I pay the rent". Renting an apartment is iznajmiti stan.
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Room, key, water, electricity. You will need them on your first day in a rented flat.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “house” in Serbian?
«кућа», read “kuća”. Watch the spelling — it is "house", nothing to do with cooking. An apartment is stan, its own little trap. It is one of 193 words in the set “home and things” — the rest are in the table above.
How many household words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 193 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.
Is there audio?
Yes, 193 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.