Food and drink in Serbian
188 words Serbian words on the topic “food and drink”: кафа — coffee, чај — tea, вода — water, хлеб — bread. 188 words can be played from recordings.
188 words on the topic
- кафаkafacoffeeFeminine — jedna kafa. Domaca kafa is the kind boiled in a small pot, Turkish-style; ordering just kafa gets you exactly that.
- чајčajteaHerbal by default: order caj in Serbia and you will likely get chamomile or mint. Black tea must be asked for: crni caj — "black tea".
- водаvodawaterStress on the first syllable. The menu trap: kisela voda is not sour — it is sparkling mineral water.
- хлебhlebbreadIn Croatia and Bosnia the same loaf is kruh. At the bakery specify the color: beli — white, or crni — dark.
- сирsircheeseSpelled and pronounced almost as simply as it looks — one of the friendliest words in the course. Beli sir is the soft white kind.
- месоmesomeatFirst-syllable stress: ME-so. Beef is junetina, pork svinjetina, lamb jagnjetina — the animal plus -etina.
- рибаribafishOn the menu it is always fish. In street talk riba can also mean "a girl" — mildly rude, often heard, never formal.
- салатаsalatasaladSrpska salata is tomatoes and onions; sopska adds white cheese on top. The word also means the lettuce plant itself.
- супаsupasoupA clear broth. A thick, roux-based soup is corba — on the menu they are two different lines, so order the right one.
- соsosaltOne short syllable and masculine: so, soli. Posoli — "add salt" — is the verb you will meet at the stove.
- воћеvoćefruitA false friend to guard: it is "fruit", not "vegetables". Vegetables are povrce — the two words even rhyme a little.
- јабукаjabukaappleStress up front: JA-buka. The tree is jabukovo drvo, apple juice is sok od jabuke — "juice of apple".
- поморанџаpomorandžaorangedz is a hard "j" as in "jam" — a rare letter, but here it sounds loud and clear: po-mo-RAN-dza.
- парадајзparadajztomatoFrom German Paradiesapfel — "paradise apple". The same romantic botany that gave English the old name "love apple".
- укусноukusnotastyFrom ukus, "taste": ukus + no. Say it to the cook and you have made a friend: jako je ukusno!
- јестиjestito eatAbout food only. "There is" in the sense of "exists" is a different word entirely — ima.
- питиpitito drinkThe present grows a j: pijem, piješ, pije. Popiti is "to drink up" — finish the glass.
- свежsvežfreshGenders: sveža, sveže. About weather, sveže has drifted to mean "cool, chilly".
- зреоzreoripeTwo syllables: zre-o. In the feminine the l returns: zrela.
- доручакdoručakbreakfastAlready met whole in doručak je uključen — "breakfast included". To breakfast is doručkovati.
- ручакručaklunchThe main meal of the day, usually after two. To lunch is ručati. The same root hides inside doručak.
- вечераvečerasupperFrom veče, "evening"; the verb is večerati. The course met it in spremiti večeru — "to make supper".
- жвакатиžvakatito chewIn the conjugation the k slips into ć: žvaćem, žvaći. From it: žvaka — "chewing gum".
- гутатиgutatito swallowSwallow in one go is progutati; one swallow is gutljaj.
- апетитapetitappetiteThe word exists, but nobody wishes it: "bon appetit" in Serbian is simply Prijatno!
- комадkomadpieceBoth a piece and a unit: tri komada at the market — "three pieces". A slice of cake gets its own word, parče.
- мирисmirissmellA pleasant or neutral smell; the stink is smrad. The verb mirisati means "to smell of".
- уљеuljeoilThe lje is one soft sound: u-lje.
- кромпирkrompirpotatoFrom the German Grundbirne, "ground pear". French fries are pomfrit.
- брашноbrašnoflourA two-way look-alike: brasno is flour, while the Serbian muka is nausea — muka mi je.
- медmedhoneyNo soft vowel, pure and simple: med. Medenjak is the honey cake.
- орасиorasiwalnutsThe singular orah is the walnut; in the plural the h turns into an s.
- лукlukonionSpelled exactly as it looks: the bulb onion, more precisely crni luk. The green one is mladi luk.
- шаргарепаšargarepacarrotFour syllables: shar-ga-re-pa.
- биберbiberpepperThe milled kind. The vegetable is paprika — a completely different word.
- пасуљpasuljbeansThe same word names the national dish — a thick bean stew.
- зачиниzačinispicesFrom zaciniti, "to season". The singular is zacin.
- куватиkuvatito cookCooking in general and boiling alike. The cook — kuvar — was met in unit nine.
- пратиpratito washA trap: prati washes dishes and laundry alike, while pratiti — with an i — is "to follow, to accompany".
- ножnožknifeExactly the word you expect. The plural inserts -ev-: nozevi.
- скуватиskuvatito boilThe perfective of kuvati: skuvaj jaja — "boil the eggs".
- пржитиpržitito fryA syllabic r: pr-zi-ti.
- пећиpećito bakeThe nest: pec — the stove, pecina — the cave, peci — to bake. One root, three words.
- сећиsećito cutThe present is unexpected: secem, seces, sece — learn it as a block.
- шерпаšerpapotFrom the German. Lonac is also a pot — clay and deep.
- тигањtiganjfrying panA soft nj at the end: ti-ganj.
- шпоретšporetstoveFrom the German Sparherd. The oven inside it is rerna — a separate word.
- тањирtanjirplateA soft nj in the middle: ta-njir.
- шољаšoljacupA look-alike: solja is the cup — and, in the bathroom register, the toilet. Context always rescues.
- чашаčašatumblerA pair trap: casa is the tumbler and the stemmed glass alike; the teacup is solja.
- кашикаkašikaspoonA Turkish word. The teaspoon is kasicica — a double diminutive.
- виљушкаviljuškaforkFrom vile, "the pitchfork", with a diminutive suffix — a little pitchfork for your plate.
- флашаflašabottleFrom the German Flasche. Boca says the same, a touch bookier.
- салветаsalvetanapkinNo f in the middle: salveta, not "salfeta".
- чајникčajnikteapotThe brewing kind. The electric kettle is usually kuvalo za vodu — "the water boiler".
- послужавникposlužavniktrayFrom posluziti, "to serve". The small tray is tacna.
- врућvrućhotThe adverb vruche from unit eight was about weather; this is the adjective: vrucha supa — "hot soup".
- хладанhladancold (adjective)Fleeting a: hladan, but hladna, hladno.
- гладанgladanhungryFleeting a: gladan, but gladna.
- укусukustasteThe root of ukusno from unit three. It also covers taste in style: ima ukusa — "he has taste".
- сланslansalty (of food)From so, "salt". Careful: slana as a standalone noun is hoarfrost on the window.
- кисеоkiseosourThree syllables: ki-se-o. Feminine kisela.
- горакgorakbitterFleeting a: gorak, but gorka, gorko.
- љутljutspicyThe trap: ljut is both hot on the tongue and angry at the world. Ljuta paprika and ljut covek.
- ситsitsatedA short everyday word: sit sam, hvala — "I am full, thanks".
- кушатиkušatito tasteTasting with the tongue. Trying on clothes is probati — a different verb.
- јеловникjelovnikmenuFrom jelo, "a dish". People will understand "meni", but the cafe brings the jelovnik.
- конобарkonobarwaiterFrom konoba, "a tavern". The waitress is konobarica.
- поруџбинаporudžbinaorderThe dz is the hard "j" of "jam": po-ru-dz-bi-na.
- наручитиnaručitito orderIn a restaurant you naruciti; poruciti is ordering with delivery.
- јелоjelodishFrom jesti, "to eat". Glavno jelo — "the main course".
- порцијаporcijaportionExactly the word you expect. Pola porcije — "half a portion".
- сто за двојеsto za dvojetable for twoDvoje is for a mixed pair; dvojica is two men. The table itself needs no shrinking.
- десертdesertdessertExactly the word you expect. Kolac — the pastry — lives in this section.
- без месаbez mesameatlessBez demands the genitive: bez mesa, bez secera, bez leda.
- тортаtortaa cakeFeminine: jedna torta, parce torte means a slice of cake.
- тестенинаtesteninapastaFrom testo, dough. Testenina is pasta of all shapes at once, while makarone is only the tubes. Menus also write pasta.
- јогуртjogurtyogurtIn Serbia jogurt is the liquid sour drink in a bottle, drunk with burek. The thick one with fruit is sold as vocni jogurt.
- слатка павлакаslatka pavlakacreamThe key word is slatka, sweet: kisela pavlaka is already sour cream. Recipes write slatka pavlaka za kuvanje.
- сладоледsladoledice creamBuilt from slad and led, sweet ice, and it parses by ear on its own. A scoop is kugla sladoleda.
- чоколадаčokoladachocolateFeminine: crna cokolada, mlecna cokolada. A bar is tabla cokolade.
- кексkekscookiesHalf a false friend: keks is a cookie, while the English-style cake is kolac. Home baking is often called sitni kolaci.
- јунетинаjunetinabeefAt the butcher beef is sold as junetina, the meat of a young bull. Govedina is also a word but means the meat of an adult cow and sounds worse.
- јагњетинаjagnjetinalambThe nj inside the word is the soft ny: jagn-nye-ti-na.
- шкампиškampiprawnsAlways plural, masculine. Small shrimp on the coast are kozice, from koza, but the animal has nothing to do with it.
- грожђеgrožđegrapesThe zh plus dj together, a rare spot: gro-zhdje, the dj is soft.
- краставацkrastavaca cucumberFleeting a: krastavac, but krastavca, krastavci. Pickled ones are kiseli krastavcici.
- купусkupuscabbageKiseli kupus is sauerkraut, and its leaves wrap the sarma. With kupovina, a purchase, the root only sounds alike.
- бели лукbeli lukgarlicLiterally white onion. A plain luk is the onion; the full name of the onion is crni luk. A clove is cecen belog luka.
- бундеваbundevaa pumpkinHence bundevara, a pumpkin pie, autumn baking. The seeds are kostice bundeve.
- плави патлиџанplavi patlidžanan eggplantThe dz is a firm j: pat-li-dzhan.
- лимунlimuna lemonWith u instead of o, unlike the familiar spelling. Limunada is lemonade, kora od limuna the zest.
- лубеницаlubenicaa watermelonDo not mix with dinja, that is the melon. At the market they ask je li zrela, is it ripe.
- јагодаjagodaa strawberryJagoda is exactly a strawberry, not a berry in general; berries as a class are bobicasto voce. Sumska jagoda is the wild strawberry.
- крушкаkruškaa pearThey distil williams rakija from pears. A pear-shaped bulb is also kruska, as in everyday talk.
- брескваbreskvaa peachNothing to do with the lingonberry, though it sounds close. Kajsija is an apricot, nektarina a nectarine.
- рецептrecepta recipeA cooking recipe is simply recept; the medical one gets the tag: lekarski recept. Po receptu means according to the recipe.
- очистити поврћеočistiti povrćeto peel the vegetablesOcistiti is the general to clean; peeling precisely is oguliti: oguli krompir. Povrce is a collective, always singular.
- прокуватиprokuvatito bring to a boilKuvati is to cook in general: ko danas kuva, who is cooking today. Prokuvati brings to a boil, and the boiling itself is provreti.
- промешатиpromešatito stirA dangerous pair: mesati is to stir with a spoon, while getting in someones way is smetati. Ne smetaj mi, do not bother me.
- посолитиposolitito add saltSo is salt, feminine: so je krupna, the salt is coarse. Presoliti is to oversalt; neslano unsalted.
- подгрејатиpodgrejatito reheatThe prefix is pod-, not raz-: podgrejati rucak. Grejanje, the heating, has the same root.
- охладитиohladitito coolFrom hladno, cold. Ohladiti se with se is to cool down yourself, about people too: ohladio se prema njoj, he went cold on her.
- умутити јајаumutiti jajato beat the eggsMuziti is to whisk, and mutno is cloudy, the same root. Mutilica is the whisk.
- додати водеdodati vodeto add some waterThe genitive of a part: dodaj vode, add a bit of water; dodaj vodu, add the water in question, all of it.
- пећи на роштиљуpeći na roštiljuto grillPeci is both to bake in the oven and to roast over fire; hence rerna and pekara. Rostilj is the grill itself and the meat party around it.
- рок трајањаrok trajanjathe expiration dateLiterally the term of lasting: trajati is to last. On the package it says upotrebljivo do, usable until.
- покварио сеpokvario seit went badOne word about food and machines alike: pokvarilo se mleko and pokvario se frizider. English splits it into two, Serbian does not.
- теглаteglaa jarThe English jar merges two Serbian ones: tegla is the glass kind with a twist lid, konzerva the tin. Winter preserves are zimnica u teglama.
- репетеrepetesecondsIndeclinable and without gender: moze repete? Can I have seconds? It came from the Latin repetere, to repeat.
- за понетиza ponetifor takeawayLiterally so as to carry, with an infinitive after the preposition, a rare Serbian build, but that is exactly how they ask at the till.
- без шећераbez šećerano sugarThe preposition bez takes the genitive: secer becomes secera. The same for bez mleka, bez leda.
- ја сам вегетаријанацja sam vegetarijanacI am a vegetarianA woman says vegetarijanka. Simpler and clearer at a tavern: ne jedem meso, I do not eat meat.
- добар текdobar tekenjoy your mealTek here is appetite; on its own the word hardly lives. At the table you hear the short Prijatno! more often.
- масна хранаmasna hranafatty foodFrom mast, fat. Whole-fat milk is punomasno mleko, and lean food is posna hrana.
- бомбонаbombonaa candyA candy in general. A chocolate bar is cokoladica, a lollipop lizalica, and sweets as a whole slatkişi.
- национално јелоnacionalno jeloa national dishFrom narod comes narodno, from nacija nacionalno; about cuisine both are said.
- улична хранаulična hranastreet foodFrom ulica, the street. A stand is kiosk, and rostilj is the grill around which it all happens.
- тек печенtek pečenfreshly bakedLiterally "only just baked". Tek means "only just".
- бајатbajatstaleA Turkish loanword — a separate everyday word for bread gone stale.
- свињетинаsvinjetinaporkThe pattern is animal + -etina = its meat: teletina veal, junetina beef, ovcetina mutton. Once you see it, the butcher counter reads itself.
- пилетинаpiletinachicken (meat)The bird is kokoska or pile, but the meat is always piletina. Asking for a kokoska at the counter means asking for a live hen.
- пачетинаpačetinaduck (meat)Patka swims on the pond; pacetina lies on the plate. The tk → tc shift in the middle is the whole difference.
- млевено месоmleveno mesoground meatLiterally "ground meat", from mleti, "to grind". There is no single everyday word for it — the phrase is the word. Ijekavian: mljeveno.
- шункаšunkahamA German loanword via Hungarian. Next to it on the counter sits prsut — dry-cured ham — and the two are not interchangeable.
- виршлаviršlawienerFrom Viennese Wurstel, usually in the plural: virsle. Kobasica is thicker and never boiled — the two shapes do not swap.
- туњевинаtunjevinatunaThe fish is tuna, the meat on the plate is tunjevina — the same animal-plus--etina model as piletina. The tin reads tunjevina u ulju: "tuna in oil".
- лососlosossalmonSpelled exactly as it sounds: losos, lososa. Smoked is dimljeni losos — the deli phrase worth knowing.
- козицаkozicasmall shrimpNot "little goat": on the coast kozice means shrimp, while skampi are the larger, pricier cousins. Plural in practice.
- морски плодовиmorski plodoviseafoodLiterally "sea fruits", plural only. A single plod is a fruit off a tree — the sea version lives only in the plural.
- шљиваšljivaplumThe starting point of rakija: sljivovica is the spirit this fruit made famous. Genitive plural with no ending: kilo sljiva.
- малинаmalinaraspberryCounted berry by berry: jedna malina, mnogo maline, kilo malina. The genitive plural ending hides — listen for it.
- дињаdinjamelonThe market trap: dinja is the yellow melon; the striped watermelon is lubenica. Two words, two different desserts.
- нарnarpomegranateA Turkish loanword. The older Slavic name sipak survived in Serbia as "rosehip" — across the border it still means the fruit.
- ананасananaspineappleMasculine and declined all the way: bez ananasa, sa ananasom. A canned ring is kolut ananasa — "a ring of pineapple".
- мандаринаmandarinamandarinFeminine: slatka mandarina — "a sweet mandarin". Half a kilo is pola kila mandarina — the genitive plural at work.
- кивиkivikiwiMasculine; in careful speech it declines (sok od kivija), at the market nobody hesitates: dva kivi. Both are understood.
- авокадоavokadoavocadoDeclines like a masculine noun: bez avokada, sa avokadom. The word keeps its -o ending and still acts like a he-word.
- суво грожђеsuvo grožđeraisinsLiterally "dry grapes". Grozdje is a collective neuter, which is why the adjective is suvo — neuter too, agreeing with the mass.
- смокваsmokvafigThe native Slavic word, not the Turkish one. Dried figs are suva smokva, and they really are strung on threads to dry.
- паприкаpaprikabell pepperBiber, from earlier, is ground pepper from the mill; the vegetable off the plant is always paprika. The hot kind is ljuta paprika.
- тиквицаtikvicazucchiniA diminutive of tikva, "pumpkin": big tikva, little tikvica, side by side at the market. The suffix makes all the difference.
- цвеклаcveklabeetrootFirst-syllable stress and no vowel in the first cluster. In winter it arrives as salata od cvekle — beet salad.
- ротквицаrotkvicaradishRotkva is the big winter radish; rotkvica is the small spring one. Sold in bunches rather than by weight.
- зеленишzelenišgreensCollective and singular only: zelenis je svež — "the greens are fresh". The soup-root mix is a different word, zelen.
- мирођијаmirođijadillLives in a proverb: mirodjija u svakoj corbi — "dill in every soup", said of people who butt into everything.
- першунperšunparsleyCame through Italian, so the r sounds stay rolled. The root goes into soup as persunov koren — "parsley root".
- ђумбирđumbirgingerA Turkish loanword starting with d-with-stroke (đ), a sound English only approximates — the "d" of "duke" said with a buzz. Fresh root: svež djumbir.
- кукурузkukuruzcornMasculine: kuvani kukuruz — "boiled corn". An ear of corn is klip kukuruza, literally the "cob" word.
- спанаћspanaćspinachEnds in a soft ć, and the a drops out in the cases: spanaca, spanacem. One of those words that shrinks when you bend it.
- земичкаzemičkabread rollA round soft roll. The long curved one is kifla, and at the bakery the two are genuinely different purchases.
- питаpitapieNot a flatbread: Serbian pita is a layered pie built from paper-thin kora sheets — with spinach, cheese or apples. Sweet or salty, always layers.
- колачkolačpastryOne kolac is a single piece off the tray; the plural kolaci covers all the sweet baking at once. The number changes the scope.
- крофнаkrofnadoughnutFrom German Krapfen, feminine in Serbian. Usually no hole in the middle — the jam is hidden inside instead.
- пецивоpecivobaked goodsFrom peci, "to bake"; a collective neuter for everything that comes out of the oven except bread itself.
- џемdžemjamThe opening dz is a letter of its own — a hard "j" as in "jam", fittingly. A thicker preserve with whole fruit is slatko, a different treat.
- сирупsirupsyrupLatin spelling with the u kept. The same word names cough syrup: sirup za kasalj — read the label before you pour.
- кокицеkokicepopcornPlural only, from kokati, "to pop". At the cinema you choose male or velike — small or large — not named sizes.
- чипсčipspotato chipsSingular in Serbian, unlike the snack aisle at home: cips je slan — "the chips are salty", with a singular verb. A bag is kesica cipsa.
- жвакаžvakachewing gumEveryday speech; the wrapper says the official zvakaća guma — literally "chewing rubber". Same word, dressed up.
- лимунадаlimunadalemonadeThrough u, from limun. This is the fresh-squeezed kind; sweet fizzy drinks are sok or a brand name — the menu separates them.
- минерална водаmineralna vodamineral waterThe waiter will ask at once: gazirana ili negazirana? — "sparkling or still?" Negazirana is your "no bubbles, please".
- кисела водаkisela vodasparkling waterLiterally "sour water" — the everyday name for fizzy mineral water. The bookish alternative is gazirana voda; same bubbles, different register.
- коктелkoktelcocktailNo y-glide at the end: koktel, plural kokteli. The same word names a reception party with drinks and snacks.
- какаоkakaococoaDeclines as a masculine noun: solja kakaoa, sa kakaoom. English leaves "cocoa" untouched; Serbian bends it.
- инстант кафаinstant kafainstant coffeeUnmarked kafa means the real thing, boiled in a small pot. Say instant or you will get the pot and a longer wait.
- кесица чајаkesica čajatea bagKesa is the shopping bag you know; kesica is its diminutive. What the little bag holds goes in the genitive: kesica caja.
- кључала водаključala vodaboiling waterFrom kljucati, "to boil". Serbian has no one-word noun here — the participle does the job: kljucala voda, "water that has boiled".
- алкохолalkoholalcoholWith an h in the middle and masculine. Bez alkohola — "alcohol-free" — is the standard line on menus and bottles.
- пићеpićedrinkFrom piti, "to drink"; neuter, plural pica-with-a-circle (pića). The drinks page of the menu is titled Pića — now you can navigate it.
- сокsokjuiceMasculine: dva soka, bez soka. Fresh-pressed is cedjeni sok; the fruit it is from comes with od: sok od jabuke.
- ракијаrakijarakijaOffered standing, and refusing takes explaining — the graceful move is to sip.
- шљивовицаšljivovicašljivovicaFrom sljiva, "plum", with stress on the first syllable — the Serbian default.
- чокањčokanjčokanjOrdered by count: jedan cokanj — one flask for the table, not one per person.
- кајмакkajmakkajmakNot the same as the sweet Central Asian kind: the Serbian one is salted and ripened.
- ајварajvarajvarThe autumn roasting of ajvar gathers the relatives the way grape-picking does elsewhere.
- ћевапиćevapićevapiLeskovac and Sarajevo argue over size and meat content — a rivalry taken entirely seriously.
- пљескавицаpljeskavicapljeskavicaThe name comes from pljeskati, "to clap" — the meat really is clapped flat between bare hands.
- сомунsomunsomunĆevapi are not served without it — the two count as one dish.
- турска кафаturska kafaTurkish coffeeThe dzezva is the little pot; coffee is measured and boiled per guest, cup by cup.
- сармаsarmasarmaThe name comes from the Turkish sarmak, "to roll up"; and the leaf is the fermented one, not fresh.
- кисели купусkiseli kupussauerkrautThe brine — rasol — is drunk separately: it is held to help the morning after.
- чварциčvarcičvarciSold by weight; the freshest are prized above all and vanish in a day.
- пршутpršutpršutA cousin of the Italian prosciutto in name and in method; the difference is the cold-smoking at the start.
- гибаницаgibanicagibanicaThe name comes from gibati, "to bend": the dough is crumpled, not rolled out.
- бурекburekburekThe yogurt with burek is the drinking, sour kind — it is not a dessert but part of the meal.
- пројаprojaprojaIt differs from a flatbread by being baked in a pan and cut like a pie.
- зимницаzimnicazimnicaFrom zima, "winter": a collective word that takes no plural.
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.
- Једна кафа са млеком, молимJedna kafa sa mlekom, molimOne coffee with milk, please
- Пијем чај без шећераPijem čaj bez šećeraI drink tea without sugar
- Молим вас, једну водуMolim vas, jednu voduOne water, please
- Купио сам хлеб у пекариKupio sam hleb u pekariI bought bread at the bakery
- Волим бели сир са паприкомVolim beli sir sa paprikomI love white cheese with pepper
- Не једем месо петкомNe jedem meso petkomI do not eat meat on Fridays
What is worth knowing about these words
кафа (kafa) — coffee. Feminine — jedna kafa. Domaca kafa is the kind boiled in a small pot, Turkish-style; ordering just kafa gets you exactly that.
чај (čaj) — tea. Herbal by default: order caj in Serbia and you will likely get chamomile or mint. Black tea must be asked for: crni caj — "black tea".
вода (voda) — water. Stress on the first syllable. The menu trap: kisela voda is not sour — it is sparkling mineral water.
хлеб (hleb) — bread. In Croatia and Bosnia the same loaf is kruh. At the bakery specify the color: beli — white, or crni — dark.
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 кафа (kafa) — coffee.
- What is this word?
It is салата (salata) — salad.
- What is this word?
It is укусно (ukusno) — tasty.
- What is this word?
It is вечера (večera) — supper.
- What is this word?
It is кромпир (krompir) — potato.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Serbian?
Feminine — jedna kafa. Domaca kafa is the kind boiled in a small pot, Turkish-style; ordering just kafa gets you exactly that.
- How do you say “salad” in Serbian?
Srpska salata is tomatoes and onions; sopska adds white cheese on top. The word also means the lettuce plant itself.
- How do you say “tasty” in Serbian?
From ukus, "taste": ukus + no. Say it to the cook and you have made a friend: jako je ukusno!
- How do you say “supper” in Serbian?
From veče, "evening"; the verb is večerati. The course met it in spremiti večeru — "to make supper".
- How do you say “potato” in Serbian?
From the German Grundbirne, "ground pear". French fries are pomfrit.
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.
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 “coffee” in Serbian?
«кафа», read “kafa”. Feminine — jedna kafa. Domaca kafa is the kind boiled in a small pot, Turkish-style; ordering just kafa gets you exactly that. It is one of 188 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 188 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, 188 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.