LingoflyFood and drink in Serbian
188 words in Serbian on the topic “food and drink”: кафа (kafa) — coffee, чај (čaj) — tea, вода (voda) — water, хлеб (hleb) — bread. 188 words can be played from recordings.
188 words on the topic
- кафаkafacoffeeFeminine — jedna kafa. Domaća kafa is the kind boiled in a small pot, Turkish-style; ordering just kafa gets you exactly that.
- чајčajteaHerbal by default: order čaj in Serbia and you will likely get chamomile or mint. Black tea must be asked for: crni čaj — "black tea".
- водаvodawaterStress on the first syllable. The menu trap: kisela voda is not sour — it is sparkling mineral water.
- хлебhlebbreadIn Croatia 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. 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; šopska adds white cheese on top. The word also means the lettuce plant itself.
- супаsupasoupA clear broth. A thick, roux-based soup is čorba — on the menu they are two different lines, so order the right one.
- соsosaltOne short syllable and feminine: so, soli. Posoli — "add salt" — is the verb heard at the stove.
- воћеvoćefruitA false friend to guard: it is "fruit", not "vegetables". Vegetables are povrće — 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".
- поморанџаpomorandžaorangedž is a hard "j" as in "jam" — a rare letter, but here it sounds loud and clear: po-mo-RAN-dža.
- 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.
- доручакdoručakbreakfastAt a hotel you will hear 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. To make supper is spremiti večeru.
- 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: brašno 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 začiniti, "to season". The singular is začin.
- куватиkuvatito cookCooking in general and boiling alike. The cook is kuvar.
- пратиpratito washA trap: prati washes dishes and laundry alike, while pratiti — with an i — is "to follow, to accompany".
- ножnožknifeThe plural inserts -ev-: noževi.
- скуватиskuvatito boilThe perfective of kuvati: skuvaj jaja — "boil the eggs".
- пржитиpržitito fryA syllabic r: pr-ži-ti.
- пећиpećito bakeThe nest: pec — the stove, pećina — the cave, peći — to bake. One root, three words.
- сећиsećito cutThe present is unexpected: sečem, sečeš, seče — 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: šolja is the cup — and, in the bathroom register, the toilet. Context always rescues.
- чашаčašatumblerA pair trap: čaša is the tumbler and the stemmed glass alike; the teacup is šolja.
- кашикаkašikaspoonA Turkish word. The teaspoon is kašičica — 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 poslužiti, "to serve". The small tray is tačna.
- врућvrućhotThe adverb vruće is about weather; this is the adjective: vruća supa — "hot soup".
- хладанhladancold (adjective)Fleeting a: hladan, but hladna, hladno.
- гладанgladanhungryFleeting a: gladan, but gladna.
- укусukustasteThe root of ukusno, tasty. 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 čovek.
- 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 dž is the hard "j" of "jam": po-ru-dž-bi-na.
- наручитиnaručitito orderIn a restaurant you naručiti; poruciti is ordering with delivery.
- јелоjelodishFrom jesti, "to eat". Glavno jelo — "the main course".
- порцијаporcijaportionPola 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.
- десертdesertdessertKolač is a cake or pastry.
- без месаbez mesameatlessBez demands the of-form: bez mesa, bez šećera, bez leda.
- тортаtortaa cakeFeminine: jedna torta, parče 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 voćni 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 čokolada, mlečna čokolada. A bar is tabla čokolade.
- кексkekscookiesHalf a false friend: keks is a cookie, while the English-style cake is kolač. Home baking is often called sitni kolači.
- 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 ž plus đ together, a rare spot: gro-zhdje, the đ is soft.
- краставацkrastavaca cucumberFleeting a: krastavac, but krastavca, krastavci. Pickled ones are kiseli krastavčići.
- 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 čen belog luka.
- бундеваbundevaa pumpkinHence bundevara, a pumpkin pie, autumn baking. The seeds are koštice bundeve.
- плави патлиџанplavi patlidžanan eggplantThe dž 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 bobičasto voće. Šumska jagoda is the wild strawberry.
- крушкаkruškaa pearThey distil williams rakija from pears. A pear-shaped bulb is also kruška, 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 vegetablesOčistiti is the general to clean; peeling precisely is oguliti: oguli krompir. Povrće 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: mešati 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 ručak. 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 eggsMutiti is to whisk, and mutno is cloudy, the same root. Mutilica is the whisk.
- додати водеdodati vodeto add some waterThe of-form 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 grillPeći is both to bake in the oven and to roast over fire; hence rerna and pekara. Roštilj 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 frižider. 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: može 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 of-form: šećer becomes šećera. 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 čokoladica, a lollipop lizalica, and sweets as a whole slatkiši.
- 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 roštilj 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, ovčetina mutton. Once you see it, the butcher counter reads itself.
- пилетинаpiletinachicken (meat)The bird is kokoška or pile, but the meat is always piletina. Asking for a kokoška at the counter means asking for a live hen.
- пачетинаpačetinaduck (meat)Patka swims on the pond; pačetina lies on the plate. The tk → č 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 pršut — dry-cured ham — and the two are not interchangeable.
- виршлаviršlawienerFrom Viennese Würstel, usually in the plural: viršle. 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 škampi 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: šljivovica is the spirit this fruit made famous. The plural of-form with no ending: kilo šljiva.
- малинаmalinaraspberryCounted berry by berry: jedna malina, mnogo maline, kilo malina. The plural of-form 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 šipak 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 plural of-form 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". Grožđe 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: zeleniš je svež — "the greens are fresh". The soup-root mix is a different word, zelen.
- мирођијаmirođijadillLives in a proverb: mirođija u svakoj čorbi — "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 peršunov 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 đumbir.
- кукурузkukuruzcornMasculine: kuvani kukuruz — "boiled corn". An ear of corn is klip kukuruza, literally the "cob" word.
- спанаћspanaćspinachEnds in a soft ć, which stays in every case: spanaća, spanaćem. Nothing drops out 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 kolač is a single piece off the tray; the plural kolači 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 peći, "to bake"; a collective neuter for everything that comes out of the oven except bread itself.
- џемdžemjamThe opening dž 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 kašalj — 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: čips je slan — "the chips are salty", with a singular verb. A bag is kesica čipsa.
- жвакаžvakachewing gumEveryday speech; the wrapper says the official žvakaća 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.
- коктелkoktelcocktailSpelled with a k and ending in -el: koktel, plural kokteli. The same word names a reception party with drinks and snacks.
- какаоkakaococoaDeclines as a masculine noun: šolja 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 a shopping bag; kesica is its diminutive. What the little bag holds goes in the of-form: kesica čaja.
- кључала водаključala vodaboiling waterFrom ključati, "to boil". Serbian has no one-word noun here — the participle does the job: ključala 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 pića. The drinks page of the menu is titled Pića — now you can navigate it.
- сокsokjuiceMasculine: dva soka, bez soka. Fresh-pressed is ceđeni 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 šljiva, "plum", with stress on the first syllable — the Serbian default.
- чокањčokanjčokanjOrdered by count: jedan čokanj — 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 džezva 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.
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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.
What is worth knowing about these words
кафа (kafa) — coffee. Feminine — jedna kafa. Domaća 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 čaj in Serbia and you will likely get chamomile or mint. Black tea must be asked for: crni čaj — "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 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.
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. Domaća 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; šopska 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. To make supper is spremiti večeru.
- 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.
- Study spread over days wins 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» (kafa), read “kafa”. Feminine — jedna kafa. Domaća 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?
The whole set on this page is 188 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.
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.