Serbian grammar - Exercises for beginners, part 2

Try to solve these exercises from Serbian grammar. When you finish, write to Serbian teacher online to check your answers.  

1. Make 'da li questions' by translating following sentences:

Are you well?

Is she pretty?

Am I your brother?

Are we going?

Are you professors?

Is he a good man?

Is she your child?

Are they here?

Am I from Venezuela?

Is it cold?

2. Write down regular verbs in present tense like in example:

SPAVATI – JA SPAVAM, TI SPAVAŠ, ON SPAVA, MI SPAVAMO, VI SPAVATE, ONI SPAVAJU

PLIVATI (TO SWIM) –

PEVATI (TO SING) –

STUDIRATI (TO STUDY)  –

PRAVITI (TO MAKE) –

VEČERATI (TO HAVE A DINNER)–

ČUVATI (TO KEEP) –

3. Fill in the blanks by correct possessive pronouns (several possibilities are correct): 

______ grad je Amsterdam.

______ država je SAD.

Da li je _____ ime Jelena?

Kako je ______ ime, gospodine?

Da li je _____ brat Marko?

Da li si ti _______ prijatelj?

4. Fill in the blanks with nouns in locative:  

1.     Živim u _________ (Beograd).

2.     Ona studira u _________ (Sarajevo).

3.     Ana na _________ (fakultet) predaje francuski jezik.

4.     Marko uživa u ________ (tenis), a Sanja u _________ (plivanje).

5.     Videćemo se sutra u _________ (Pariz).

6.     Đaci uče u _______ (škola).

7.     Aleksandar je vrlo uspešan u ______ (sport).

8.     Glumica učestvuje u _________ (predstava).

9.      U ______ (kuća) se nalaze Anina deca, ona sede na ________ (krevet).

If you want to get more exercises from Serbian grammar, or you are curious how to learn Serbian online with a help of Serbian teacher, send me an email to kratkeprice@gmail.com .

Ako želite da unapredite svoje znanje srpskog jezika, ili znate nekoga ko želi da počne da uči "od nule" naš lepi jezik, pišite mi na navedenu adresu.

Lidija Novaković Lagrini

Test Your Level of Serbian Language

Find out if you are a beginner, intermediate or an advanced learner of Serbian language. Test your knowledge. 

This test contains questions from Serbian grammar, vocabulary and comprehension. 

Take a deep breath, concentrate, and start with answering the first one of the 40 questions. 

After finishing the test, read the solutions, and find out what is your level of Serbian language. 

1. The color of lemon is:

a) ljubičasta
b) roze
c) žuta
d) crvena

2. Which one from these numbers is number 702 ?   

a) sedamdeset dva    

b) sedam dva   

c) sedamdesetsto dva     

d) sedamsto dva 

3. What is on the picture:

a) pljeskavica     

b) lice    
c) voz    
d) radio

4. How we say "Good morning" in Serbian: 

a) Dobar dan   

b) Dobro jutro   

c) Dobro veče      

d) Dobra noć

5. Family members are:

a) sin, broj, stolica   

b) otac, kupatilo, majka    

c) otac, majka, sin    

d) sunce, sin, mesec

6. What may we say when we are leaving the room (informal): 

a) Ćao!  

b) Dobro jutro. 

c) Gladan sam.  

d) Pijem vino.

7. How may you introduce yourself: 

a) Ja se zovem Ana.   

b) Ti se zoveš Sanja.   

c) Oni se prezivaju Marković.   

d) On je Marko.

8. What are parts of the face: 

a) oči, ruke, noge     

b) oči, obraz, noge    

c) oči, usta, nos    

d) oči, telefon, sunce

9. What is the Serbian expression for "Have a good trip!":

    

a) Dobar dan!   

b) Laku noć!   

c) Dobro jutro!    

d) Srećan put!

10. Which sentence is correct: 

a) Nesam znao da li ona zna.  

b) Nisam znao dali ona zna.  

c) Nisam znao da li ona zna.   

d) Ni sam znao da li ona zna.

11.  Read the sentence and answer the question about it: 

Sutra uveče, posle fudbalske utakmice, moja sestra Ana, moj drug Marko i ja idemo kod njegovog brata Petra i nosimo mu poklon - malog psa Žuću. 

What are Marko and Petar to each other ?

12.  Which conjugation of verb "govoriti" is correct:  

a) govorem, govoreš, govore, govoremo, govorete, govorete    

b) govorem, govoreš, govore, govoremo, govorete, govore    

c) govorum, govoro, govoro, govoren, govoreni, govor   

d) govorim, govoriš, govori, govorimo, govorite, govore

13. What is Serbian word for verb 'to think': 

a) bežati  

b) pričati   

c) misliti    

d) učiti

14. Choose the correct translation of sentence 'I learn Serbian and I have lots of Serbian friends' : 

a) Ja učiš srpski i nemam puno srpskih prijatelja.   

b) Ti učiš srpski i imaš malo srpskih prijatelja.   

c) Oni ne uče srpski, ali imaju srpske prijatelje.     

d) Ja učim srpski i imam puno srpskih prijatelja.

15. What do you see on the picture: 

a) banane, kivi, grožđe   

b) gibanica, burek, grožđe     

c) pljeskavica, sarma, grožđe    

d) luk, paprika, grožđe

16. Correct the mistakes in a sentence (two correct answers are possible) :  

Ja živimo u Novi Sad, a moja roditelji živeju u Rim. 

17. Fill in the blanks with correct forms of possessive pronouns: 

Ova knjiga je ______ (ja). 

________ (mi) prijatelji dolaze na ručak. 

18. Fill in the blanks with correct forms of adjective 'dobar' :    

______ dete, _______  devojčica, _______ čovek. 

19. Put the following sentence into negative form: 

Ja volim Anu, ona je dobra devojka. 

20. Which conjugation of verb "želeti" is correct: 

a) želem, želeš, žele, želemo, želete, žele    

b) želim, želiš, želi, želimo, želite, želeju     

c)  želem, želeš, žele, želemo, želete, želeju     

d) želim, želiš, želi, želimo, želite, žele

21. Which sentence about this picture is true:

a) Jabuka je zelena. 

b) Dve knjige su otvorene. 

c) U čaši je vino.    

d) Na stolu je vaza sa cvećem. 

22. Read the dialog and answer the question about it: 

- Konobar, želela bih da naručim. - Dobar dan, izvolite, šta biste želeli? - Donesite mi bečku šniclu sa pomfritom i čašu belog vina. - Odmah.  

       

Where may you hear this dialog?   

a) u pekari     

b) u učionici     

c) u noćnom klubu     

d) u restoranu 

23. Which plural of word 'grad' is correct:   

 

a) građi    

b) gradi     

c) gradovi     

d) građovi 

24. What time is it:

a) pet do dva  

b) dva i pet   

c) dva i deset 

d) petnaest do dva

25. Write the following sentence in future tense (two correct solutions are possible): 

Otac čita novine.

26. Which translation of the sentence 'Are you well?' is correct:  

a) Da li si dobro?    

b) Da li su oni u školi?    

c) Da li su oni dobro?    

d) Da li je on lud?

27. Which from these words we may use when we talk about weather: 

a) kiša, narod, brat    

b) sunce, kiša, mesec      

c) sunce, kiša, oluja    

d) poplava, kiša, mesec 

28. Which tense is used in sentence 'U parku sam srela druga iz detinjstva.'  

a) past tense   

b) present tense   

c) infinitive    

d) future tense 

29. Which question word should be at the beginning of the following sentence: 

______  kilograma sira želite? 

a) gde   

b) koliko  

c) ko   

d) kada

30. Write down words for at least 7 objects from the picture.

31. Write down two synonyms  for verb 'govoriti'. 

32. Which from these verbs are modal verbs: imati, hodati, moći, spavati, morati, pevati, hteti. 

33. Conjugate verb 'putovati'.

34. Which objects may be in a classroom:    

a) tabla, kompjuter, klupa    

b) krevet, tabla, frižider    

c) šporet, kompjuter, kada     

d) auto, tabla, klupa 

35. Finish the sentence with a correct case of noun 'majka' : 

Idem u šetnju sa ________ .               

36. Translate the idiom 'In the middle of nowhere' : 

a) Ko drugome jamu kopa, sam u nju upada.   

b) Minut je do dvanaest.    

c) Bogu iza leđa.     

d) Ko se poslednji smeje, najslađe se smeje. 

37. Write the following sentence in past tense in masculine gender (there are several possibilities of correct answers): 

Sedim na klupi i posmatram prolaznike. 

38. In which sentence is the word "otac" used in a correct case:  

a) Kupujem oca knjigu.  

b) Kupujem ocu knjigu. 

c) Kupujem otcu knjigu.   

g) Kupujem oču knjigu. 

39. Which sentence is correct: 

a) Ja ću živeti u Beogradu.   

b) Jaću živeti u Beograda.    

c) Ja ću živeti u Beograda.    

d) Ja ću živeti u Beograd.

40. Read the text and answer the question about it:   

Kada je bila na prvoj godini fakulteta, Marija još uvek nije imala dečka. Prvo se zaljubila u Gorana, ali on nije osećao isto, tako da među njima ničeg nije bilo. Marija se veoma dopala Marku, drugu iz razreda, ali bila je ravnodušna. Posle toga upoznala je Ivana i započeli su vezu. To je bilo zanimljivo, ali trajalo je samo nekoliko meseci. Dugu vezu imala je tek nekoliko godina kasnije, sa Bojanom, kolegom sa fakulteta. 

Who is Marija's first boyfriend?

INTERPRETATION OF THE TEST: Every correct answer brings you 1 point. (There is no option of getting 0,5 points for partially solved questions. Only full answers counts.) 

LEVELS: 

BEGINNER 1-10 correct answers 

INTERMEDIATE 11-30 correct answers 

ADVANCED 31-40 correct answers

CORRECT ANSWERS:

1) c)

2) d)

3) b)

4) b)

5) c) 

6) a)

7) a)

8) c)

9) d)

10) c)

11) brothers

12) d)

13) c)

14) d)

15) a)

16) Ja živim u Novom Sadu, a moji roditelji žive u Rimu. / Mi živimo u Novom Sadu, a moji roditelji žive u Rimu.

17) moja,  naši

18)  dobro dete,  dobra devojčica, dobar čovek. 

19) Ja ne volim Anu, ona nije dobra devojka. 

20) d)

21) b)

22) d)

23) c)

24) a)

25) Otac će čitati novine. / Čitaće otac novine.

26) a)

27) c)

28) a)

29) b)

30) kada, wc šolja (toalet šolja), prozor, stolica, veš mašina, radni sto, ormar (orman), lampa, frižider, tepih, šporet, sudopera, kauč (sofa), stolica, vrata

31) pričati, razgovarati, izgovarati, reći, kazati (there are also correct further synonyms such as šaputati, brbljati, etc.) 

32) moći, morati, hteti

33) putujem, putuješ, putuje, putujemo, putujete, putuju

34) a)

35) majkom

36) c)

37) Sedeo sam na klupi i posmatrao sam prolaznike. / Sedeo sam na klupi i posmatrao prolaznike. / Ja sam sedeo na klupi i posmatrao sam prolaznike. / Ja sam sedeo na klupi i posmatrao prolaznike.

38) b)

39) a)

40) Ivan

Be free to comment the test results, your opinion is important. 

If you want to find out more about learning Serbian online , or about any other Serbian language issue, you may write me here .

Serbian teacher online,

Lidija Novaković Lagrini

Swearing in Serbian Language – Psovke u srpskom jeziku

In this post I will translate and explain few Serbian common swearwords.

If you think that this is a trivial topic, I will remind you of a great reformer of Serbian language in 19^th century, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić. He was also very much interested in swearwords, and gave to this topic lot of attention in his first Serbian dictionary from 1818^th. He also collected and published erotic-porn oral folk poetry in a book ‘Crven ban’ (‘Red Duke’).

Swearwords throw interesting light on a language and they often carry metaphorical potential. I hope you will agree with me after reading this post. I am looking forward to hear your comments.  

But please, if you find swearwords and writing about them offensive or inappropriate, stop reading this text. Switch to some text about Stanoraya and Farm, or about terrorism, thank you.

’Marš u pičku materinu!’

This one is in use when you are really angry at somebody and you are right (at least you are strongly convinced that you are right).

Word ‘marš’ means – ‘go away!’ but said in a very harsh tone of voice.

The whole expression means – ‘Go back into your mother’s cunt!’ Metaphorically speaking – it would be better that you have never been born.

This curse might be sometimes used in a totally opposite way, as a joke, with meaning – ‘C’mon, you don’t say!’

‘Jebem ti krvavo sunce!’

This one is my favorite because I never understood who would say something like that about the Sun.

It literally means – ‘I fuck your bloody Sun.’

Can you imagine the scene? A guy is putting his phallus into the shiny star covered with blood. Pretty impressive, right?

‘Jebaću ti brata/sestru/oca/majku!’

‘I will fuck your brother/sister/father/mother!’

By these swearwords somebody is expressing intention to break the ancient taboo – taboo of incest. Verb ‘jebati’ (‘to fuck’) is often used in swearwords with violent connotation. It sounds more as a treat than as an act of giving and receiving pleasure.

Future tense is used, so, this swearword sounds like a promise. Very offensive one. 

‘Jebem ti i seme i pleme’

‘I fuck your seed and your tribe.’

These swearwords are taking us to the ancient time of tribes. We may interpret them as – I am so angry at you that I want to fuck (read ‘hurt’) your beginning (your seed) and your ancestors (your tribe), so, I want to go into the time before you were born and to… We can only imagine what would have happened further. Inventor of this curse went far away; his idea belongs to the science fiction. 

‘Bog te jebo!’

‘May God fuck you!’

(There is also an opposite version to this one – Jebem ti Boga – I fuck your God.) This expression is not an insult; it is used to express our astonishment by something.

‘To je pičkin dim.’

This expression means – ‘That is an easy accomplishment’ or literally ‘That is a cunt’s smoke’. Why is cunt’s smoke easy and irrelevant, or is it relevant, what does it symbolize - we may only guess. According to the funny web dictionary ‘Vukajlija’ – pičkin dim does not actually exist in a real life (even if some people have been searching for it). The expression is compound word, made from ‘pička’ and ‘dim’ (first word has two meanings - 'weak man'/'cunt', and smoke); both words symbolize something weak and easy to go through, without obstacles.

We mentioned collection of erotic-porn poetry, published by Vuk Stefanović Karadžić two centuries ago, the book ‘Crven ban’ (‘Red Duke’). The title is a metaphor for sexual organ, as you might assume. Some of the poems, full of swearwords, you may hear here. It's an interesting poetry, I hope you will enjoy it. 

Read more about Serbian swearwords in texts Fuck this article and Serbian Swearing .

And let’s finish this post with an old joke:

- Do you know where is the border between Serbia and Montenegro?

- It is where you stop fucking mothers and start fucking fathers!

Swearwords are vivid part of the Serbian language, they are in common use and they are changing, just like the language.

Lidija Novaković Lagrini

For everything else you want to know about this topic, or how to learn Serbian online with a help of a Serbian teacher, send me an email to kratkeprice@gmail.com.

Ako želite da unapredite svoje znanje srpskog jezika, ili znate nekoga ko želi da počne da uči "od nule" naš lepi jezik, pišite mi na navedenu adresu.

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Useful Phrases in Serbian language

Here are some useful phrases which you may use in everyday life.  

Dobar dan. 

Kako ste? 

Nije loše. 

Hvala, dobro sam. 

Izvinite gospodine, gde je ulica Majke Jevrosime? 

Izvinite, koliko je sati? 

Dajte mi dve karte do Novog Sada. 

Doviđenja. 

Konobar, želela bih da naručim. 

Ko je ona lepa devojka? 

Hvala puno. 

Vozite me na adresu Majke Jevrosime 32. 

Izvinite, gde je železnička stanica? 

Izvini devojko, gde je stanica autobusa broj 16? 

Da. 

Ne. 

Ja nisam odavde. 

Ja sam student. 

Moja adresa je Majke Jevrosime 32. 

Ja sam Ana. Imam 36 godina. 

Prijatno! 

Kako se ti zoveš? 

Zovem se Marko. 

Drago mi je. 

Srećan rođendan! 

Srećan put! 

Živeli! 

Dobro došli! 

Ja učim srpski jezik.  

For everything else you want to know about this topic, or how to learn Serbian online with a help of a Serbian teacher, send me an email to kratkeprice@gmail.com.

Ako želite da unapredite svoje znanje srpskog jezika, ili znate nekoga ko želi da počne da uči "od nule" naš lepi jezik, pišite mi na navedenu adresu.

Make an online appointment

Learn Serbian online with
Lidija Novakovic Lagrini

Top Ten Reasons to Learn Serbian

Top 10 razloga za učenje srpskog jezika

My job is to teach Serbian as a foreign language and very often I hear the question: 'Sorry, but why would someone learn Serbian?' Hmm... Ok, you asked for this post.

1) To be able to understand Balkan sense of humor 

People on the Balkans make jokes about everything and everyone. Nobody is so fast to invent a joke and to react in a new situation with humor as Serbians and Bosnians. These jokes are sharp, witty and hilarious, and trust me, you would be rolling on the floor laughing. 

2) Balkan people will appreciate your effort 

Doesn't matter if you are only a beginner and if your pronunciation is far from good - Balkan people will appreciate the fact that you are putting an effort to learn their language. 

Nobody will switch to English while you are trying to speak Serbian, nobody will laugh at you. You will get lots of support, help and smiles.

3) To be able to order delicious Balkan food

If you want to eat in a restaurant and you are able to order by yourself: pljeskavica sa kajmakom, burek, sarma, jagnjeći kotleti, ćevapčići, teleći škembići, čvarci, musaka sa mlevenim mesom, proja, sarmice od zelja, punjene paprike, svadbarski kupus sa dimljenim mesom, pileći paprikaš, pihtije, ajvar, pasulj sa kobasicama, jagnjetina pod sačem ... mmmm... your pleasure will be doubled.

4) To learn easier other Slavic languages

If you already know Serbian, it will be much easier for you to learn some other Slavic language: Belorussian, Russian, Ukrainian, Czech, Slovakian, Polish, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovenian, etc. 

There are many similarities in vocabulary. Also, these languages have cases as in Serbian. 

5) To open a startup company on the Balkans

Yes, it's true what people say - paperwork is too complicated and some things (Pay Pall for instance) are not working the way you are used to. But it doesn't mean that startup company on the Balkans is not a good idea.

Some business areas are not developed enough (for example: consultant services, internet banking, ecological tourism... - you do the research, I am a Serbian teacher, not an economist) and that might be a great business opportunity. Discover what is missing and start your own company.

Of course, knowledge of Serbian language would be a great advantage.

6) To read Serbian writers in original

Maybe we don't have a good marketing for our culture, but we have some of the best writers in a world. You might say that I am subjective about it, but I am firmly standing behind my opinion. 

Primarily I am talking about the writers between two world wars (in the age of vanguard) and about some contemporary writers.

Miloš Crnjanski, Borisav Pekić, Isidora Sekulić, Rastko Petrović, Momčilo Nastasijević, Rade Drainac, Ivo Andrić, Milorad Pavić, Danilo Kiš, Vasko Popa, Miodrag Bulatović, Vladimir Pištalo, Jelena Lengold, Branko Miljković, Petar Petrović Njegoš... And then some!

7) To understand languages of other Balkan nations

If you speak and understand Serbian, you will be able to understand perfectly someone from Bosnia, Croatia, Monte Negro, and pretty much someone from Macedonia. Another four countries, ain't it enough ?

I won't go now into polemic if Serbian and Croatian are one the same language or two separate languages (I will just whisper into your ear - it is one language). The differences among them are probably not bigger than differences between British and American English. 

Understanding is important. So, if you want more understanding on the Balkans, learn Serbian. 

As an old Serbian proverb says: Speak Serbian if you want to be understood by the whole world. (?!) 

8) To talk with Serbian farmers

If you, by any chance, find yourself in some distant Serbian village, local people will be very excited to talk with you, because they don't have an opportunity to talk with foreigners very often. Of course, they probably don't speak any other language but Serbian. So, if you don't speak Serbian, with all help of arms and legs, you won't be able to communicate much. 

If you speak even a little bit of Serbian, you will be surprised how witty and wisdom words you may hear from these people. 
About corn field, about nature, about life. 

9) Number of Serbian language speakers is higher than 12 million people 

Not an negligible number, isn't it? According to estimation of respectful linguist Ranko Bugarski.   

10) Find your own personal reason

a) To experience Serbian clubbing (Though, for this activity language is not really necessary. You also may just have a drink or two and move your hips in a rhythm. But it's nicer if you are able to communicate with all these great young people.)
b) To touch Slavic soul - soul of a nation is in its language...
c) To finally understand what is Goran Bregovic singing about (which is not easy even when you are a native speaker).
d) To brag in front of your friends that you know how to read the exotic alphabet - Cyrillic.
e) To know how to swear in Serbian - everybody loves to hear and to repeat these.
f) To be able to say to your love: Ti si moja duša i srce!
g) You tell me.


Lidija Novakovic Lagrini






For everything else you want to know about this topic, or how to learn Serbian online with a help of a Serbian teacher, send me an email to kratkeprice@gmail.com.

Ako želite da unapredite svoje znanje srpskog jezika, ili znate nekoga ko želi da počne da uči "od nule" naš lepi jezik, pišite mi na navedenu adresu.




Make an online appointment