Serbian Cyrillic Alphabet


During my sojourn in Montenegro, I encountered both the use of Latin and Cyrillic versions of the alphabet. This was a great opportunity to pick up and understand more of the Cyrillic alphabet.

Signs for streets & squares were in the Cyrillic alphabet, which is based on the one sound, one letter system. I had a steep learning curve in reading Cyrillic, particularly when I was trying to read the inscriptions on the Partizan memorials for my English compatriots!

Serbian Cyrillic Alphabet




Now I am sharing with you, dear blog readers, on how I started to learn the Cyrillic alphabet. I found it easier by breaking down the alphabet into sections. All in all, it took me just over 1 hour to get myself acquainted with the alphabet.
Click here to hear the audio


ћирилица
..................................................................................
THE FRIENDLY LETTERS (As they are exactly the same as in the latin alphabet)
K M T O A E J
Examples words: ATOM, MAJKA

THE FALSE FRIENDS (Be aware - although they look the same as their counterparts in the latin alphabet, they represent different letters!).

В P С X У
V R S H U

Can you work out the following words?

CECTPA, BУK, BPATA

THE COMMON CYRILLIC CORE (That's what I call these set of letters as they are common to other Cyrillic based languages).

Б Г Д 3 Л П Ф И H Ж Ч Ш ц

B G D Z L P F I N ž č Š C

Here are some means of transportation:

BOЗ
БРOД
TAKCИ
AУTOБУC
ABИОН
and some other words

XBAЛA
ДAН
KPEBET
ПЕКAРA
KAПУЋИНО
ЧAJ
ЖИВОТ
ПОШТA
БУЛEBAP
ЛЕП

THE SERBIAN CYRILLIC SET (Unique to the language and quite distinct).

Џ Ђ Ћ Љ Њ
Dž Đ Ć LJ NJ

Here are a selection of words for you to work out:

HOЋ
ЉУБАВ
ЂAK
ЏEMПEP
KOЊ

The sort order of the ćirilica (ћирилица) alphabet:
Cyrillic order (called Azbuka (азбука): А Б В Г Д Ђ Е Ж З И Ј К Л Љ М Н Њ О П Р С Т Ћ У Ф Х Ц Ч Џ Ш

The sort order of the latinica (латиница) alphabet:
Latin order (called Abeceda (абецеда): A B C Č Ć D Dž Đ E F G H I J K L Lj M N Nj O P R S Š T U V Z Ž

The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet is based on the simple principle of:
"write as you speak and read as it is written"
Пиши као што говориш и читај како је написано.
Piši kao što govoriš i čitaj kako je napisano.


Don't forget that there's always Serbian Phrases List in the Cyrillic version with slow pronunciation ! Those who know how to write "FaithfulFollower" in Serbian (in the Latin alphabet) will get a significant discount :)

If you would like to get all my video lessons with explanations in English, translations and additional exercises like the ones above, in the meaningful order, consider joining me on Patreon. HVALA!

Let the situation carry the grammar. Cyrillic stops looking mysterious when familiar letters, false friends and uniquely Serbian signs are sorted into small groups.

Unlock the notebook inside idiots guide to cyrillic alphabet

Cyrillic stops looking mysterious when familiar letters, false friends and uniquely Serbian signs are sorted into small groups. Say the shortest natural version first. Read the Serbian examples as complete thoughts, not as containers for isolated vocabulary. Notice which word changes the meaning most strongly, and allow the surrounding words to show its grammatical job.

Five everyday lines for idiots guide to cyrillic alphabet

LatinicaĆirilicaEnglish
Мама чита новине у парку.Мама чита новине у парку.Mum reads the newspaper in the park.
Љуба купује свеж хлеб.Љуба купује свеж хлеб.Ljuba is buying fresh bread.
Ђак пише домаћи задатак.Ђак пише домаћи задатак.The pupil is doing homework.
Њена шоља је на полици.Њена шоља је на полици.Her cup is on the shelf.
Жути мачак чека испред куће.Жути мачак чека испред куће.The yellow tomcat waits in front of the house.

A bridge from recognition to speech with idiots guide to cyrillic alphabet

Move from Мама чита новине у парку. towards Жути мачак чека испред куће., but stop at the sentence that feels least comfortable. Change one detail without changing the grammar, and then use that thought as the beginning of a two-line exchange. Tomorrow, return through a different sentence so that the order of the table cannot do the remembering for you.

Five moves before the route disappears from idiots guide to cyrillic alphabet

  1. Translate into English: Мама чита новине у парку.
  2. Rebuild in Serbian from memory: “Ljuba is buying fresh bread.”
  3. Write the third sentence in Cyrillic without copying it.
  4. Change one detail in Њена шоља је на полици. and keep the sentence grammatical.
  5. Create a new question connected with Жути мачак чека испред куће..

Check the key you have made through idiots guide to cyrillic alphabet

  1. Mum reads the newspaper in the park.
  2. Љуба купује свеж хлеб. / Љуба купује свеж хлеб.
  3. Ђак пише домаћи задатак.
  4. Answers vary; the changed word must still agree with the rest of the sentence.
  5. Answers vary; keep the question directly connected with the situation.

False friends deserve their own five-minute meeting

Cyrillic Р sounds like Latin R, Н sounds like N, В sounds like V and С sounds like S. Write each misleading pair beside one Serbian word: река, нос, вода, сир. Your eye will initially reach for the Latin value; repeated words teach it to pause and choose the Serbian sound. Mix these letters with genuinely familiar ones only after each contrast feels secure.

Finish by reading a street name or a short headline rather than another alphabet row. Real words contain predictable combinations and reward you with meaning. If you hesitate, point to each letter, say the sound, and blend from left to right. Speed will arrive by itself once guessing has stopped.