My friend Gale takes such lovely photos, so I recently  asked him to allow me to use them in this blog. I was happy when he agreed. That's why I'm sending Gale a huge HVALA :-)


I'll start with yesterday’s photos of the streets of Novi Sad, after the storm:

VOCABULARY:
oluja = storm
kiša = rain
grad (with very short "a") = hail
poplava = flood
automobil = car
taksi = taxi

TASK - answer the following questions
(you can write your answers in the comments)
1. Šta vidiš na slici?
2. Kakvo je vreme bilo juče u Novom Sadu (na osnovu slike) ?
3. Da li je grad bio poplavljen ?
4. Kakvi sve problemi mogu da se jave posle ovakvog nevremena ?
5. Da li ti se sviđa vreme u Srbiji ? Zašto ?
6. Da li voliš kada grmi i seva ? Zašto?

After the clouds crossed Novi Sad

A photograph taken after a storm invites evidence-based description. Begin with what is visible: voda na ulici, mokri automobili, tamni oblaci. Then move to a conclusion with verovatno or izgleda da instead of presenting every guess as a fact.

Serbian grad has two meanings distinguished in speech and context. Grad with a short a means hail; grad meaning city has a longer falling accent. In writing, the surrounding words remove the ambiguity: padao je grad cannot mean that a city was falling.

Separate observation from conclusion

LatinicaЋирилицаEnglish
Snažan vetar je oborio granu preko trotoara.Снажан ветар је оборио грану преко тротоара.A strong wind knocked a branch across the pavement.
Posle pljuska voda je prekrila deo ulice.После пљуска вода је прекрила део улице.After the downpour, water covered part of the street.
Na horizontu su se pojavili tamni olujni oblaci.На хоризонту су се појавили тамни олујни облаци.Dark storm clouds appeared on the horizon.
Vatrogasci su ispumpavali vodu iz podruma.Ватрогасци су испумпавали воду из подрума.Firefighters were pumping water out of the basement.
Izgleda da je grad padao nekoliko minuta.Изгледа да је град падао неколико минута.It appears that hail fell for several minutes.

A weather report with five gaps

Choose one storm photograph. Say three certain observations with Vidim…, then two cautious conclusions with Izgleda da… or Verovatno je…. This keeps description and interpretation grammatically distinct.

  1. Translate oluja, poplava and grad (weather).
  2. Complete: Juče je ______ jaka kiša. (padati)
  3. Make plural: taman oblak.
  4. Write in Cyrillic: Ulica je bila poplavljena.
  5. Give one possible problem after severe weather.

When the streets become readable again

  1. storm, flood, hail
  2. padala
  3. tamni oblaci / тамни облаци
  4. Улица је била поплављена.
  5. Possible answer: Nestala je struja. / Нестала је струја.

Describe the photograph again tomorrow and compare your two reports: clearer evidence should produce more precise weather language.
Marina Petrović