Learn how to pronounce the Serbian rolled R by finding the correct tongue position, relaxing the jaw and building vibration gradually through short words and phrases.
How to Pronounce Serbian R?
How to Pronounce Serbian R?
If you patiently listen to Nada Zeković until the very end of the video below, you'll find out what is the secret of the accurate pronunciation of the Serbian "r". Verovali ili ne, the secret is in its vibration :) Watch, listen, repeat and practice!
- The position of the tip of the tongue is upfront, behind the upper front teeth.
- Besides, there's a slight vibration. (Listen to Nada comparing Spanish and Serbian name "Oskar" )
Advice on How to Pronounce Serbian R?
- simply running round the house saying the vibrant "rrrrr" :)
- focusing on sound clusters such as "pr" (pravo, prvi, pre, preko, prošlo...), and later on other words with this sound!
Getting your tongue around the Serbian R
Serbian r is normally a clear alveolar trill. The tongue tip approaches the ridge just behind the upper teeth, while the moving air makes it vibrate. Do not force the sound by tightening the whole tongue. Begin with combinations such as tr, dr and pr, then move to words in which r appears between vowels. Serbian r can also carry a syllable, as in prst and trg, so careful listening is just as important as repetition.
The Serbian r is a tap: the tip of the tongue strikes the ridge behind the upper teeth once and springs away. It is not the English r, where the tongue never touches anything. Start slowly with Rada rano radi, exaggerating the contact, then speed up until the tap becomes light and automatic.
Tongue-twisters and R sentences in both scripts
| Latin script | Cyrillic script | English |
|---|---|---|
| Rada rano radi. | Рада рано ради. | Rada works early. |
| Crveni ruž je na stolu. | Црвени руж је на столу. | The red lipstick is on the table. |
| Brat trči preko trga. | Брат трчи преко трга. | My brother runs across the square. |
| Prst mi je hladan. | Прст ми је хладан. | My finger is cold. |
| Dobro jutro, profesore! | Добро јутро, професоре! | Good morning, professor! |
Serbian also lets r act as a vowel — trg, prst, crn have no other vowel in them, and the r itself carries the syllable. Do not squeeze a small uh sound in front of it. Read the Cyrillic column too: seeing трг written out makes the vowel role of р much more obvious.
Building up speed
Say each sentence three times: once very slowly with a clear tap, once at speaking speed, once as fast as you can without losing the tap. Record yourself on the fast round and listen back. If the r disappears or turns into an English glide, drop back to the slow round rather than pushing through.
Pronunciation exercise
Translate these sentences into Serbian in both scripts, then read your answers aloud and mark every r you had to slow down for.
- Rada works early.
- The red lipstick is on the table.
- My brother runs across the square.
- My finger is cold.
- Good morning, professor!
Answers
- Rada rano radi.
Рада рано ради. - Crveni ruž je na stolu.
Црвени руж је на столу. - Brat trči preko trga.
Брат трчи преко трга. - Prst mi je hladan.
Прст ми је хладан. - Dobro jutro, profesore!
Добро јутро, професоре!