Common Phrases in Serbian

Greeting people the way Serbs do

Use dobro jutro from the early morning until the point at which dobar dan feels more natural. Serbian greetings agree with the neuter noun jutro, so the adjective is dobro. When you address someone, you can add a name or title in the vocative. A reply may repeat the greeting or continue with Kako si? or Kako ste?

Dobro jutro alone is correct but bare. Serbs almost always attach something: a name, a title, a term of address. Dobro jutro, Marija! to a friend, Dobro jutro, profesore! to your teacher. That added word is what turns a textbook phrase into a greeting that sounds like a person said it.

Greetings in Latin and Cyrillic

Notice the vocative case at work in the second column: profesor becomes profesore, Marija stays as it is. Serbian still uses this case actively in everyday speech, unlike most European languages. Reading the Cyrillic makes the changed ending stand out, because you cannot rely on recognising the word by its familiar shape.

Practising with real names

Take the names of five people you might greet — a friend, a colleague, a shopkeeper, a child, an older neighbour — and greet each one aloud, adjusting the form of address. Then do the same with Dobar dan and Dobro veče, so the pattern transfers to the rest of the day.

Greeting exercise

Translate these greetings into Serbian in both scripts, then write who you would say each one to.

1. Good morning!
2. Good morning, Marija!
3. Good morning, professor!
4. How are you this morning?
5. I wish you a pleasant day.

Answers