Slažu se kao pas i mačka :)

The verb "slagati se" imperf.(with first "a" being long) /"složiti se" perf.  = to agree * can have a range of different meanings in Serbian and we're going to discuss them today, because I'll need it for my next lesson about Serbian history.

• If two colours match, we say "slažu se". For example: Plava se slaže sa žutom, ali se ne slaže sa crvenom (slagati se = to match)
• If a brother and sister get on/along with each other, we say "oni se slažu". For example: Baš imaš sreće, tvoj  brat i ti se dobro slažete. (You are rally lucky, your brother and you get along very well)
• If you agree to go out with your friend, you will say: "slažem se". For example: Hoćeš li da idemo u restoran večeras ? Važi, slažem se! (Would you like to go to a restaurant tonight ? OK, I agree!)
• If two people are at each other's throats, i.e." fight like cat(s) and dog(s)" you can similarly describe it in Serbian as "slažu se kao pas i mačka"!

For learners of Serbian as a foreign language often times it's difficult to pronounce the Serbian sound "LJ" or "Љ" correctly. That's because some students tend to pronounce "L" and then "J" separately. If you'd like to make your pronunciation of "lj" perfect, follow these steps:

1. Try to say "L", as in English word "love". Where is your tongue ? Up or down ?
2. Try to say "J", as in English word "yes". Where is your tongue ? Up or down ?
3. Right, so you noticed that in "L" the tongue is up, just behind your upper  teeth, while with "J", the tongue is down. If you want to say "lj" correctly, the tongue mustn't move from the upward position downwards, because it's one sound.
4. Now, keep your  tongue as if you want to pronounce "J" as in "yes", because it's the right tongue position for the perfect "lj", and at the same time try to pronounce "L", WITHOUT raising your tongue upwards. What happens ? Did you hear your first "lj" ? Now keep practising !

Keep your tongue low, as if you want to pronounce "J" (as in "yes") sound, but say "L" (as in "love")

This part is preparing you to practise word order with the words with the reflexive/impersonal pronoun "se". This time I've chosen only the verbs which are widely used when you talking about important life phases, so all the sentences in the videos will be in the Simple Past:

• roditi se = to be born
• školovati se = to be schooled
• upisati se (u školu / na fakultet) = to enrol (a school / university)
• zaposliti se = to start working / to get a job
• preseliti se = to move (to another city / country)
• kvalifikovati se (za) = to get qualified (for)
• venčati se = to get married

One of the most common mistakes students of Serbian as a foreign  language tend to make is to use the verbs of movement "ići " + u, "stići" + u, "vratiti se" + u, "posetiti" with the noun in Dative, instead of Accusative. That's why it's often heard:

Idem u Beogradu (incorrect)

instead of

Idem u Beograd (correct)

In the case of the listed verbs above (ići = to go to/ stići = to arrive at/ vratiti se = to come back to /posetiti = to visit), the noun which follows them is in the Accusative case (so called the Accusative of goal/aim).

That's why I've created this video with which you can make simple sentences such as:

• Idem u London / Budimpeštu (Present Simple)
• Stižem u London / Budimpeštu (Present Simple word order)
• Posetio sam London /Budimpeštu (Past Simple)
• Vraćam se u London / Budimpeštu (Present Simple word order with "se")

Now that you've learnt the introductory song by heart (napamet), you are ready for more examples with the word order of the sentences with reflexive or impersonal "se". This time I'll cover the word order in the Simple Present tense with all three forms, affirmative, negative and questions. So, let's start :

Reflexive -se: oblačiti se  (to get dressed) Present tense of OBLAČITI SE is :


Affirmative sentences : Subject (S) + predicate (P)

• Oblačim se. N
• Ja se  oblačim. 
• Ti se igraš, a ja se oblačim. N 
• Sedi i gledaj TV dok se ja oblačim. N 
• Komšije su videle kako se (ja) oblačim u kuhinji. N 
• Priznajem da se oblačim u kuhinji. N

• Ne oblačim se. N
• Ja se ne  oblačim. 
• Ti se ne igraš, a ja se ne oblačim. N 
• Sedi i gledaj TV dok se ja ne oblačem. N 
• Tvrdila sam da se ne oblačim u kuhinji. N 
• Priznajem da se ne oblačim u kuhinji. N

Questions: Subject (S) +  predicate (P)

• Da li se oblačiš ? N
• Da li se ti oblačiš ? 
• Oblačiš li se ? 
• Jel' se oblačiš ? N
• Kada se oblačiš ? N
• Kada se ti oblačiš ? N
• 
  

Let's make a short comparison of the Present Simple and Past Simple in Serbian with this "drinks video" :)

• Šta obično piješ / pijete tokom dana ?
• Šta obično piješ / pijete kada izađeš uveče ?
• Šta si juče pio  / pila ? / Šta ste juče pili ?*

*translation:

• What do you usually drink during the day ? ("piješ" informal, "pijete" formal)
• What do you usually drink when you go out at night ?
• What did you drink yesterday ? ("pio" for masculine singular, "pila" for feminine singular, "pili" for the second person singular, used formally, or for the second person plural, when you are talking to more people)

Let me show you one more video in the series called Easy Texts in Serbian. This time you have to ask direct questions about the word which is in red.

For example: "Zovem se Tanja" - your task is to ask:

• "Kako se zoveš ?" informal 
• "Kako se zovete ?" formal

For the following questions start with these question words:

• Gde ... (where)
• Kako ... (how) 
• Koliko godina ... (how old)
• Kakvi ...  (what...like)