Learn Serbian

Learning Serbian with exercises, video lessons and online courses

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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Studying Serbian with Short Stories

Here comes a new video lesson covering the following vocabulary:

Animals:

  • taj pas / ti psi= dog/dogs
  • taj konj / ti konji = horse/horses
  • to jagnje / ta jagnjad = lamb/lambs
  • ta ovca / te ovce = sheep/sheep
  • taj ovan / ti ovnovi = ram/rams
  • ta žirafa /te žirafe = giraffe/giraffes
  • ta pčela / te pčele = bee/bees
  • taj pauk / ti pauci = spider/spiders
  • ta riba / te ribe = fish/fishes
  • taj delfin / ti deflfini = dolphin/dolphins
  • to mače / ti mačići = kitten /kittens
  • ta mačka / te mačke = cat/cats
  • taj mačak / ti mačori = tomcat/tomcats
  • taj tigar / ti tigrovi = tiger/tigers
  • ta zebra / te zebre = zebra/zebras
Verbs:

  • je = is
  • su = are
  • sviđati se  = to like (sviđa mi se ovaj pas = I like this dog)
  • videti = to see
  • zvati se = to be called 
  • porasti = to grow up
  • leteti = to fly
Functions used when expressing certainty/probability:

  • ovo je... = this is...
  • možda = maybe
  • sigurno = certainly/ for sure
  • ovo je sigurno... = this is a ... for sure
  • ovo je možda... = this is maybe a ...

Check out the previous lesson for beginners about rooms in a flat.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Bear's Wedding in Serbian with Explanation

If you liked the first part of the story of Dundo Bear's Wedding, I am sure you've been eagerly waiting for its sequel :) Here it comes, but this time you'll be able to read the explanation, English translation and you'll have to answer a few questions before you hear what happened in the second part:


Let me know if you like it?
Javi mi da li ti se sviđa?

What do you think what is the next animal Dundo bear will come across?
Šta misliš na koju životinju će medo Dundo naići?

  • na vučicu?
  • na medvedicu?
  • na lasicu?
  • na zečicu?
  • na vevericu?

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Short Stories in Serbian for Beginners

While preparing a new course based on simple, short stories in  Serbian via Udemy, I wanted to share a video lesson dedicated to the verb to be and rooms in a flat:

Ovo je moj stan. On nije mali. U prizemlju je kuhinja i trpezarija i mali toalet. Šta je ovo? Ovo je kuhinja. Šta je ovo? Ovo je trpezarija. Na prvom spratu je radna soba i tatina ordinacija. Na drugom spratu su spavaće sobe i velika dnevna soba. Sa leve strane su spavaće sobe. Sa desne strane je dečija soba i kupatilo.

Da li možete da pogodite koje su ovo sobe?
  1. Na ovoj slici je...
  2. Mislim da je ovo...
  3. Ovo je...
  4. Ovo je možda...
  5. Ovo je sigurno...
Da li možete da opišete svoj stan na sličan način?


English translation:


This is my apartment. It is not small. On the ground floor (there) is the kitchen and dining room and a small toilet. What is this? This is a kitchen. What is this? This is a dining room. On the first floor (there) is a study room and my dad's office. On the second floor (there) are bedrooms and a large living room. On the left side (there) are the bedrooms. To the right (there) are children's bedroom and a bathroom.

Friday, July 31, 2015

Serbian with Children's Stories

I think that children learn a language best through stories, chants and songs. I've already written about Dundo Bear's Wedding story back in 2013, but now I decided to turn it into a series of lessons which can be used for learning and teaching Serbian.

Let me introduce you to the first part of the story with this four minute long Intro to Medvedova ženidba by Desanka Maksimović.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Serbian lesson about Present Participle

Monday, July 13, 2015

Present Participle in Serbian

Present Participle in Serbian


After watching this short video lesson dedicated to present participle in Serbian, try to figure out which form to use!  Useful vocabulary:
  1. uživati = to enjoy (uživam, uživaš, uživa // uživamo, uživate, uživaju)
  2. gledati = to watch (gledam, gledaš, gleda // gledamo, gledate, gledaju)
  3. gledajući = watching (while watching)
  4. uživam gledajući... = I enjoy watching...
  5. slušati = to listen to (slušam, slušaš, sluša // slušamo, slušate, slušaju)
  6. slušajući = listening (while listening)
  7. smirivati = to calm down (smirujem, smiruješ, smiruje // smirujemo, smirujete, smiruju)
  8. smirujući = calming
  9. smrzavati = to freeze (smrzavam, smrzavaš, smrzava // smrzavamo, smrzavate, smrzavaju)
  10. provoditi = to spend (provodim, provodiš, provodi// provodimo, provodite, provode)
  11. obilaziti = to be visiting (obilazim, obilaziš, obilazi // obilazimo, obilazite, obilaze)
  12. obilazeći = visiting (while visiting)
  13. teći = to flow (tečem, tečeš, teče //  tečemo, tečete, teku)
  14. razmišljati = to think about (razmišljam, razmišljaš, razmišlja // razmišljamo, razmišljate, razmišljaju)
  15. razmišljajući = thinking (while thinking about)

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Practicing Montenegrin and Serbian with Songs

Monday, May 11, 2015

Serbian Vocabulary Exercise - Rooms


If you liked playing Quizlet games and practising your Serbian with my video lessons based on Quizlet, I'm sure you'll have fun learning some new vocabulary in Serbian today. This time it's all about rooms in a flat, as a short intro to a series of practical video lessons dedicated to the Locative case.



For the time being, let's simply practise pronunciation and spelling. For the brave ones here comes the test:



along with the links to other exercises:

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Serbian Expressions for Cheaper and More Expensive

A few days ago while I was preparing for my online lessons I came across this great video which can help you practice:
  • vocabulary (fruit and vegetables)
  • numbers and prices
  • comparing prices of certain products at two different markets in Novi Sad (Limanska pijaca vs. Kvantaš)



You can write or record a short report by answering to the following questions:

Limanska pijaca:

  1. Koje povrće je najjeftinije?
  2. Koliko košta krompir na limanskoj pijaci?
  3. Koje povrće je najskuplje?
  4. Koliko košta kilogram krastavaca?
  5. Koliko košta najskuplje povrće na limanskoj pijaci?
  6. Koje voće je najjeftinije?
  7. Koliko koštaju kurške?
  8. Koje voće je nešto jeftinije od kruški?
  9. Koje voće je najskuplje?
Kvantaška pijaca:
  1. Da li je ova pijaca skuplja ili jeftinija od limanske?
  2. Za koliko je paradajz jeftiniji?
  3. Koliko košta kilogram kupusa?
  4. Koliko košta crni luk?
  5. Koje voće ima istu cenu kao i na limanskoj pijaci?
  6. Koliko koštaju jabuke?
  7. Za koliko su jeftinije mandarine?
  8. Koliko novca se mora izdvojiti za pomorandže?

Serbian Expressions for Cheaper and More Expensive

Korisni izrazi kada pričamo o cenama = Useful expressions when talking about prices

  • ... se može naći po ceni od ...  = ... can be found at a price of ...
  • ... košta ... za kilogram =... costs ... per kilo
  • ... koštaju ... = ... cost ...
  • ... se može kupiti za ... = ... can be bought for ...
  • Za ... se mora/treba izdvojiti ... dinara = For ... one has/needs to pay ... dinars
  • ... je jeftinije / skuplje =... is cheaper/more expensive
  • ... su jeftinije i  mogu se kupiti po ceni od ... = ... are cheaper and can be bought at a price of...

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Fun Serbian Language Exercises

Can Serbian Language Exercises be Fun?

Kako da ne! For sure!

Let's watch the following video which should remind you of the famous "Night Watch" painting by Rembrandt:


After enjoying watching it, let's tell a story in the Serbian language. I'll try to help you with the list of the following verbs in Serbian and English:

  • šetati = to walk
  • sedeti = to sit
  • piti kafu = to drink coffee
  • čuti alarm = to hear
  • baciti konopac = to throw  a rope
  • trčati = to run
  • istrčati iz = to run out of
  • strčati niz = to run down
  • bežati (od) = to run away
  • probijati se kroz = to elbow one's way through 
  • preskočiti = to jump over
  • hvatati = to be catching
  • jahati = to ride
  • marširati = to march
  • penjati se = to climb
  • nišaniti = to aim at
  • uhvatiti = to catch
  • stati mirno = to stand still
  • stajati mirno = to be standing still
  • slikati = to take photos
Can you tell your version of The Night Watch story in Serbian while watching the video? If it is too difficult, let's write it first :)


Sunday, April 12, 2015

Happy Easter in Serbian

Hristos voskrese!



Lyrics:

Ljudi likujte, narodi čujte:
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!
Zvezde igrajte, gore pevajte,
Hristos voskrese, radost donese!
Šume šumite, vetri brujite,
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!
Mora gudite, zveri ričite,
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!
Pčele se rojte, a ptice pojte,
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!
Anđeli stojte, pesmu utrojte,
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!
Nebo se snizi, zemlju uzvisi,
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!
Zvona zvonite, svima javite,
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!
Slava ti Bože, sve ti se može,
Hristos voskrse, radost donese!

Sv. vladika Nikolaj Žički

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Easter Day in Serbia

Easter Day in Serbia

On Easter day people in Serbia crack their Easter eggs with one another, in search for the strongest egg :) We start from the early morning! At first, during breakfast we start cracking eggs and each of us keeps the strongest one. Then we meet with our relatives at Sunday lunch where we continue with this never-ending fight. There is usually one egg which beats all the rest and we keep it until the next year. 

In this video you can see what it looks like:



Here comes an exercise where you can practice the Genitive case together with the possessive form and comparatives (bolji / gori = better / worse; jači / slabiji = stronger / weaker; lepši / ružniji = nicer / uglier; manje / veće =smaller/bigger etc.). Watch the video first and then decide whose egg is stronger/better/weaker/worse! Have fun and a Happy Easter!

Advanced Serbian - Srpski kao drugi jezik

Gde je ključ? Где је кључ? - Učimo srpski sa Marinom
Gde je ključ? ...
Where is the Key?-...
By Marina Petrović
Photo book