Most Frequent Phrases in Serbian - I Need

I need = Treba mi

I guess one of the most needed verbs in a language must be the verb to need = trebati :) It is a really handy word in Serbian, because of the two following reasons:

Firstly, this verb doesn't conjugate, because in its simplest meaning "I need (something)" we actually use "Treba mi" where "mi" means "to me". If you want to say "You need", it will be "Treba Vam" (formal version) or "Treba ti" (informal version). Therefore, you'll simply change the pronoun as follows:

• TREBA mi hamburger
• TREBA ti pica 
• TREBA mu vino (to him / it = mu)
• TREBA joj muzika (to her = joj)
• TREBA  nam restoran (to us =nam)
• TREBA vam /Vam burek (to you - You = vam/Vam)
• TREBA im mleko (to them = im)

Secondly, because in Serbian this phrase sounds like the passive in deep structure, the noun always takes a subject case, which is Nominative. (A hamburger is needed to/by me = Treba mi hamburger). Therefore, you don't need to change its form, i.e. no declension :) Lovely! Take a look at the previous examples and the words which follow "Treba ... " phrase. No cases, at all:

1. hamburger - a hamburger
2. pica - a pizza
3. vino - a wine
4. muzika - music
5. restoran - a restaurant
6. burek - burek (a special kind of pie)
7. mleko - milk

Now, let's practice the pronunciation of this useful phrase together:

1. Šta ti treba? = What do you need?

2. Šta Vam treba? = What do You need? (formal one)

3. Treba mi = I need

4. Ne treba mi = I don't need

Tomorrow, we'll be doing some exercises connected with this video lesson and recording our own XO game :D