Learn Serbian

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Šta radiš? What are you doing?

Marina Serbian Noun Declension practice , verb conjugations in Serbian

Take a look at the previous blogpost and let's try to explain why (ZAŠTO) we are waiting for someone or something.

Čekamo mamu da idemo u prodavnicu.

We are waiting for my mum to go to the shop.

Now. Let's do it together using 'we' (MI):

1. Čekamo autobus da idemo u Beograd.

2. Čekamo tatu da idemo na pijacu. (market)

3. Čekamo priljatelje da idemo na ručak. (lunch/dinner)

4. Čekamo rođake (relatives) da idemo na izlet. (picnic)

5. Čekamo decu (kids) da idemo na sajam. ( fair)

6. Čekamo roditelje (parents) da idemo u galeriju porcelana. (porcelain gallery)

Audio by Ivan

***** Now, you try the same but imagine you are talking about your friends :o)

Example: (Oni) čekaju mamu da idu u prodavnicu.

Šta vidiš? (What can you see?)

Marina Serbian Noun Declension practice , verb conjugations in Serbian

Šta vidiš? (What can you see?)

NOGA = leg, RUKA = arm, KOSA = hair

Vidim... nogU
noge

vidim... rukU
ruke

Vidim... kosU.

***************

OBRAZ = cheek, NOS = nose, OKO= eye

Vidim obraz. Vidim nos. Vidim oko.

To practise Plural forms click SkolaSrpskog
To listen to the pronunciation click our TalkGroup
To practise a little bit on your own, tell me what they can see, and check the answers in our Talk Group. Feel free to record your own answer :o)

Oni vide...
KUĆA (house), DRVO (tree), ZVUČNIK (loudspeaker), KAMERA (video cam), STOLICA (chair), STO (table), DETE (child)

Šta čekaš? Koga čekaš?

Marina Serbian Noun Declension practice , verb conjugations in Serbian

Šta čekaš? = What are you waiting for?

Čekam ...

... autobus

... voz

... avion

Koga čekaš? = Who are you waiting for?

TATA= dad, MAMA=mum, ĆERKA= daughter

Čekam tatu.

Čekam mamu.

Čekam ćerku.

PRIJATELJ=friend, BRAT = brother, KONOBAR = waiter

Čekam prijatelja.

Čekam brata.

Čekam konobara.

Now, it's your turn... Who is he waiting for? He is waiting for...

Sada je red na vas... Koga on čeka? On čeka...

baba (granny), deda (grandpa), drug (friend), sestra (sister), šef (boss), dečko (boyfriend), devojka (girlfriend)

For the key, check the comments tomorrow
For the Plural Version, check SkolaSrpskog
For pronunciation, check our Talk Group at VoxoPop

Šta čuješ ? What can you hear?

Marina Serbian Noun Declension practice , verb conjugations in Serbian

Let's learn the following words in context:

piano = taj klavir,
sea = to more,
bell = to zvono,
clock = taj sat,

violin =ta violina
guitar = ta gitara
song = ta pesma

So, let's see what happens with the noun after the verb
HEAR = ČUTI

Šta čuješ? Čujem...
...klavir.

... more

... zvono

... sat

Šta ona čuje? (What can she hear?)
Ona čuje...

... gitaru

... violinu

... pesmu

Now, you try the same with 'ON'' (HE) "Šta on čuje? ..." and record it via VoxoPop

What is it? Šta je ovo?

Marina speaking drills ,

It looks like...

Meni izgleda kao neka lopta.
Meni liči na neku loptu.

Meni izgleda kao kugla sladoleda.
Meni liči na kuglu sladoleda.

Izgleda mi kao galerija.
Liči mi na galeriju.

Capital Letters in Serbian

Marina capital letters , pravopis

Velika slova u srpskom jeziku

The intitial capital letter in Serbian is used for:

1. name, surname and nick name (Nikola Tesla, Josip Broz Tito)
2. nationalities as nouns, but not corresponding adjectives signifying a language or nationality
(Englez - an Englishman, engleski jezik =the English language, engleska zastava= English flag)
3. names of countries, continents, cities (Srbija, Evropa, Beograd)
4. companies, sports associations and edifices (Bambi-Banat, Savezna skupstina, Spartak)
5. wars, battles (Drugi svetski rat = World War II)
6. holidays (Bozic, Uskrs)
7. space objects (Mlecni put, Sunce, Mesec)

Speaking practice with Accusative, Questions and Conjugations

Marina Accusative in Serbian , Question form in Serbian

Watch this video and do the following exercises:

Speaking Exercise 1.
***Say the coulours as you see them (key in the comment)
Speaking Exercise 2.
*** Start with simple sentences such as:
''I like (green colour)/I don't like (blue colour)"
= VOLIM ZELENu /NE VOLIM PLAVu
(bear in mind that after this verb you need Accusative case:
plava boja --->plavu boju )
Speaking Exercise 3.
*** Say what you see (videti) "I can see (blue colour)" = VIDIM PLAVu BOJu
Speaking Exercise 4.
*** Ask a question "Can you see blue or green colour?"
a. form > DA LI VIDIŠ PLAVu ILI ZELENu BOJu?
b. form> VIDIŠ LI PLAVu ILI ZELENu BOJu?
--- exercises 3 and 4 include Present Simple Conjugations for the first and second person Singular, but you can make it for the plural and/or Past Simple as well (I'll give you one example in the following exercise)
Speaking Exercise 5.
*** Say what you've seen "I've seen/saw blue colour"
(Fem) VIDELA SAM PLAVu BOJu
(Masc) VIDEO SAM PLAVu BOJu
Speaking Exercise 6.
*** Ask a question in the past :
"Which colour have you seen?"
(Fem) KOJU SI BOJu VIDELA?
(Masc) KOJU SI BOJu VIDEO?
"Did you see blue colour?"
(Fem) DA LI SI VIDELA PLAVu BOJu?
(Masc) DA LI SI VIDEO PLAVu BOJu?

HAVE FUN = UŽIVAJTE

Festival Time soon

Ahoythere Online mini-dictionary ,

The Serbian National Tourist Office has produced a handy mini-dictionary on their webpage:

MINI-DICTIONARY

http://www.srbija.travel/about-serbia/typically-serbian/mini-dictionary/?lang=en

This may be useful for those of you intending to visit Serbia.

Little Library in Serbian

Marina Listening comprehension , Serbian literature

As you probably know, extensive reading and listening are the best way to learn a language easily and naturally. That's why I'd like to invite all the readers of this blog to become regular followers/listeners of this precious site:www.malabiblioteka.com. I am sure you'll enjoy building up your listening and reading skills by simply flicking through its colourful pages.

Uživajte!

Nouns with Prefixes in Serbian

Marina Noun Prefixes , Prefixes in Serbian

Srpske imenice sa prefiksima

1. BEZ- (meaning of this prefix: 'without')
n.p. (e.g.) beskućnik, bezakonje, bezvlašće

2. ZA- (meaning of this prefix is 'behind')
n.p. zavetrina, zauške, zapećak

3. MEĐU- (meaning 'between', both for time and space)
n.p. međusprat, međuprostor, međuigra

4. NA- (meaning 'on')
n.p. načelnik (head of the dept/institution, literally '0n forehead person'), narečje (dialect)

5. NAD - ('above')
n.p. nadvojvoda, nadbiskup, nadstrešnica

6. NE- ('non')
n.p. neznanje (znanje=knowledge), neuspeh (uspeh=success)

7. NUZ- ('additional')
n.p. nusprostorija, nuspojava

8. PO- ('after, afterwards', 'adoptive')
n.p. pogovor, ponedeljak (after Sunday), pomajka, pobratim, poglavlje, poslastica

9. POD- ('under or sub')
n.p. podnaslov (subtitle), potkošulja (vest), podstanar (tenant), podsvest (subconsciousness)

10. PRA- ('ancestry')
n.p. prababa (great grandma), pradeda (great grandpa), pračovek ('prehistoric man')

11. PRED- ('before', 'front')
n.p. predstraža, predjelo, predvečerje

12. PRI- ('close, near')
n.p. primorje (coastal = close to the see (more)), prikolica, prikrajak, priručnik

13. PROTIV- ('against')
n.p. protivnapad, protivprimer, protivteža, protivusluga

14. RAZ- ('dividing')
n.p. razdoblje, raskršće (krst =cross, crossroads)

15. SA- ('together or with')
n.p. saputnik (putnik=passenger, companion), saborac, sazvučje

16. SU- (similar to 'SA-')
n.p. suosnivač=saosnivač (cofounder), sugrađanin, suvlasnik, suvozač (or nowadays borrowed 'KO', as in kopilot (copilot), koatuor (coauthor)...)

17. U- ('in')
n.p. ukućanin (living 'in house'), ukosnica

18. UZ- (similar to 'along or with')
n.p. uzrečica, uzglavlje

19. O- ('about, around', or sometimes used without any specific meaning)
n.p. ogrlica, okučnica, opušak, ogranak

"Nepostojano a" in Serbian Adjectives

Marina nepostojano A , Serbian adjectives

''Nepostojano a'' (movable, or fleeting 'a' ) with adjectives :

Masculine - Feminine - Neuter

... čovek (man) - ... žena (woman) - ... dete (child)

dobar čovek - dobra žena - dobro dete (good)

hitar - hitra - hitro (fast)

čudan - čudna - čudno (funny, strange)

važan - važna - važno (important)

ogroman - ogromna - ogromno (huge, enormous)

tanak - tanka - tanko (thin)

šupalj - šuplja - šuplje (hollow)

šuplje drvo

Declension in Serbian - Plural, practice

Marina Serbian Noun Declension practice ,

Ovo je prodavnica igracaka. Pogledajte, imamo veliki izbor! Mozete kupiti sta god pozelite za svoje dete:

brod-1, auto -2, cekic -3, lutka-4, kompjuter-5, kockica-6, knjiga-7, maketa aviona -8, karta-9, bojica-10, traktor -11

(now write the appropriate plural forms of the following nouns - boat, car, hammer, doll, computer, builiding block, book, model plane, card, coloured pencil, tractor ...)

Noun Declensions in Serbian - practice

Marina Serbian Noun Declension practice ,

Imam _______1_______ (prijatelj) koji živi u ______2_______ (Italija). On je _____3_______ (doktor) po zanimanju. Prošle _______4_____ (godina) sam prolazio kroz _____5_____ (Italija) i odlučio sam da ga posetim. Hteo sam da ga iznenadim, pa sam ga pozvao _____6_____ (telefon). Kada sam čuo njegov _____7_____(glas), rekao sam: " ______8______ (doktor) i ______9_____ (prijatelj), izgubio sam se u ovoj prelepoj _____10_____(zemlja), mislim da se zove ______11____ (Italija)." On se samo nasmejao i odgovorio:" Ako si ti moj _____12______ (prijatelj) iz ____13______ (Srbije), onda svrati na ___14______ (kafa). Živim u visokoj _____15______ (zgrada) na ___16______ (ugao), u ____17_______ (stan) na poslednjem _____18______ (sprat). Ako se opet izgubiš, stvarno ti treba _______19________ (doktor)."

"What's the matter with you?" in Serbian

Marina Serbian idioms ,

"Koji ti je andrak?" (what's the matter with you? what is wrong with you?) ... a blast from the past ! I was so happy when I came across this phrase which I haven't heard for ages :o) Where do words hide when they grow old?

Noun Declension in Serbian: 1st Declension, part 1

Marina 1st Declension , Serbian Noun Declension

According to the case suffixes, nouns in Serbian can be grouped into three or four declensions (the order and number hasn't been established yet). I'll list the three most commonly presented ones, starting from the most complex one, which is often subdivided, depending on the noun gender and its stem ending:

1. Declension:

Masculine nouns ending in a consonant
Neuter nouns ending in -o or -e

*Note that Masc. nouns in Sg. Acc. is the same as the Genetive if the noun denotes an 'animate concept', like human being or an animal, while the 'inanimate' ones are objects, but also plants and groups of people or animals (like 'a people'= 'narod' or pack (of wolves)= 'čopor')

** All Neuter nouns have the same form for Nominative, Accusative and Vocative, which is really great :o)

*** With Masc. nouns ending in palatal 'j, lj, nj, č, dž, đ, ć, š, ž'
a/ in Sg. Instrumental case it will end in 'em', instead of 'om'
b/ in Sg. Vocative case it will end in 'u' instead of 'e'

	ANIMATE	ANIMATE	non-ANIMATE	non-ANIMATE
Sing.
	non-palatal ending	palatal	non-palatal	palatal ending
Nom	DOKTOR	PRIJATELJ	BROD	ČEKIĆ
Gen	DOKTOR-A	PRIJATELJ-A	BROD-A	ČEKIĆ-A
Dative	DOKTOR-U	PRIJATELJ-U	BROD-U	ČEKIĆ-U
Acc	DOKTOR-E	PRIJATELJ-A	BROD	ČEKIĆ
Voc	DOKTOR-E	PRIJATELJ-U	BROD-E	ČEKIĆ-U
Inst	DOKTOR-OM	PRIJATELJ-EM	BROD-OM	ČEKIĆ-EM
Loc	DOKTOR-U	PRIJATELJ-U	BROD-U	ČEKIĆ-U

****The pattern for Plural being the same for all the forms:

Nom	DOKTOR-I
Gen	DOKTOR-A
Dative	DOKTOR-IMA
Acc	DOKTOR-E
Voc	DOKTOR-I
Inst	DOKTOR-IMA
Loc	DOKTOR-IMA

*****Elongated Plural can be seen in the majority of one syllable and a good part of two syllable nouns. In the plural they get 'OV' or with palatal ones 'EV':

	Elongated' = longer form
Nom	STAN-ov-I
Gen	STAN-ov-A
Dative	STAN-ov-IMA
Acc	STAN-ov-E
Voc	STAN-ov-I
Inst	STAN-ov-IMA
Loc	STAN-ov-IMA

******* Sometimes, if the noun ends in -c, -s, -z or -t, there is an ending in -ev (e.g. vicevi (jokes), nosevi (noses) , putevi (roads) )

Well, as you can see, this is just the beginning of the story about Noun Declensions. If you are learning Serbian, I'd like to ask you if you find it easier to learn the language in this 'grammar oriented' fashion, or simply 'by ear'?

Latin Alphabet to/from Cyrillic Serbian Script

Marina Serbian proverbs ,

Here comes a great link to script conversion. I needed some urgent Latin to Cyrillic script conversion yesterday night, and after trying out a few sites, this one proved to be the best.

So, let's try it out by rewriting the following Serbian proverb from the Cyrillic script into Latin Alphabet:

Ко не плати руком, он ће душом.

Now let's translate the phrase to English using online dictionaries (you might get different funny sentences):

1. Who do not pays handful , him will sweetheart.
2. Who doesn't pay the hand, it is soul.

Well, does it make sense? Does anyone have an idea what the correct translation is?

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

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