So, you’ve packed your life in a couple of suitcases and moved to a whole new country. The new reality is exciting but also a
Sanja Markovic
January 23, 2026
Have you gotten the hang of your greetings, intros, and basic vocab and grammar? Great! Now it’s time to make your words pop. Whatever you’re saying can and should become more descriptive, colorful, and nuanced. The best (and the most effortless) way to do this is by putting Serbian adverbs into action.
But don’t be alarmed. You don’t have to cram up on a whole new set of word lists. All it takes is turning the adjectives you already know into adverbs.
So, grab a cup of coffee (Turkish, for best results) and read on because we’re about to break it all down in this guide. Ready? Here we go!
In Serbian, adverbs are called prilozi. And if that word rings a bell, you’re not imagining things. Prilog is also the word for toppings — ketchup, mayo, lettuce — everything you put on your burger to make it more delicious.
And come to think of it, you can see adverbs as toppings on your favorite ćevapi or pizza. The main dish is your verb, plain and simple. But sprinkle on a little adverb, and suddenly it’s juicy, spicy, or perfectly sweet.
Anyway, we’ve got a delightful piece of news here: Serbian adverbs have no gender, number, or case. In other words, what you see is what you get — no suffixes or headaches.
Another great thing is that you can make use of words you already know. More precisely, you can turn adjectives into adverbs.
Not quite. In most cases, this method applies to adverbs of manner — the ones that describe how something is done.
So no shortcuts with adverbs like:
Since these don’t come from adjectives, you need to learn them as separate vocabulary.
But adverbs such as beautifully, slowly, loudly, clearly, angrily — these you can form from adjectives, and the process is wonderfully simple.
The formula is a no-brainer. All you need is an adjective in its neuter form. For reference, Serbian adjectives come in three genders, masculine, feminine, and neuter.
For instance, let’s use the adjective lep (beautiful):
masculine: lep
feminine: lepa
neuter: lepo
The neuter form — lepo — is your adverb. That’s it. No suffixes, no extra endings, no irregular twists.
Here’s how it works in practice:
adjective: Dete je lepo. (The child is beautiful.)
adverb: Dete lepo peva. (The child sings beautifully.)
What if you only know the masculine form, though? No problem. In most cases, you simply add -o to the masculine form to get the adverb: tih (quiet) → tiho (quietly)
Finally, we should add that some adjectives ending with -an lose the a when forming the adverb. For example:glasan (loud) → glasno
This sound change is known as fleeting a and though it may seem tricky at first, you’ll get used to it in no time.
With the basics out of the way, it’s time to put this knowledge into practice. Here are the example sentence pairs to help you develop a natural feel for the transformation.
Gepard je brz.
(The cheetah is fast.)
Gepard brzo trči.
(The cheetah runs fast.)
On priča na tečnom srpskom jeziku.
(He speaks fluent Serbian.)
On priča srpski tečno.
(He speaks Serbian fluently.)
Ovaj film je strašan.
(This movie is scary.)
Strašno me nervira kad ljudi mljackaju dok jedu.
(It seriously annoys me when people smack while eating.)
As you can see from the example, strašno is one of those adverbs that can be used freely for emphasis, similar to really or terribly.
Video sam besnog psa na ulici.
(I saw a rabid dog in the street.)
Besno me je pogledao.
(He looked at me furiously.)
Ona je srećna danas.
(She is happy today.)
Ona se srećno nasmejala.
(She smiled happily.)
Situacija je ozbiljna.
(The situation is serious.)
On ništa ne shvata ozbiljno.
(He takes nothing seriously.)
Once it all starts to make sense, try making your own examples and use them in real situations.
To compare adverbs, simply use the comparative and superlative neuter singular forms of the adjective. Since adverbs don’t change based on gender, number, or case, you only need one form.
Let’s revisit the adjective lep:
And used as adverbs:
positive: On lepo crta.
(He draws beautifully.)
comparative: On lepše crta.
(He draws more beautifully.)
superlative: On najlepše crta
(He draws the most beautifully.)
Same rules, zero extra complications.
If you want to brush up on comparatives and superlatives, check out our full guide — it’ll make this part even easier.
Before we wrap up, give this quiz a go. Turn each adjective into an adverb and fill in the blank. All the provided adjectives are in the singular masculine form, nominative case.
adjective: brz
adjective: tih
adjective: lep
adjective: pažljiv
adjective: lak
adjective: spor
adjective: tužan
Done? Then scroll all the way down for answers.
Not everyone is a fan, but grammar in small doses will boost the way you communicate in a new language — big time. Luckily, Serbian adverbs are a simple yet powerful tool for expressing your thoughts with more precision and depth.
And since practice is the key to sounding smoother and more confident, you may as well practice in good company. Our group Serbian lessons give you the chance to build your skills with all the fun and support, and none of the stress. Apply today and see you in class!
So, you’ve packed your life in a couple of suitcases and moved to a whole new country. The new reality is exciting but also a
When exploring Serbia, you may feel a different vibe in each city. Head south and you’ll notice things getting increasingly hectic, flavorful, and passionate compared