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You’re in Serbia, and after a long walk, you’re starving. Thankfully, there’s a fast food shop right in front of you. You get there in a second and can already see yourself devouring a juicy hamburger dripping with hot cheese. As you look at the menu, you see there’s no English and, suddenly, it hits you – you don’t know how to talk about food in Serbian!
Since no one deserves to starve because of a language barrier, we’ve collected the essential phrases to help you talk about food in Serbian. We’ve covered everything, from basic food vocab to ordering at a restaurant. Take a look!
To lay the base, let’s talk about food groups and basic groceries.
Serbian | English |
brašno | flour |
hleb | bread |
musli | muesli |
testenina | pasta/noodles |
ovsena kaša | oatmeal |
Serbian | English |
jabuka | apple |
banana | banana |
pomorandža | orange |
lubenica | watermelon |
malina | raspberry |
Serbian | English |
kupus | cabbage |
paprika | bell pepper |
šargarepa | carrot |
crni luk | onion |
beli luk | garlic |
pasulj | beans |
zelena salata | lettuce |
krompir | potato |
paradajz | tomato |
Serbian | English |
piletina | chicken |
svinjetina | pork |
junetina | beef |
jagnjetina | lamb |
slanina | bacon |
tunjevina | canned tuna |
losos | salmon |
dagnje | mussels |
Serbian | English |
mleko | milk |
sir | cheese |
jogurt | yogurt |
maslac | butter |
pavlaka | sour cream |
Unsurprisingly, Serbs are big on food. It’s not uncommon for them to slaughter an entire cow just because it’s somebody’s birthday. And Christmas is the Doomsday for any farm pig in this country. Yes, Serbs love their meat.
Also, hleb (bread). An average Serb eats bread with everything – meat, salad, pasta. You name it. They even eat bread with bread. If you invite your Serbian friend to dinner but forget to serve bread, you’ll probably hear: “Kako da jedem bez hleba?” (How can I eat it without bread?).
So what do Serbs eat for each meal?
One of the Serbian favorite breakfasts is burek. This meaty pie dripping with oil sure isn’t the healthiest choice. However, it’s satisfying and a great way to start the day. Also, don’t forget to drink a cup of jogurt with burek.
Of course, there are so many choices, but some of the staples are supa (soup), salata (salad), and some kind of meso (meat). And don’t forget hleb!
Most Serbs prefer a quick dinner. So, some of the choices are špagete (spaghetti), pica (pizza), or domaća pita sa sirom (homemade cheese pie).
No matter how delicious a meal is, the experience is incomplete unless we let people know about it. Social animals that we are, we love to brag about an extravagant dinner or an old family recipe. So let’s talk about describing food.
Serbian | English | ||
ukusno | delicious | ||
odlično | excellent | ||
bezukusno | tasteless | ||
odvratno | disgussting | ||
slatko | preslatko | sweet | too sweet |
slano | preslano | salty | too salty |
ljuto | spicy | ||
gorko | bitter | ||
kiselo | sour | ||
So, the easiest way to talk about food is this:
Ovaj/ova/ovo …………… (food) je …………… (adjective).
For example:
Of course, if you’re in Serbia, going to a restaurant for some scrumptious Serbian food is a must. Here’s all you need to know to navigate this experience.
Serbian | English | ||
restoran | restaurant | ||
rezervacija | booking | ||
konobar | konobarica | waiter | waitress |
meni | menu | ||
piće | drink | ||
naručiti | to order | ||
platiti | to pay | ||
račun | bill | ||
Želim da rezervišem sto za 2 osobe.
I want to book a table for 2 people.
Šta želite da naručite?
What would you like to order?
Šta želite za piće?
What would you like to drink?
Želim da naručim kobasice i točeno pivo.
I want to order sausages and a draft beer.
Mogu li da dobijem račun?
Can I have the bill?
Keš ili kartica?
Cash or credit card?
Surely, you can’t experience Serbian food without trying fast food. Now, unlike most fast food chains with their itty bitty burgers, street fast food is huge and delicious. So, how can you get it?
Serbian | English |
pljeskavica | burger |
ćevapi | finger-shaped grilled ground meat |
pileće belo meso | chicken filet |
pileći batak | Chicken thigh |
ražnjići | skewers |
pomfrit | French fries |
prilozi | toppings |
Može jedna pljeskavica i veliki pomfrit?
Can I have a burger and large French fries?
Za ovde ili da pakujem?
Are you going to eat here or should I pack it (for takeout)?
Šta ćete od priloga?
What toppings would you like?
Zelenu salatu, majonez i malo senfa.
Lettuce, mayo, and a bit of mustard.
Ne treba kusur.
Keep the change.
So, should you tip when you’re in Serbia? And if yes, when and how much?
Since there aren’t specific rules about tipping, leaving a tip isn’t mandatory. However, it shows good manners and appreciation for the service that you receive.
Generally, you’re supposed to tip at restaurants and cafes. Tipping isn’t necessary at fast food shops, but you can leave some change if you want.
Also, there’s no strict rule about how much to tip, but 10-15% is an unspoken rule. However, if you don’t want to calculate the percentage, you can simply round it up. To illustrate, if your bill is 820 rsd, you can pay 900 rsd. Simple isn’t it?
Finally, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test. In this exercise, choose the word that best fits the context. After you finish, you can check your answers below the article.
Since you’re now equipped with the essential phrases necessary to talk about food in Serbian, use them any chance you get. From ordering at a restaurant to trying out traditional Serbian recipes, there are numerous ways to enjoy Serbian cuisine and practice the language. Two birds with one stone, right?
And if you want to practice and talk to learners who share your passion for Serbian food and language, book our group Serbian conversation classes and learn while having a great time.
Answer key:
Do you sometimes feel like your Serbian lacks flair? You’ve got all your grammar points in order and memorized all the vocabulary you might need
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5 Responses
Very nice article, exactly what I needed.