Written by: Milica Bokšan

You might wonder why you need a whole blog post to explain how to say How are you in Serbian.

Well, soon, you will see that there are a couple of variations of this greeting depending on the occasion and who you are talking to.

Asking someone how they are is essential to everyday conversation.

It’s an act of politeness.

But why stick to just one way of saying it? Serbian is an expressive language, so let’s explore and learn different ways to ask How are you in Serbian.

#1 Basic version – Kako si?

Let’s start with the most common and straightforward way to say ‘How are you?’ in Serbian:

            – Kako si? (= How are you?)

It is an informal way of greeting.

Serbs are using it among friends or family.

If you’re meeting a friend for coffee, this is what you’ll ask them as soon as you sit down. It’s simple and direct.

how are you in serbian friends chatting
Kako si? is the first thing Serbs ask when meeting with friends

Also, if you are walking down the street and meet some familiar peers, you can ask them how they are using this basic version.

But what if you’re talking to someone older or in a formal setting?

Well, that brings us to the next variation.

#2 Formal Version – Kako ste?

In Serbian, there is a formal and polite form for addressing people, especially elders or people in positions of authority.

For this, we use:

Kako ste? (= How are you?)

Do you see the difference between formal and informal ‘How are you’ in Serbian?

In the formal way of greeting, we used ste instead of si.

This is because ste is the plural and formal version of ‘you are’. It’s polite and respectful and shows that you’re aware of social norms, which is important in Serbian culture.

In Serbia, the polite way of talking to elders or authorities (such as professors, for example) is called persiranje.

So, if you’re meeting your friend’s parents or chatting with a new colleague, telling them: Kako ste? is the way to go.

#3 Friendly Version – Kako si mi (ti)?

This is a slightly more personalized way of asking how someone is and the literal translation would be: How are you to me?

When using this version, people can emphasize the word Ti (= You).

And no, it doesn’t mean how someone is treating you.

Kako si mi ti? (= How are you?) can feel friendlier and warmer than regular Kako si?.

You’ll likely hear this in conversations between close family members or friends, where the connection is a bit more personal.

It shows people that you’re really interested in how they are doing.

how are you in serbian friends coffee
Kako si mi ti? can also be used as a way to change the topic of conversation

#4 Direct version – Kako se osećaš?

If you want to go deeper into someone’s feelings and sound a bit more formal and traditional, you can say: Kako se osećaš? (= How do you feel?)

This phrase goes beyond the basic ‘How are you?’ and asks more directly about someone’s emotional or physical state.

You might hear this when someone is genuinely concerned or really interested in general about your well-being.

It’s less common in casual conversation.

Slang Versions of How Are You in Serbian

Besides these regular ways to ask someone how they feel, more ways have established themselves among the people.

Serbian slang is an important part of Serbian language and culture.

Serbs use them very often, so let’s mention them and explain when to use them.

#5 Šta ima?

The Serbian language has a lot of slang words and phrases. This is one of them.

So, if you want to sound like a local, you can say:

Šta ima? (= What’s up?)

It’s a more casual, modern way of asking how someone’s doing.

This version of How are you in Serbian is suitable for talking to close friends or peers you encounter on the street.

It doesn’t necessarily expect a deep answer.

Answers could be simple:

Nema ništa. or Evo ništa. (= There’s nothing much.)

or:

Evo. (= Here.)

Evo in this context is often used when someone doesn’t know what to tell you or how they feel. Sometimes it is even followed by a sigh. The conversation usually just follows after this. For example: Evo, šta ima kod tebe? (lit. Here, what’s up with you?)

#6 Kako ide?

The literal translation of this How are you in Serbian phrase is ‘How is it going?’

You can use this phrase when asking someone about their day, a project they’re working on, or even life in general.

how are you in serbian girls on the street
You can use Šta ima? if you talk with someone you haven’t seen for a while

It’s less personal than Kako si?

#7 Si dobro?

This version already contains the answer.

It means: ‘Are you okay?’

This version of How are you in Serbian is appropriate when you have known a person for quite some time but are still just acquaintances, not close friends.

Si dobro? is a slang and one of the casual greetings.

Important to know: This greeting isn’t grammatically correct, therefore you should not use it when writing something formal such as a letter or an email. This is a short form of the grammatically correct version – Jesi li dobro? or Da li si dobro?

#8 ‘de si?      

Another grammatically incorrect but often used in informal speech is ‘de si?’

This is abbreviated from Gde si? and the apostrophe is used instead of the letter ‘G’.

It literally means ‘Where are you?’

In Serbian, it can be used to ask someone where they are or as a greeting instead of ‘Hello’, ‘Hey’, or ‘What’s up?’. In this case, when it is used instead of greeting, it doesn’t require an actual answer about your location.

‘de si? is completely informal, and people use it only when they talk with their peers, close friends or younger family members.

This is definitely one of those regional phrases that makes you sound like you’ve been living in Serbia for years!

The secret to sounding like a native speaker is to use some famous phrases of a certain language.

#9 Kako si bre?

Ah, the famous Serbian word Bre.

It doesn’t have an exact translation, but it adds emphasis and a bit of flair to whatever you’re saying.

You’ll hear Serbian use Bre in many Serbian expressions, especially in informal or friendly conversations.

It adds a bit of personality to your conversation and makes things sound more casual.

Just be careful where you use it — this is strictly for friends and casual encounters.

Bonus: Responses to How Are You in Serbian

Now that you know how to ask someone How are you in Serbian, you should also know how to respond if they ask you the same question.

These are some most common responses:

Dobro sam. (I’m okay. / I’m good.)

Evo dobro. (I’m well (informal))

Nije loše. (Not bad.)

Odlično! (I’m excellent!)

Super! (I’m great!)

Onako. (So-so.)

Nisam baš najbolje. (I am not doing quite well.)

how are you in serbian girl happy enjoying
Good music is one of the proven ways to put you in a great mood

To Sum Up

This is one of the basic Serbian expressions, and if you want to speak like a local, you should learn at least a couple of these versions.

Be careful which one you use so you don’t seem impolite.

But, even if you made a mistake, you just say that you just started learning the fundamentals of Serbian!

If you want to avoid mistakes when speaking Serbian, you can schedule your Serbian online lessons.

You can master this interesting language probably faster than you expect!