Written by: Milica Bokšan
If you want to master the Serbian language, learning Serbian question words is a must.
We are very communicative people, and we use them a lot. Like, really, a lot. 🙂
Therefore, we have prepared a blog post summarizing all Serbian question words with examples to help you understand them as much as possible!
Ready?
Let’s dive in!
#1 Serbian Question Words: Šta
The most common question word in Serbian is Šta, which means ’what’.
It can be used in various contexts, such as asking about things, actions, or ideas.
When you start the conversation, whether in person or via phone, you will ask:
- Šta radiš? (= What are you doing?)
Except for this basic usage, you can also use Šta like this:
- Šta je ovo? (= What is this?)
Or:
- Šta misliš o tome? (= What do you think about it?)
- Šta se desilo? (= What happened?)
#2 Serbian Question Words: Ko
Ko is the Serbian question word for ’who’.
It is always used to ask something related to people, directly or about a particular action or situation.
For example:
- Ko je to? (= Who is that?)
- Ko je to uradio? (= Who did that?)
- Ko ti je rekao? (= Who told you that?)
#3 Serbian Question Words: Gde
When we want to ask about places, locations, or directions, we will use Gde. It means ’where’.
Here’s how to use it in sentences:
- Gde živi Marija? (= Where Marija lives?)
- Gde idemo večeras? (= Where are we going tonight?)
- Gde si ostavio ključ? (= Where did you leave the key?)
#4 Serbian Question Words: Kuda
When we want to ask someone for directions, we more often use Kuda, which can be translated as ’where (to)’.
For example:
- Kuda treba da idem da stignem do pozorišta? (= Where should I go to get to the theater?)
#5 Serbian Question Word: Odakle
When you talk to someone and want to ask them where they are coming from, you will use Odakle (= where from).
For example:
- Odakle si? (= Where are you from?)
You can also use Odakle to ask someone where they got something from and so on.
- Odakle ti te cipele? (= Where did you get those shoes from?)
- Odakle ti to? (= Where did you get that from?/Where did you get that idea from?)
#6 Serbian Question Words: Kada
Kada is the question word for ’when’.
We used it to find out when some event or appointment takes place.
For example:
- Kada počinje koncert? (= When the concert start?)
- Kada dolaziš? (= When are you coming?)
You will often see and hear this word as kad. There is no difference in meaning between kada and kad in Serbian.
#7 Serbian Question Word: Kako
Kako is a question word for ’how’.
It is used in many situations, from asking about a person’s well-being to asking how something is done.
The most basic usage is:
- Kako si? (= How are you?)
In this sense we can use it as a slang speech, too:
- Kako ide? (= How is it going?)
Other ways to use Kako are:
- Kako se zoveš? (= What’s your name?) (DON’T SAY: Šta se zoveš?)
- Kako da dođem do tvoje kuće? (= How do I get to your house?)
- Kako da pošaljem mejl? (= How do I send an email?)
As you can see in the first example, the way of using the question words in Serbian and English is not always the same. You will need to learn these examples by heart, unfortunately.
#8 Serbian Question Words: Zašto
Zašto means ’why’ in Serbian, and it’s used when you want to know the reason behind something or ask about causes or motives.
For example:
- Zašto si tužan? (= Why are you sad?)
- Zašto kasniš? (= Why are you late?)
We can use it to complain about something and not expect an answer, like:
- Zašto pada kiša sad? (= Why is it raining?)
Don’t mix this question word with zato što. Zato što means ’because’ in Serbian, so you will use it to give an answer to the question beginning with Zašto.
#9 Serbian Question Words: Koliko
Serbian Question Word Koliko is usually translated as ’how much’ or ’how many’.
It is used to ask about quantity. Let’s explain this through examples.
1. Asking someone about their age in Serbian:
- Koliko imaš godina? (= How old are you?)
2. Asking about prices:
- Koliko košta kilo krompira? (= How much does a kilogram of potatoes cost?)
- Koliko je ova majica? (= How much is this shirt?)
3. Asking about quantity in general:
- Koliko traje predstava? (= How long does the show last?)
- Koliko često ideš na plivanje? (= How often do you go swimming?)
- Koliko dece imaš? (= How many children do you have?)
#10 Serbian Question Word: Čiji
The Serbian word for ’whose’ is Čiji.
It’s used when asking about personal belongings.
We will use it like this:
- Čija je ovo torba? (= Whose bag is this?) (feminine)
- Čiji je ovo pas? (= Whose dog is this?) (masculine)
- Čije je ovo dete? (= Whose child is this?) (neuter)
As you can see there is a different letter in these examples, that’s because this Serbian question word distinguishes gender. It follows the gender of the noun for which we need more information (čija – torba; čiji – pas), not the actual person to whom something belongs.
It also distinguishes singular and plural:
- Čije su ovo cipele? (= Whose shoes are these?)
- Čiji su ovo automobili? (= Whose cars are these?)
- Čija su ovo mišljenja? (= Whose opinions are these?)
#11 Serbian Question Words: Kakav
When you want to inquire about the type or quality of something, you should use Kakav.
In English it is usually translated as ’what kind of’ or ’how’.
As well as Čiji, Kakav also has its forms for different genders.
1. masculine: Kakav
– Kakav film voliš da gledaš? (= What kind of movies you like to watch?)
2. feminine: Kakva
– Kakva kafa ti se sviđa? (= What kind of coffee do you like?)
3. neuter: Kakvo
– Kakvo je vreme napolju? (= What’s the weather like outside?)
This Serbian question word also has the plural form: Kakvi, Kakve and Kakva.
#12 Serbian Question Words: Da li
In Serbian, we can form questions by using Da li before adding a statement. It’s the usual way of forming questions in Serbian, like ’do’ or ’does’ in English. It doesn’t mean anything, we just use it to make a question.
For example:
- Da li voliš da učiš jezike? (= Do you like learning languages?)
- Da li ideš na posao? (= Are you going to work?)
- Da li si se lepo proveo na tvom rođendanu? (= Did you have a good time on your birthday?)
Exercise: Try talking about whether using some of these question words.
#13 Serbian Question Words: Koji
Koji means ’which (one)’ in Serbian. Examples:
- Koji je naš autobus? (= Which one is our bus?)
- Koje parče torte hoćeš, manje ili veće? (= Which piece of cake do you want, the smaller one or the bigger one?)
This question word is often translated as ’What’ in English. Examples:
- Koji je tvoj broj telefona? (= What is your phone number?)
- Koji je tvoj problem? (= What’s your problem?)
- Koji broj cipela ti treba? (= What size of shoes do you need?)
As we said above, those examples need to be memorized by heart. Don’t try finding a special logic behind them. 🙂
It’s Time to Sum Up!
If you’ve made it to the end – congratulations! 🙂
The fact is that this is a large amount of information.
However, mastering this part of the Serbian language will not be difficult with a little concentration and practice.
Asking questions is a key to quality communication, so if you still have doubts, feel free to start with Serbian classes!