Može in Serbian is one of the first words you will meet when starting to learn Serbian.
For example, you would hear it in a phrase Može bolje, which answers the question Kako si? Learning more, you would find out that this može is the third person of the verb moći, which is a modal verb that means ‘can’ or ‘to be able to’.
Easy, right? Well, sorry for saying this, but it is not as easy as it looks. First, this verb has a unique change:
mogu – I can
možeš – you can
može – he/she/it can
možemo – we can
možete – you can
mogu – they can
And then you start listening to real conversations… and suddenly you hear everyone saying može.
- At the restaurant: Može nešto za piće? – Može kisela voda. (= Do you want something to drink? – Yes, sparkle water.)
- At the market: Može dva kilograma jabuka? – Može. (= Do you want 2 kilos of apples? – Yes.)
- Even when making weekend plans with friends: Vidimo se sutra, može? – Može. (= See you tomorrow, okay? – Okay.)
Može seems to be everywhere, and it doesn’t just mean ‘can’.
Može meaning can be translated as ‘yes’, ‘all right’, ‘no problem’, ‘okay’ or ‘even let’s do it’.
You will hear it in cafés when ordering coffee, at the supermarket when buying groceries or when making plans.
So, what is može?
Može is one of those words that can help your Serbian sound more natural! 🙂
Ready to find out more about the different meanings of može? Let’s get started!
#1 Može in Serbian: Basic Agreement
One of the most frequent uses of može in Serbian is as a simple, quick way to say ‘yes’.
Instead of saying da (= yes), Serbian people often reply with može. You can use it as a simple way to say ‘yes’, ‘okay’, ‘sounds good’, ‘sure’, or even ‘deal’.
Instead of a long sentence, just one word is enough.
Examples:
– Večeras je koncert u parku. Hoćeš da idemo? (=There is a concert in the park tonight. Do you want to go?)
– Može! (= Sure!)
#2 Može in Serbian: Checking for Approval or Confirming Something
Besides using može in the answer, you can also use it with a question mark when you are asking if something is okay.
It is like saying, ‘Is that fine with you?’ In the answer, može functions as a practical ‘got it’ or ‘that works for me’.
Examples:
– Idemo prvo u prodavnicu, a onda na ručak. Može? (= Let’s go to the store first, and then to lunch. Okay?)
– Može. (= Okay)
or
– Sastanak je u devet sati, može? (= The meeting is at nine o’clock, is that fine?)
– Može. (= That works for me.)
A super common shop situation: the amount of meat or cheese is a little over or under what you asked for – like 350 grams instead of 300. This is how it would sound:
– Može 350 grama? (= Is 350 grams OK?)
– Može. (= Yes, that is fine.)
#3 Može in Serbian: Accepting Offers And Invitations
If someone offers you food, a seat, or help, answering with može signals that you accept with ease. It is similar to saying ‘I would love that’ or simply ‘Yes, thank you’ in English, but shorter and more common.
Examples:
– Hoćeš li parče kolača? (= Would you like a piece of cake?)
– Može, hvala. (= Yes, thank you.)
or
– Još malo salate? (= A bit more salad?)
– Može, malo. (= Yes, just a little.)
– Da ti otvorim vrata? (= Shall I open the door for you?)
– Može, super. (= Yes, great.)
or
– Treba li Vam kesa? (= Do you need a bag?)
– Može, hvala. (= Yes, thank you.)
#4 Može in Serbian: Giving Permission
Another important može meaning is giving permission.
When someone asks for something, instead of saying da or naravno (= of course), many will simply say može, which means ‘yes, you may’ or ‘yes, that is allowed’ or ‘go ahead’.
– Mogu li da zatvorim prozor? Ubi me promaja. (= May I close the window? The draught is killing me.)
– Može! (= You may.)
or
– Mogu li da kupim sladoled? (= May I buy an ice cream?)
– Može. (You may.)
or
– Mogu li da uđem? (= May I come in?)
– Može. (= Yes, go ahead.)
You might also come across može in a doctor’s office.
Imagine this: you are sitting in the waiting room, a patient leaves the doctor’s office, and suddenly you hear the doctor call out: Može sledeći!
At first, you might wonder what is happening, but in this case, the doctor is simply allowing the next person to come in.
The same use of može can appear in many other situations where you are waiting for your turn – whether at an office, in a bank, or anywhere else where you need a quick signal that it is your turn to go.
#5 Može in Serbian: Usage in Everyday Public Life
You will hear može a lot in everyday public life.
Customers use it to order, request the bill, or ask for small favors; staff use it to confirm or allow something.
It is part of everyday conversation; it is not impolite, but people like to keep it simple rather than using formal language.
If you go to a café or a restaurant in Belgrade or Novi Sad, you will probably hear something like this:
– Gost (Guest): Može jedna turska kafa? (= Can I get a Turkish coffee?)
– Konobar (Waiter): Može. (= Sure.)
or
– Gost: Može račun? (= Can I get a bill?)
– Konobar: Može. (= Of course.)
It is quick, polite, and very typical. The guest uses može to order, and the waiter uses može to confirm. One word, two roles.
Bonus: Preparing for a night out in Serbia? Check these phrases!
Let’s sum up!
Može is short and easy to remember. As you could see, you don’t need long sentences to sound like a native. Just one word is enough to agree, give permission, accept an invitation, or confirm a plan.
It is a super helpful word when ordering coffee, accepting cake, or making plans to sound like a native.
So, next time you are in Serbia, try using može yourself. Može?
If you are not coming to Serbia soon, you don’t have to wait to visit to start speaking like a native!
You can schedule your online Serbian lessons right now.
Written by: Milica Antović; Revised by: Milica Bokšan
