Written by: Milica Antović. Adapted by: Milica Bokšan
People who start learning Serbian have some common questions about Serbian vocabulary:
- What does hajde mean
- What is ajmo in Serbian
- What is aj
And definitely, they sound pretty similar. So, let’s resolve their meanings!
What Does Hajde Mean in Serbian
Hajde is a word you must know if you want to speak Serbian like a native speaker.
It is not just a Serbian word; it is a regional word that everyone uses daily. You can hear it in every city in the Balkans – from Belgrade to Athens and Zagreb.
In a dictionary, this word usually means come on or let’s go. But in everyday Serbian, it has many other meanings.
Hajde: Different Forms
The standard form is hajde. However, in everyday speech, Serbian people often drop the h and just say ajde.
This word can get even shorter:
- aj (this is very common in casual speech)
- ae (this is often when you are texting someone)
Let’s take a look at how you can use hajde and all its variations in different situations.
What Does Hajde Mean: Hurry Up
The most common way Serbians use hajde is to rush someone. When you want someone to move faster or start doing something immediately, you can use hajde. It is like in English: ‘hurry up’ or ‘come on’.
- Hajde, brže to malo! (= Come on, hurry up!)
- Hajde, bre, kreni već jednom! (= Hurry up, just start moving already!)
- Ajde, meni za ljubav! (= Come on, do it for me!)
This is a common joke used when someone is taking forever to do something that is usually a very simple task:
- Ajde dok smo mladi! (= Come on, while we are still young.)
Tone is important here; soft hajde sounds friendly, but loud or sharp hajde sounds annoyed.
What Does Hajde Mean: Stop it
When you want to tell someone to stop doing something or acting silly, you can use hajde. This hajde is very common among friends and family. It is usually not aggressive, but its tone can vary. When you say it sharply, it can sound irritated.
- Ajde, bre, prekini više! (= Come on, stop it!)
- Ajde, ne lupetaj! (= Come on, stop talking nonsense!)
- Aj prestani da me smaraš! (= Just stop bothering me!)
What Does Hajde Mean: Come on
We can use hajde for encouragement. It sounds like English: ‘go for it’ or ‘give it a try’. Imagine this: your first time in Serbia and your very first time trying rakija. Serbs around you finished their rakija in one shot like it’s nothing. But your throat burns from just one sip. Then they look at you and say:
- Hajde, možeš ti to! (= Come on, you can do it!)
And you did it! Then the second shot goes much smoother.
- Ajde, nema veze, položićeš ispit sledeći put! (= Come on, it’s okay, you’ll pass the exam next time!)
This word is very common when watching sports. Hajde, or more often ajde is usually shouted at the TV to mean go for it or let’s go.
- Ajde, *Nole! (= Come on, Nole!)
*Nole is a nickname for the best Serbian tennis player, Novak Đoković.
What Does Hajde Mean: Let’s
If you want to hang out with a friend or do something together, hajde is a nice word to start a sentence with. Use hajde + da + verb to suggest doing something together. It works like the English ‘let’s’.
- Aj da se vidimo sledeće nedelje! (Let’s meet up next week!)
- Hajde da se dogovorimo! (Let’s make a deal!)
You will also hear ajmo, which already means ‘let’s’ (the -mo ending refers to we):
- Ajmo da pijemo kafu! (Let’s drink coffee!)
- Ajmo da ručamo! (Let’s have lunch!)
What Does Hajde Mean: No way!
This word is also perfect for showing disbelief. When someone tells you a story that sounds unbelievable, use hajde to show that you disagree or that you are surprised.
- Ma, hajde, to nije istina! (= Oh come on, that’s not true!)
- Ajde?! (= Oh, yeah?! – said with a surprised tone)
What Does Hajde Mean: Go
In Serbian, people tend to speak quickly and keep things simple. Because of this, you don’t always need to use verbs like to go or to come. You can just use hajde followed by the place.
- Hajde u kuću! (= Go inside!)
- Aj sa mnom u prodavnicu! (= Come with me to the shop!)
Don’t be surprised if you get a text message like: Aj na kafu! This is an invitation to grab a coffee, either at someone’s home or somewhere else.
But remember the word ajmo? If the text says Ajmo na kafu, it usually means an invitation to go out somewhere to a cafe, so it’s not an invitation to come to someone’s home.
What Does Hajde Mean: Okay, Alright
We use hajde to agree. You can reply to the message above with Aj or Ajde to mean yes or sure.
But sometimes we hesitate to agree. When we decide to finally say yes, we can use hajde. In this context, it means alright, fine, or let’s do it.
- Hajde, može, kupiću ti to. (= Alright, fine, I’ll buy that for you.)
- Ajde, neka bude kako ti kažeš. (= Okay, have it your way.)
What Does Hajde Mean: Warning
Be careful with how you say hajde. If you say it usually twice and you say it very slowly, it is no longer a friendly suggestion or agreement. It becomes a warning or even a small threat. It is like saying keep doing that and see what happens.
- Hajde, hajde, samo ti radi tako, pa ćeš videti. (= Sure, sure, keep doing that, and you’ll see what happens.)
- Ajde, ajde, uradi to ponovo ako smeš. (= Go ahead, do it again if you dare.)
What Does Hajde Mean: Goodbye
Hajde is a very common way to end a conversation. It’s a friendly way to show the other person that you are ready to say goodbye, so it doesn’t feel awkward or sudden when you hang up or leave.
- Dogovoreno, vidimo se u petak. Hajde, ćao! (= Agreed, see you on Friday. Alright then, bye!)
- Čujemo se sutra. Aj, pozdravi tvoje! (= Talk to you tomorrow. Anyway, say hi to your family!)
Be careful with just saying Ajde, ćao! If someone has been annoying you, saying it annoyed means: I’ve had enough of this, just leave me alone.
Bonus: Check this short reminder for what hajde means.
Hajde da završimo!
Let’s finish our story about hajde. Try using it with your Serbian friends and family. Don’t worry about making mistakes – the tone of your voice is the most important one, so avoid saying it sharply when there is no need for that.
If you have any doubts left about this or any other Serbian word, you can simply book your Serbian classes online and resolve every misunderstanding!
