This is one more lesson about Serbian pronouns. As you can see, pronouns in any Slavic language take a big part in Essential grammar. In this lesson, we will learn Serbian demonstrative pronouns, their declension, some question words, and how to say “here” and “there”. In previous lessons, we considered Serbian cases of pronouns and pronouns like “something, everybody, nothing, somewhere, etc.”

Demonstrative pronouns

This (close distance): Ovaj(m), ova(f), ovo(n), ovi(m, pl), ove(f, pl), ova(n, pl)

That (further untouchable distance): Taj(m), ta(f), to(n), ti(m, pl), te(f, pl), ta(n, pl)

That (far distance): Onaj (m), ona(f), ono(n), oni(m, pl), one(f, pl), ona(n, pl)

Also:

Ovakav/Ovaki(m), ovaka(f), ovako(n), ovaki(m, pl), ovake(f, pl), ovaka(n, pl) – Such

Takav(m), takva(f), takvo(n), takvi(m, pl), takve(f, pl), takvo(n, pl) – such

Onakav(m), onakva(f), onakvo(n), onakvi(m, pl), onakve(f, pl), onakvo(n, pl) – such

Declension of demonstrative pronouns

Nominativeovaj(m)ova(f)ovo(n)ovi

(m, pl)

ove

(f, pl)

ova

(n, pl)

Genitiveovogoveovogovihovihovih
Dativeovomovojovomovimovimovim
Accusativeovaj/ovogovuovooveoveova
Instrumentalovimovomovimovimovimovim
Locativeovomovojovomovimovimovim
Nominativetaj(m)ta(f)to(n)ti

(m, pl)

te

(f, pl)

ta

(n, pl)

Genitivetogtetogtihtihtih
Dativetomtojtomtimtimtim
Accusativetaj/togtutoteteta
Instrumentaltimtomtimtimtimtim
Locativetomtojtomtimtimtim

 

Nominativeonaj(m)ona(f)ono(n)Oni

(m, pl)

One

(f, pl)

Ona

(n, pl)

Genitiveonogoneonogonihonihonih
Dativeonomonojonomonimonimonim
Accusativeonaj/onogonuonooneoneona
Instrumentalonimonomonimonimonimonim
Locativeonomonojonomonimonimonim

As you can see, the case endings are the same for all demonstrative pronouns. The same endings will be for pronouns Ovakav, Takav, Onakav – such.

Examples

Šta je to tamo? – What is it there?

Daj mi tu knjugu – give me this book

Šta mislite o ovom novom stanu? – What do you think about this new flat?

Gde si videla one stvari? – Where did you see those things?

Novi-Sad je takav lep grad – Novi-Sad is such a beautiful city

Here and there

These are actually not pronouns, but place adverbs. They are just similar to demonstrative Serbian pronouns, and they are not declined by cases.

Ovde – here, in close touchable distance

Tu – here, also touchable distance but a bit farther

Tamo – there

Onde – there, far away

Examples

Šta vidiš tamo? – What do you see there?

Ja sam tu, u centru – I am here, in the center (centar – center)

Kada bila si u Rusije, šta si radila onde? – When you (female) have been to Russia, what did you do there?

Some important Serbian pronouns and question words

Čiji(m),  čija(f), čije(n), čiji(m, pl), čije(f, pl), čija(n, pl) – whose?

Koji(m), koja(f), koje(n), koji(m, pl), koje(f, pl), koja(n, pl) – which?

Koliki(m), kolika(f), koliko(n), koliki(m, pl), kolike(f, pl), kolika(n, pl) – what? (by quantity), how big?

Kakav(m), kakva(f), kakvo(n), kakvi(m, ol), kakve(f, pl), kakva(n, pl) – what?(by quality) / what kind of? / Such.

Examples

Koje stvari želiš da izbaciš – Which things do you wish to throw out?

Koja je razlika između ovih reči? – What is the difference between these words?

Kakav je to čovek? – What kind of man is it?

Kakvo lepo nebo! – Such a beautiful sky!

Koliko košta ova haljina? – How much is this dress?

Kakav užasan dan – What a horrible day

Čij je ovaj novačnik? – Whose is this wallet?

Čiju torbu je on pronašao? – Whose bag has he found?

Čija je ta majica? – Whose is that T-shirt?

Kolik je obim snabdevanja? – How big is the supply volume?

Koji mobilne aplikacije koristiš? – Which mobile apps do you use?

Kakva osoba si ti? – What kind of person are you?

Koliko si zaradio na prethodnom poslu? – How much did you earn in the previous job?

Kakva stakla vaša kompanija proizvodi? – What kind of does glass your company produce?

Vocabulary

naći(imp.)/pronaći(perf.) – to find

baciti(imp.)/izbaciti(perf.) – to throw out

koristiti(imp.)/iskoristiti(perf.) – to use

koštovati – to cost

razlika – difference

stan – flat/apartment

želeti – to wish

zaraditi – to learn

majica – T-shirt

 

torba – bag

obim  – volume

snabdevanje – supply

užasan – horrible

novačnik – wallet

nebo – sky

reć – word

novi – new

osoba – person

 

Exercises

Use appropriate word

  1. ________________ planina je daleko odavde – That mountain is far from here (odavde – from here)
  2. _________________ kniga je veoma zanimljiva – This book is very interesting
  3. __________________ plaže su lepe – These beaches are beautiful
  4. _________________ ostrva su blizu obale Tihog okeana – Those islands are close to the coast of the Pacific Ocean
  5. Postaviću to _______________ – I will put it here
  6. Ne znam šta je to _______________- I don’t know what is it there
  7. Ali __________ koja nam treba je _________ ? – But that street which we need is there?
  8. Šta se desilo _______________ u centru grada? – What happened there in the city center?
  9. Čuješ muziku koja svira ____________? – Do you hear the music that is being played there?
  10. Šta ste jeli ______________ ako niste imali pare? – What did you eat there if you didn’t have money?
  11. Kurir sa paketom će čekati za vas __________________ – A courier with the pack witll wait for you there
  12. Nisam to video ______________ zato što bio sam zauzet – I didn’t see it there because I was busy
  13. Nećemo da idemo u _______________ mesto – We don’t want to go to that place
  14. ____________ savet je bio veoma loš – That advice was very bad
  15. Žene ne vole ______________ parfem – Women don’t like this perfume