Serbian is a South Slavic language spoken by around 12 million people, primarily in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Its unique feature: it is the only European language officially written in two alphabets , Cyrillic (Ћирилица) and Latin (Latinica). This duality reflects a rich culture at the crossroads of East and West.

Explore our Serbian vocabulary guide and our full Serbian language page to continue after mastering these greetings.

This guide gives you all the keys to greet naturally in Serbian, with pronunciation, cultural context and the nuances that make the difference.

  1. Zdravo , The Universal Greeting
  2. Dobar dan , Greeting by Time of Day
  3. Dobro jutro , Good Morning
  4. Dobro veče , Good Evening
  5. Kako si / Kako ste , How Are You?
  6. The Cyrillic Alphabet: The Basics
  7. Everyday Practical Expressions
  8. Cultural Tips

Zdravo , The Universal Greeting

Zdravo (Cyrillic: Здраво, pronounced ZDRA-vo) is the most common greeting in Serbian. It comes from the root zdrav (healthy, in good health) , etymologically "be healthy," a health wish identical to the English "salute" which itself comes from salus (health in Latin).

Pronunciation

  • Zdr: a consonant cluster uncommon in English , say zdr in one breath, like starting "Vladimir" from the "dr"
  • a: open a
  • vo: vo, as in "vote"

Use

Zdravo is the informal form, perfect for:

  • Friends and family
  • Colleagues of the same age
  • Young people in general
  • Any relaxed situation

It's the equivalent of a warm "Hi!" in English.

Formal Form: Dobar dan

For formal situations, unfamiliar adults or older people, prefer Dobar dan (see next section).

Dobar dan , Greeting by Time of Day

Dobar dan (Cyrillic: Добар дан, pronounced DO-bar dan) literally means "good day" and is used as a greeting during the middle of the day.

The Complete Time-Based Greeting System

Serbian Cyrillic Pronunciation Meaning Time
Dobro jutro Добро јутро DOB-ro YOU-tro Good morning 6am – 11am
Dobar dan Добар дан DO-bar dan Good day 11am – 6pm
Dobro veče Добро вече DOB-ro VE-cheh Good evening 6pm – midnight
Laku noć Лаку ноћ LA-koo notch Good night Before sleep

Responses

For all these phrases, the most natural response is to repeat the same expression. Serbs also appreciate Hvala (HVA-la) , "Thank you" , followed by the greeting in return.

Dobro jutro , Good Morning

Dobro jutro (DOB-ro YOU-tro) is the classic morning greeting. The key phonetic detail of the Serbian "j": it is always pronounced like the English "y" in "yes" or "yoga," never like the "j" in "just."

So jutro = YOU-tro (not JOO-tro)

Memory tip: The "j" in Serbian (and all Slavic languages written in Latin script) = English "y." Learn this rule and you'll read Serbian Latin script correctly.

Dobro veče , Good Evening

Dobro veče (DOB-ro VE-cheh) is used from around 6pm. The č (c with a háček) is pronounced like "ch" in "check" or "chair."

To wish someone good night before sleep: Laku noć (LA-koo notch) , the ć is a very soft "ch," almost like a palatalised "ty."

Kako si / Kako ste , How Are You?

After the greeting, here's how to ask about someone's wellbeing:

  • Kako si? (KA-ko si) , "How are you?" (informal, singular)
  • Kako ste? (KA-ko ste) , "How are you?" (formal or plural)
  • Šta ima? (chta I-ma) , "What's up?" (very informal, between friends)

Typical Responses

Serbian Pronunciation Meaning
Dobro, hvala DOB-ro, HVA-la Well, thanks
Odlično od-LICH-no Excellent
Tako-tako ta-ko ta-ko So-so
Nije loše ni-yeh LO-sheh Not bad
Bolje ne može BOL-yeh neh MO-jeh Couldn't be better

Bolje ne može is a typically Serbian expression , Serbs love these colourful, expressive phrases.

The Cyrillic Alphabet: The Basics

Serbian Cyrillic may look daunting but it is very regular , each letter always corresponds to the same sound. Here are the most useful letters for greetings:

Cyrillic Latin Sound
З / з Z Z as in "zero"
Д / д D D as in "day"
Р / р R Rolled R
А / а A Open A
В / в V V as in "very"
О / о O Closed O
Х / х H Aspirated H (like "Bach")
Ј / ј J Y as in "yoga"
К / к K K as in "kilo"

Zdravo in Cyrillic: Здраво , З-Д-Р-А-В-О. Once you recognise each letter, reading becomes natural.

Everyday Practical Expressions

Serbian (Latin) Cyrillic Pronunciation English
Hvala Хвала HVA-la Thank you
Molim Молим MO-lim Please / You're welcome
Izvinite Извините iz-vi-NI-teh Excuse me
Da Да da Yes
Ne Не neh No
Prijatno Пријатно pri-YAT-no Nice to meet you / Pleasant
Doviđenja Довиђења do-vi-DYEN-ya Goodbye
Čao Чао chao Ciao / Bye (informal)

Note: Čao (from the Italian "ciao") is extremely popular in Serbia for saying goodbye informally , a legacy of Mediterranean influences.

Cultural Tips

The Kiss and the Handshake In Serbia, men shake hands when greeting. Among close friends, men and women often exchange three kisses (left-right-left) , a tradition that sometimes surprises those used to two.

Formal Address Serbian clearly distinguishes between informal (ti = you) and formal (Vi = You, with a capital V in writing, showing particular respect). When in doubt, always use the formal form.

Serbian Hospitality Serbs are renowned for their warm hospitality. The slava (family saint's day celebration) illustrates this tradition: doors are open to everyone, and declining an invitation to eat is almost offensive. A sincere Hvala and a well-practised Dobrodošli (DOB-ro-dosh-li , "welcome") will instantly make you likeable.

Conclusion

Serbian is a language with enchanting Slavic sounds, carried by a culture of remarkable generosity. With Zdravo, Dobar dan and Kako si?, you have the essentials to break the ice anywhere in Serbia, Bosnia or Montenegro. Serbs are moved and surprised when a foreigner makes the effort to speak their language , you'll be welcomed like a friend from your very first words.

Don't be afraid of the Cyrillic alphabet: a few hours of study are enough to decipher it, and it opens up a whole new world.

Ready to explore Serbian further? Discover our Serbian courses with native teachers in groups of 6.

Sources and References

Further Reading