Language/Bosnian/Culture/Holidays-and-Celebrations

Bosnian → Culture → 0 to A1 Course → Bosnian Customs and Traditions → Holidays and Celebrations

Introduction

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country rich in culture and history. A blend of eastern and western influences has shaped the country's customs and traditions, including its holidays and celebrations. In this lesson, you will learn about some of the major Bosnian holidays and how they are observed. You will also practice using holiday-related vocabulary in conversations.

Bajram

Bajram, also known as Eid al-Fitr, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. It is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. The dates vary each year according to the lunar calendar.

During Bajram, Bosnian Muslims gather in mosques for morning prayers, after which they visit friends and family. They exchange gifts and enjoy traditional Bosnian sweets such as baklava and hurmašice. It is also customary to give money to children, known as Bajramluk. Bajram is a time of forgiveness and reconciliation, and many people use the occasion to visit the graves of deceased family members.

Bosnian	Pronunciation	English Translation
Bajram	bai-RAHM	Eid
Ramazan	RAH-muh-zahn	Ramadan
šerbet	SHER-bet	syrup
baklava	bahk-LAH-vah	Baklava
hurmašice	hur-muh-SHE-tseh	hurmašice (a kind of Bosnian pastry)

Božić

Božić, or Christmas, is celebrated by Bosnia's Orthodox Christian community on January 7th. It is a time for religious observance and family gatherings.

The celebration of Božić begins on Christmas Eve, known as Badnji dan. Families gather to decorate a Badnjak, a traditional oak branch that is considered a symbol of Christ. The Badnjak is taken into the house and placed on the fireplace. In the evening, the family burns incense and lights candles around the Badnjak.

On Christmas Day, families attend church for a special service, followed by a festive meal that usually includes roasted meat and traditional Bosnian cakes such as kolač. It is also common to exchange gifts on this day.

Bosnian	Pronunciation	English Translation
Božić	BOH-zhitch	Christmas
Badnji dan	BAHD-nyee dawn	Christmas Eve
Badnjak	BAHD-nyahk	Christmas log
kolač	KOH-latch	Cake

Uskrs

Uskrs, or Easter, is celebrated by Bosnia's Catholic and Orthodox Christian communities. The date of Easter Sunday changes each year and is determined by the lunar calendar.

In the days leading up to Uskrs, Catholics attend mass and participate in the Stations of the Cross, a ritual that commemorates Jesus' crucifixion. Orthodox Christians prepare by fasting and attending religious services.

On Easter Sunday, both Catholic and Orthodox Christians attend church for special services. Afterward, families gather for festive meals that usually include roasted meat and traditional cakes such as pinca and sirnica. It is also customary to dye and decorate eggs and engage in egg-tapping games.

Bosnian	Pronunciation	English Translation
Uskrs	OOSK-rs	Easter
Stations of the Cross	POS-stay	The Stations of the Cross
pinca	PEEN-tsa	Pinca (a kind of Bosnian cake)
sirnica	seer-NEE-tsa	Sirnica (a kind of Bosnian cake)

Dan nezavisnosti

Dan nezavisnosti, or Independence Day, is celebrated on March 1st to commemorate Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1992.

On this day, people gather for parades and speeches, and government buildings are decorated with Bosnian flags. The day is a public holiday, and many businesses and schools are closed.

Bosnian	Pronunciation	English Translation
Dan nezavisnosti	DAHN neh-zah-VEE-snoh-stee	Independence Day
Zastava	ZAH-stah-vah	Flag
Parada	PAH-rah-dah	Parade
Govornik	GOH-vorn-eek	Speaker

Discussion

Practice using holiday-related vocabulary by answering the following questions in Bosnian:

• Koja su tri najveća praznika u Bosni i Hercegovini?
• Koju vrstu hrane ljudi obično jedu za Bajram?
• Šta je Badnjak i zašto je važan za Božić?
• Kako se obilježava Uskrs u Bosni i Hercegovini?
• Kako se obilježava Dan nezavisnosti?

Answers:

• Tri najveća praznika u Bosni i Hercegovini su Bajram, Božić, i Uskrs.
• Ljudi obično jedu slatkiše kao što su baklava i hurmašice za Bajram.
• Badnjak je tradicionalna hrastova grana koja se koristi u slavljenju badnjeg dana, Badnjak simbolizuje Isusa.
• Uskrs se obilježava posjetom crkvi, ukrašavanjem jaja i svinjokoljima.
• Dan nezavisnosti se obilježava paradama, govorima i ukrašavanjem zgrada zastavama.

Table of Contents - Bosnian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Bosnian Alphabet

• Bosnian Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Special Characters and Sounds

  ---

Basic Bosnian Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

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Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Gender and Plurals
• Personal Pronouns

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Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

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Food and Drink

• Common Foods
• Ordering at a Restaurant

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

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Bosnian Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparatives and Superlatives

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

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Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Sports and Fitness

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Bosnian Literature and Cinema

• Famous Writers and Works
• Bosnian Cinema

Related Lessons

• Bosnia Herzegovina Timeline
• Famous Writers and Works
• Media and Communication
• Arts and Literature
• Traditional Music and Dance
• History and Geography of Bosnia
• Sports and Leisure
• Religion and Celebrations
• Bosnian Cinema

Sources

• Bosnian Culture - Dates of Significance — Cultural Atlas