Language/Serbian/Grammar/Plurals

Serbian Grammar - Plurals

Hi Serbian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will cover the plural forms of nouns in the Serbian language. Understanding plurals is crucial for communicating effectively in Serbian, so let's get started!

What are plurals?

Plurals are noun forms that represent more than one person, animal, object, or concept. In Serbian, words can be pluralized based on their gender and number.

Gender

The Serbian language has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. The gender of a noun determines which form of an adjective, pronoun, or verb is used to modify or agree with it. In Serbian, the gender of a noun is usually recognizable from the word ending, but there are some exceptions.

Let's take a look at some examples:

Masculine nouns

Masculine nouns in Serbian usually end in -a, -ar, -anin, etc. The plural ending for most of them is -i.

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
pas	/pâs/	dog
pasovi	/pâsɔʋi/	dogs
direktor	/dirèktor/	director
direktori	/dirèktɔri/	directors
student	/stûdent/	student
studenti	/stûdenti/	students

Feminine nouns

Feminine nouns in Serbian usually end in -a or -ija. The plural ending for most of them is -e.

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
sestra	/sèstra/	sister
sestre	/sèstre/	sisters
soba	/sɔ̀ba/	room
sobe	/sɔ̀be/	rooms
knjiga	/kɲîga/	book
knjige	/kɲîge/	books

Neuter nouns

Neuter nouns in Serbian usually end in -o or -e. The plural ending for most of them is -a.

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
dete	/dète/	child
deca	/dètsa/	children
drvo	/drvò/	tree
drva	/drvɔ/	trees
žvakaća	/ʒvakâtʃa/	chewing gum
žvakaće	/ʒvakâtʃe/	chewing gums

Number

In Serbian, there are two types of numbers: singular (one person, animal, object, or concept) and plural (more than one person, animal, object, or concept). The plural form is used for two or more items.

Let's take a look at some examples:

Singular

• Dobar dan. (Good day.)
• Jeste li čitalo knjigu? (Have you read the book?)

Plural

• Dobre knjige. (Good books.)
• Jeste li čitali knjige? (Have you read the books?)

Exceptions

Like in any other language, there are some exceptions to the rules. Some nouns have irregular plural forms that should be learned through practice and experience. For example:

Serbian	Pronunciation	English
čovek	/tʃɔ̀vɛk/	man
ljudi	/ʎûdi/	people
ruka	/rùka/	hand
ruke	/ruːke/	hands
oko	/òkɔ/	eye
oči	/òtʃi/	eyes

Practice Dialogue

Here is a dialogue using plural forms of nouns:

• Person 1: Kolike sestri imate? (How many sisters do you have?)
• Person 2: Imam dve sestre. (I have two sisters.)
• Person 1: Gde idete?
  (Where are you going?)
• Person 2: Idemo u prodavnice. (We're going to the stores.)

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding plural forms is crucial for communicating effectively in Serbian. Remember, masculine nouns end in -i, feminine nouns end in -e, and neuter nouns end in -a. There are some exceptions, so practice is essential. Keep practicing and using Serbian plural forms in context to improve your language skills.

If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources

• Serbian grammar
• Serbian language

Related Lessons

• Imperative Tense
• Give your Opinion
• Indefinite Articles in Serbian
• Definite Articles in Serbian
• Prepositions
• Past Participle in Serbian
• Pronouns
• Be Polite
• Comaratives and Superlatives
• Conditional Tense