Language/Bosnian/Vocabulary/Food-and-Drink
As your Bosnian language teacher, I am thrilled to continue our journey together in expanding your basic vocabulary for everyday life! In this lesson, we will focus on food and drink, which are essential parts of Bosnian culture. By the end of this lesson, you will have learned some common Bosnian dishes and drinks and useful phrases for ordering food in a restaurant.
Bosnian Cuisine
Bosnian cuisine is a blend of Turkish, Mediterranean, and Central European influences. The most popular dishes are hearty and filling and often served with bread. The following are some dishes you may encounter in a Bosnian restaurant:
| Bosnian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Burek | /ˈbuːrek/ | Savory pastry filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables |
| Ćevapi | /ˈtʃɛvɑːpi/ | Grilled minced beef or lamb fingers, often served with onions and sour cream |
| Čorba | /ˈtʃɔrba/ | Thick soup often made with meat, vegetables and legumes |
| Sarma | /ˈsarma/ | Stuffed cabbage rolls, usually filled with minced meat and rice |
| Musaka | /mʊˈsɑkə/ | Layers of potatoes, ground beef, and eggplant topped with bechamel sauce |
| Bosanski lonac | /bɔˈsan ski lɔˈnatz/ | Meat and vegetable stew served with bread |
Don't be afraid to ask your server for recommendations or descriptions of the dishes if you want to learn more about them!
Beverages
When it comes to drinks, Bosnian coffee is a must-try. Bosnian coffee is similar to Turkish coffee and is usually strong and sweet. You can order it with or without sugar, as well as with foam on top, which is called “fildžan šećera” (literally, cup of sugar).
Other popular drinks in Bosnia include:
| Bosnian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Rakija | /rɑkijɑ/ | Traditional fruit brandy, often homemade |
| Šerbet | /ʃɛrbɛt/ | Sweet fruit syrup mixed with water or soda |
| Jelen pivo | /jɛlɛn ˈpiːvɔ/ | Beer from the Jelen brewery |
Useful Phrases
Here are some useful phrases for ordering food in Bosnian:
- Molim Vas, donesite mi meni. (Please bring me the menu)
- Mogu li dobiti čašu vode? (Can I have a glass of water?)
- Šta biste preporučili? (What do you recommend?)
- Mogu li dobiti još jednu porciju? (Can I have another portion?)
- Hvala lijepa, račun molim. (Thank you very much, the bill please.)
Make sure to practice your pronunciation of these phrases, and don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
I hope you enjoyed learning about Bosnian cuisine and beverages, as well as some useful phrases for eating out. In our next lesson, we will be covering vocabulary related to home and family. Until then, Sretno učenje! (Happy learning!)