Are you planning a trip to Bosnia and want to see all the tourist attractions? You will need a few phrases and basic words in Bosnian to help you understand the history and communicate with the locals.
Bosnian is the official language of Bosnia, Serbia, and Herzegovina. The language is historically and geographically diverse. So, almost anybody can find something to like about this language. If you plan a stay in Bosnia, you must learn the language with the Ling app. This article will teach you some of Bosnian’s important and basic words.
Learning and speaking Bosnian will help you learn more about Bosnian culture and traditions. Moreover, you can also understand the historic places and better communicate with the local people. You could even utilize that information to continue learning the country’s other languages.
General Information About The Bosnian Language
Bosnian is a South Slavic language. Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian are also some other Slavic languages. Bosnian is phonetic, which means that one letter represents one sound. The letter A, for example, is pronounced as /a/ in the word car. However, the letter /nj/ has the pronunciation as /ɲ/ in onion.
The Bosnian vocabulary is different from other related languages in the use of Arabic and Persian terminology. At first, Bosnians utilized the Cyrillic alphabet, but now they also use the Latin alphabet.
When Bosnia was a part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Serbo-Croatian influence was strong. Both alphabets are equivalent, but Cyrillic is becoming less popular nowadays.
Bosnians are average in English speaking skills. Many Bosnians can communicate in English because people have studied it as a compulsory subject in schools.
Also, because American movies have subtitles in Bosnia and Herzegovina, many people learn the language this way.
Learn Basic Words In Bosnian
Bosnian is a diverse language. So, the basic words in Bosnian influence other languages. These words are important to learn even if you do not know the language much.
For example, if you want to buy some food, you can say “Hrana.” “Hrana,” which means “food,” can make others understand that you want something to eat. In the same way, the word “No” has a Bosnian translation as “Neh” “Ne.” You can use this word if you do not need anything or if you are rejecting something.
You can also use the word “Yes,” pronounced as “Dah” “Da.” This word will help you if you agree with someone or want something. So, you can avoid much trouble while visiting Bosnia by simply learning the basic words in Bosnian. Learn other basic words in Bosnian from the table below.
| English words | Bosnian words |
|---|---|
| People | Ljudi |
| Come | Dolaze |
| Day | Dan |
| Look | Pogledaj |
| City | Grad |
| Book | Knjiga |
| Friend | Prijatelj |
| Travel | Putovanje |
| Map | Mapa |
| Location | Lokacija |
| Food | Hrana |
| Yes | Da |
| No | Ne |
| Address | Adresa |
How Do You Greet In Bosnian?
It is important to greet someone by standing up while sitting, showing that you do not care. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a handshake is the most common greeting between friends.
However, Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats may give each other a quick kiss on the cheek as a sign of greeting. Young people greet elders by kissing their hands.
So, during your visit to Bosnia, if you have to greet people, you must ask them, “How are you?” “Kako si?” Bosnians’ popular response is “To thank God, very well,” “Hvala Bogu, veoma dobro.” If you greet a group of people, start with the eldest person and then greet the way down.
Knowing a few Bosnian greetings offers you the joy of standing out among all the visitors. Furthermore, the people will appreciate the effort of a greeting in Bosnian. Consider some other examples of simple greetings. If you have to say “Hello!” in a formal context, say “dobar dan” or “Zdravo” among friends.
But, if you do not know someone, say “dobar dan,” and if you do, say “Zdravo.” In addition, if you wish to express gratitude to others, you must say “thank you!” at some time after meeting them. However, in Bosnian, “thank you” is pronounced, “Hvala.”
Tourists who express gratitude in their native tongue always learn something new from the locals. Say “thank you” “Hvala” to hear “you are welcome” “nema na cemu.” When a foreigner praises a local in Bosnian, people immediately respond with a smile.
Important And Basic Words In Bosnian
| English words | Bosnian words |
|---|---|
| Hello! | Dobar dan! |
| Thank You | Hvala |
| Please! | Molim |
| How are you? | kako ste |
| Pleased to meet you | Drago mi je (DRAH-goh mee yeh) |
| I am fine! | Dobro sam |
| Goodbye | Dovidenja |
| Good morning! | Dobro jutro! |
| Good night! | Laku noć! |
| Good evening! | Dobro veče! |
| Good afternoon! | Dobar dan! |
| You are welcome | Nema na čemu |
Useful Phrases In The Bosnian Language
After learning the initial greetings and basic words in Bosnian, you need to know the useful phrases. These phrases assist you if you want to ask something or help you in emergencies.
For example, if you need medical assistance from the local hospital, you must say, “I need a doctor,” “Treba mi doctor.” Or, you can also say, “I need your help,” “Treba mi vasa Pomoc.”
Thus, you are always at an advantage if you know a second language. A bilingual person always benefits from speaking skills. Other useful phrases in Bosnian are below.
| English phrases | Bosnian phrases |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Govorite li engleski? |
| Do not understand | Ne Razumijem |
| Need your help | Treba mi vaša pomoć |
| I am sorry! | žao mi je (Zhao mee yeh) |
| Need a doctor | Treba mi doktor |
| Please! | Molim vas |
| It’s me! | Mi je |
| See you! | vidimo se |
| What’s your name? | kako se zoveš |
| Where is the toilet? | Gdje je wc? (gdyeh yeh VEH TSEH?) |
| My name is… | Zovem se |
| Thank you very much. | Hvala lijepo |
| It’s urgent | Hitno je |
| Do you say | Govorite li |
Bosnian Transport Vocabulary
It is easy to get around and travel if you learn the basics of the local language. Traveling will become a joyful and unforgettable experience with the essential traveling words.
Knowing words can be quite helpful for reading signs or asking for directions. It protects you from becoming lost in an unfamiliar country. It also helps you learn the directions if you plan to visit often. For example, you can say, “What is the time of the Bus?” “koliko je sati autobusa?” if you want to catch a bus on time. Other traveling words are below.
| English words | Bosnian words |
|---|---|
| Bus | Autobus |
| Bus station | Autobuske stanice |
| Train | Vohz |
| What time? | Koliko je sati? |
| Today | Danas |
| Want to travel tomorrow? | Say sutra |
| Bicycle | Bicikl |
| Car | Auto |
| What is the time of the Bus? | koliko je sati autobusa? |
Learn Bosnian Language Free With Ling App
Learning important and basic Bosnian words and phrases can undoubtedly support you in surviving in another nation. So, if you want to learn more about Bosnia, or basic phrases and basic words in Bosnian, the Ling app can help you.
The Ling app is a language learning application. It provides a vast range of learning opportunities in a variety of languages. You can learn the pronunciation of many words and phrases for different situations through the Ling app. The correct pronunciation will assist you in learning the language correctly.
Ling will provide you with fun and exciting lessons to make learning a language more pleasurable and meaningful. These sessions on Ling will also teach you how to communicate in Bosnian. Moreover, Ling facilitates you by excluding the concept of onset scheduled classes.
You can learn 60+ languages with just your phone using Ling during your free time. Now, learning a language is much easier and more enjoyable. So, how long are you going to wait? Start learning Bosnian by downloading it on the Play Store or App Store now!
