30+ Short Bosnian Phrases: Easy Guide

Short Bosnian phrases

Ready to spend a beautiful time in Bosnia but don’t know how to spell out some of the common and short Bosnian phrases? Well, don’t worry. If you are here to learn some basic phrases in the Bosnian language, you have hit the jackpot. With all the must-know phrases in the South Slavic language to correct pronunciations, you will get to learn everything in this blog today!

I know learning a new language can be a big hassle. Especially if you have only a short period left before you start your journey! However, it is not impossible and is absolutely essential. Although Bosnian people are not foreign to the English language, in most homestays and guest houses, you will find only local language-speaking people. Most people speak Bosnian, and you will get overwhelmed if you end up with no idea about their language. Hence, you must mug up at least a few words and phrases that the locals use in daily life.

Learning a language is not only an asset for yourself, but it is also a way of showing respect for their culture and language. Bosnian people love to see new people getting accustomed to their native culture. So, if you go packed with some daily fluent phrases, you will surely impress all the locals! If you are interested, let’s get started!

The Bosnian Language

Before we jump into the words and phrases, let us have a glance at the nature of the Bosnian language.

The Bosnian language belongs to the South Slavic group of the Slavic language branch of the Indo-European language family. When Yugoslavia got divided, the official language known as the Serbo-Croatian, the then language of the Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, and Montenegrins, split into three distinct languages. Croatia got its Croatian language, Serbia got its Serbian language, and Bosnia got Bosnian language. However, even though all three nations have quite different cultures and practices now, their language still shares a common sound system, vocabulary, and grammar. So, if you are known to any of the two languages, Bosnian can become a little easier for you.

The Bosnian language has a complex dialect and is the same for the other two languages. However, it is said that Bosnia is still much easier to learn and write than the other Slavic languages and is not impossible. Although Bosnian might sound complicated if you speak English as your native language, many language learners find it quite rewarding and interesting.

Especially when it comes to tourist needs, you don’t have to struggle a lot. The sentence structure of the Bosnian language is quite easy and simple. You just need to place the right words, and the locals will understand you. Only the accent and some letters in the Bosnian alphabet can sound complicated, but if you want to learn, you can surely do so. Being in a foreign country, knowing some of the basic phrases will become an asset for you to tour around without worrying about the language barrier. In case you want to learn Bosnian from its roots and become a pro speaker, you can check out the Ling app!

Short Bosnian Phrases

Now let us get into the short phrases that will help you communicate easily with the locals and let you have a relaxing trip in Bosnia. I have divided the phrases under specific categories so that it is easy for you to learn and look for the ones that you need urgently. So, let’s get started.

Short phrases in Bosnian

Basic Greeting Phrases

Without any doubt, the first list of phrases will cover the basic greeting phrases, which you can use as soon as you get to your homestay. Since most owners speak only Bosnian, this will help you introduce yourself and get acquainted. Doing so will impress the owners on the very first meet, which can bring in a lot of extra benefits.

EnglishBosnianSound
Hello ma’am/ sirZdravo gospođo/gospodine/
How are you?Kako ste?
I am fine, thank youJa sam dobro, hvala
My name is…Moje ime je…
What is your name?kako se zovete
Where are you from?Odakle si?
I am from…Ja sam iz…
Nice to meet youDrago mi je
Good dayDobar dan
Good morning/ Good nightDobro jutro/ laku noć/
Good afternoon/ Good eveningDoh bahr dahn/ Dobro veče/
We should meet againTrebali bi se ponovo sresti
Sleep wellLijepo spavaj
See you tomorrowVidimo se sutra
Have a nice dayUgodan dan
Thank you for having usHvala vam što ste nas primili
Good to see youDobro je vidjeti te
Good byeZbogom

Socialising Bosnian Phrases

After you are done strolling around the city, you can come home and join the locals. Locals usually sit around a bonfire or with a cup of tea in the evening on their lawns and share their stories. So, if you want to have a wholesome time, learn these phrases to be able to interact and share your thoughts with the locals.

EnglishBosnianSound
Where were you?Gdje si bio?
I am backVratio sam se
Do you want tea?Hoćeš čaj?
What did you do today?Šta si radio danas?
Where is the toilet?Gdje je wc
How was your day?Kakav je bio tvoj dan?
Can I join you?Mogu li vam se pridružiti?
Excuse meOprostite
Thank you/ You’re welcomeHvala ti/ Nema na čemu!/
What are your hobbies?Koji su tvoji hobiji?
Do you like…Da li vam se sviđa…
I don’t understandNe razumijem
Do you speak English?Govorite li engleski
You have a nice houseImaš lijepu kuću
Thank you for cleaning my roomHvala vam što ste očistili moju sobu
Can we hang out more?Možemo li se više družiti?
I really like youStvarno mi se sviđaš
You look so beautifulIzgledaš prelijepo
Bosnia is so beautifulBosna je tako lijepa
Short Bosnian phrases

Mealtime Basic Phrases

Another set of useful phrases is for mealtime. Since you are new to the country and its rules, you will have some confusion regarding food items, lunchtime, or even the type of food that you want to have. So, to make things easier, here are some basic questions and answers list that will make your mealtime perfect.

EnglishBosnianSound
When is lunch time?Kada je vrijeme ručka?
Do you serve dinner?Služiš li večeru?
What do you have for lunch?Šta imaš za ručak?
I don’t eat meatNe jedem meso
I am veganJa sam vegan
Do you have alcohol?Da li imate alkohol?
I would love to taste itVoleo bih da ga probam
Is it homemade?Je li domaće?
The food is deliciousHrana je ukusna
Do you have something traditional?Imate li nešto tradicionalno?
I can’t east spicyNe mogu da budem ljuto
Can I have water?Mogu li dobiti vodu?
Do you have beef?Imate li govedinu?
What is this?Šta je ovo?
I don’t like itNe sviđa mi se
You are an amazing cookTi si sjajan kuvar
I love the foodVolim hranu
I ate wellDobro sam jeo
Thank you for the foodHvala ti za hranu

Short Shopping Phrases

As a tourist, you are bound to buy a lot of things in the foreign market. So, to help you bargain the best and find the perfect pieces for you and your family, this section is filled with all the essential shopping phrases that you will need. Learn them to have an amazing shopping spree.

EnglishBosnianSound
How much is this?Koliko je ovo?
Do you have more?Imate li još?
What is the cheapest?Šta je najjeftinije?
Can you reduce the price?Možete li smanjiti cijenu?
I want different colorŽelim drugu boju
I want different designŽelim drugačiji dizajn
Can you pack theseMožeš li ovo spakovati
Is it made in Bosnia?Da li je napravljeno u Bosni?
What is the last price?Koja je zadnja cijena?
Do you accept dollars?Da li prihvatate dolare?
I love the materialSviđa mi se materijal
Do you accept card?Da li prihvatate karticu?
I don’t have cashNemam gotovinu
It is too expensivePreskupo je
The color is badBoja je loša
Phrases in Bosnian

Emergency Bosnian Phrases

Before we conclude, you must learn some emergency phrases. You never know when there might be a crisis. So, to make quick access to help at urgent times possible, here are some phrases that will work for you.

EnglishBosnianSound
I need an ambulanceTreba mi hitna pomoć
I need a doctorTreba mi doktor
Can you please help meMožete li mi pomoći
I need helpTreba mi vaša pomoć
Can you assist me?Možete li mi pomoći?
Are you a mechanic?Jesi li ti mehaničar?
Catch the thiefUhvatite lopova
Everyone runSvi trčite
I need a roomTreba mi soba
Is this place safe?Je li ovo mjesto sigurno?
Do you have medicines?Imate li lijekove?
Call the policeZovi policiju
Where is the hospital?Gdje je bolnica?
Help me pleasePomozi mi molim te
Save meSpasi me

General Short Bosnian Phrases

To make things more inclusive, here is a list of some common and general short phrases that you can use as you see fit.

EnglishBosnianSound
Take careČuvaj se
Let’s goIdemo
Are you ready?Da li si spreman?
What’s up?Šta ima?
Hold onČekaj
Have funZabavi se
Happy journeySretan put
See youVidimo se

Learn With Ling App!

Phew! I know that was a lot to take in. From learning mealtime phrases to emergencies, it is not a day’s work to retain all of that. However, if you keep up with your regular practice, you will surely become fluent in the language before your journey. In case you want to learn more for a safer and more exciting trip, download the Ling app from App Store or Play Store.

Ling is one of the best language learning apps that have content in 60+ languages, covering different topics like food, culture, polite lines, travel, etc. All you have to do is download the app and get access to all the special features that will help you become a pro-Bosnian speaker.

The best part of the app is the AI Chatbot that gives interactive lessons. It will improve your communication and also help you retain as much as you need. So, what are you waiting for? Download the Ling app now!

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