1# Cheat Sheet with 60+ Tasty Food Vocabulary In Serbian

Plat with various Serbian dishes, learn Food Vocabulary in Serbian with Ling app

Food and drink is a reoccurring talking point, and not only while eating out on vacation. So, let’s learn the most common words and phrases to describe food vocabulary in Serbian, another related vocabulary for this topic.

About Serbian Traditional Cuisine

Serbian cuisine is the cuisine of the Balkan state of Serbia, which shares the characteristics of other Balkan countries. Although turbulent historical events have also affected the people’s nutrition, each region has its own specifics and differences. Food preparation is an integral part of Serbian tradition and culture. In Serbia, it is common to eat 3 times a day “doručak, ručak i večera” (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), noting that the most important and most often the most extensive meal is lunch.

Diet is equated with the intake of nutrients (consuming food and drinks), but in a broader sense, it is the enjoyment of the table. This very complex process creates what is called “national cuisine”, which consists of the choice of food, its cultivation, preparation of meals, the environment in which food is served, as well as the way it is served. 

Food preparation is a special part of Serbian tradition and culture. In Serbian villages, the name for the kitchen was “house”, and the central part was the fireplace, which was an important, cult place, next to which everyday life took place and the whole family gathered. They sat on wooden benches, stools, and chairs, with wooden and earthen dishes, and in richer houses, they were also made of copper. The bread was made from wheat or corn flour.

Serbian traditional cuisine contains a diversity of tastes and smells. They owe it to the mixture of influences from various nations who were just passing through or were living in this region. As is the case with the culture in general, this fusion of different influences resulted in originality, so today a rich Serbian table offers unforgettable tastes that can only be enjoyed in Serbia.

Serbian cuisine is well known for its high diversity, offering solid and spicy food that can be roughly described as a mixture of Greek, Turkish and Hungarian cuisine. The use of meat, dough, vegetables, and dairy products is predominant in it.

Table with a variety of Serbian dishes

Basic Words And Phrases

EnglishSerbian (Cyrillic )LatinPronunciationSound
To eatјести / појестиjesti / pojestiyes-teepo-yes-tee
Foodхранаhranahraa-na
To drinkпитиpitipee-tee
Drinkпићеpićepee-tse
Drinksпићаpićapee-tsa
Hungryгладанgladangla-daan
Hungerгладgladgl-aad
Thirstyжеданžedanz-ee-daan
Thirstжеђžeđz-ee-dy
To cookкуватиkuvaticoo-vaa-tee
To tasteпробатиprobatipro-baa-tee
Tastyукусноukusnooo-koo-snoo
Enjoy your meal!Пријатно!Prijatno!Pr-ee-yat-no
Cheers! / To your health!Наздравље!Nazdravlje!Na-zdr-aav-leh
Breakfastдоручакdoručakdo-roo-chak
Lunchручакručakroo-chak
Dinnerвечера večerave-ch-er-ah
Restaurantресторанrestoranre-sto-rahn
Restaurantsрестораниrestoranire-sto-rah-ny
Barбарbarbar
Barsбаровиbarovibar-ovy
Caféкафићkafićkaa-fee-ts
Cafésкафићиkafićikaa-fee-tsy

Basic Food And Spices

EnglishSerbian (Cyrillic)LatinPronunciationSound
Breadsхлебhlebhleb
Breadsхлебовиhlebovihle-bowee
Rollплетеницаpletenicaple-te-nee-cah
Rollsплетеницеpleteniceple-te-nee-ce
Butterпутерputerpoo-ter
Cheeseсирsirseer
Honeyмедmedmed
Jamџемdžemjam
Jamsџемовиdžemovijam-ovee
Eggјајеjajeya-yeah
Eggsјајаjajaya-ya
Riceпириначpirinačpee-ree-nach
Yoghuryјогуртjogurtyo-goo-rt
Yoghurtsјогурти – jogurtijogurtiyo-goo-rt-ee
Sugarшећер – šećeršećersh-ets-er
Saltсоsoso
Pepperбиберbiberbee-ber
Spiceзачинzačinzaa-ch-een
Spicesзачиниzačinizaa-ch-ee-nee
Oilуљеuljeoo-lye

Food Vocabulary In Serbian: Cutlery

EnglishSerbian (Cyrillic)LatinPronunciationSound
Cutleryесцајгescajges-tsaa-jg
Forkвиљушкаviljuškawee-lioo-sh-kah
Spoonкашикаkašikaca-shee-ca
Tea spoonкашикицаkašikicaca-shee-cee-tsa
Knifeножnožno-zh
Plateтањирtanjirta-neer
Glassчашаčašach-aa-sh-ah
Cupшољицаšoljicash-oli-tsa
Table with various Serbian dishes

Food Vocabulary In Serbian: Dishes

EnglishSerbian (Cyrillic)LatinPronunciationSound
Soupсупаsupasoop
Soupsсупеsupesoope
Saladсалатаsalatasaa-laa-taa
Saladsсалатеsalatesaa-laa-te
French friesпомфритpomfritpom-freet
Chipsчипсčipsch-ee-ps
Burek (between the layers of dough can be found cheese, minced meat and greens, or it can be baked without any stuffing at )бурек  burekboo-rec
Gibanica (a cheese pie)гибаницаgibanicagee-ba-nee-ts-ah
Pečeno meso (grilled meat)печено месоpečeno mesopeche-no-meso
Karađorđeva steakКарађорђева шницлаKarađorđeva šniclaCaa-ra-dyor-dye-vaah  sh-nee-ts-la          
Cabbage rollsсармаsarmaсармаsarmasar-mah
Djuvec (a type of stew)ђувечđuvečdy-oo-ve-ch
Moussakaмусакаmusakamoo-sa-kah
Mućkalica (a mixture of different types of meat and vegetables in the form of a stew)мућкалицаmućkalicamoo-ts-ca-lee-tsa
Čvarci (similar to pork rinds)чварциčvarcich-vaa-rts-ee
Kajmak (Milk cream)кајмакkajmakcaa-ymaac
Pršuta (dry-cured ham, similar to Prosciutto)пршутаpršutapr-sh-oo-tah

Food Vocabulary In Serbian: Drinks

EnglishSerbian (Cyrillic)LatinPronunciationSound
Waterвода vodawo-dah
Mineral waterминерална водаmineralna vodamee-neral-nah  wo-dah
Sparkling waterгазирана водаgazirana vodagaa-zee-raa-nah wo-dah
Still waterдестилована водаdestilovana vodawo-dah
Juiceсокsoksok
Juicesсоковиsokovisok-ovi
Beerпивopivopee-voh
Wineвиноvinowee-noh
Champagneшампањацšampanjacsham-pani-aa-ts
Cocktailкоктелkoktelcoc-tel
Milkмлекоmlekomle-co
Cocoaкакаоkakaoca-cao
Coffeeкафаkafacaa-fah
Teaчајčajch-ay

Food Vocabulary In Serbian: Flavours

EnglishSerbian (Cyrillic)LatinPronunciationSound
Sweetслаткоslatkosl-aat-coh
Sourкиселоkiselocee-se-loh
Saltyсланоslanosl-aa-noh
Bitterгоркоgorkogohr-coh
Savoriness умамиumamium-aa-mee
Learn Serbian Ling app

Final Thoughts 

For many of the Serbian national cuisine specialties, there isn’t a right word in the foreign language dictionaries. More importantly, there isn’t a taste they can be compared to. Trust me, it is best that you come and taste them yourself. But, before that, you can find stories about Serbian dishes you want to taste on many web pages, as well as the recipes for them, because who knows, you might wish to prepare them yourselves somewhere, miles away from Serbia!

I hope I helped you learn food vocabulary in Serbian. If you want to find out how to say cheers, the most common words and phrases for traveling or how to introduce yourself in Serbian, you should try using Ling App and learn this beautiful language in an easy and fun way. Download the Ling app from the Google Play Store or App Store now and start learning Serbian today!

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