PREDNOSTI ČASOVA PREKO INTERNETA - THE ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE LESSONS

THE ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE LESSONS

Learning via Skype is not new. For decades people all over the world learn foreign language, how to play an instrument or have business interviews via Skype or via similar tools. Even so, some people are still skeptical about this method. Here are few reasons why Serbian language lessons online might be better solution than other methods. 

1) Learning from home.

To learn new language is not easy and that's why you want to provide the most pleasant conditions for your learning. The most comfortable is learning from your own home.

2) Saving money and time which you would spend on transport.

Language learning lasts at least 6 months and often for several years. Learning Serbian is not an exception. Calculate how much money would you spend on transport to the language school or teacher's house, and back. Saving is not negligible at all.

The same goes for time saving.

3) Online lessons are more effective because they are more direct - those are face to face conversations.

When you have online lesson, the teacher is absolutely focused on student, and the other way around. Contact is direct, face to face. Nothing distracts you.

4) Learning material is free.

Before every lesson, you get lots of learning material to your e-mail (word documents, pictures, links etc.). From that moment, material belongs to you for further use with a Serbian teacher online or independently.

5) Online lessons are more interactive.

You may watch a video and comment with a teacher, you may play language game during lesson or learn Serbian by listening words of popular song. In online lessons we use all the advantages of Internet. Level of interactivity is higher than in other learning methods. As more as your senses are engaged, sooner you will learn Serbian language.

6) Online lessons are individual and adapted to student's needs.

Serbian teacher online has general learning program, which might be adapted to your personal needs. Maybe you need Serbian language for business reasons, or for family reasons, or you want to study in Serbia. Maybe you know basic grammar but your vocabulary is not good enough, or the other way around; maybe you are an absolute beginner. In any of these cases, online lessons offer adequate solution.

7) Terms are flexible.

You may have lessons late at the evening, or early in the morning, or in some other term when is the most convenient for you. You may have steady term, or schedule every lesson individually.

8) Thanks to the Internet, space distance is not important anymore.

If I am the right person for you as a Serbian language teacher, we may have lessons while you are in Canada or Australia, and while I am in Europe or while we both are traveling. Disappearance of space limitations is a huge advantage of the Internet.

For more information read about courses , learning method and write me if you have any questions.

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PREDNOSTI ČASOVA PREKO INTERNETA

Učenje putem Skajpa nije ništa novo. Već deceniju ljudi širom sveta uče strani jezik, ili sviranje muzičkog instrumenta, ili imaju poslovne intervjue, i još mnogo toga - preko interneta, pomoću Skajpa ili sličnih programa. Ipak, neki su još uvek skeptični prema ovoj metodi i misle da to nije za njih. Evo nekoliko razmišljanja na temu - zašto su časovi srpskog jezika preko interneta bolji od drugih metoda učenja.

1) Učite iz udobnosti sopstvenog doma.

Naučiti nov jezik nije lako i zato želite da obezbedite sebi najprijatnije uslove, a nigde nije komfornije nego u sopstvenom domu.

2) Ušteda vremena i novca koje biste potrošili na prevoz.

Jezik se uči najmanje šest meseci, a često i nekoliko godina. Sračunajte koliko je to novca potrošenog na put do privatnog nastavnika ili škole, i natrag. Ušteda nije nimalo mala.

Isto važi i za utrošeno vreme.

3) Onlajn časovi su efektniji jer su direktni - to je razgovor oči u oči.

Kada imate čas preko Skajpa, nastavnik je maksimalno fokusiran na učenika, i obrnuto. Kontakt je direktan, oči u oči. Ništa ne odvlači Vašu pažnju.

4) Materijal za učenje je besplatan.

Pre svakog časa na svoju imejl adresu dobijete dosta materijala za učenje, koji se sastoji od raznih word dokumenata, slika i linkova. Od tog trenutka materijal pripada Vama, i možete ga kasnije i samostalno koristiti.

5) Onlajn časovi pružaju više interaktivnosti.

Možete gledati i komentarisati sa nastavnikom video na YouTube-u, možete odigrati tokom časa igricu iz gramatike ili učiti jezik uz zvuke i reči neke pesme. Na onlajn časovima koristimo sve prednosti Interneta. Interaktivnost je važan deo onlajn časova, a što su više angažovana Vaša čula - pre ćete naučiti srpski jezik.

6) Onlajn časovi su prilagođeni potrebama učenika.

Nastavnik se pridržava generalnog plana i programa, ali u procesu učenja prilagođava se i Vašim ličnim potrebama. Onlajn časovi su vrlo individualni. Možda Vam je srpski jezik potreban da komunicirate sa porodicom i prijateljima, ili iz poslovnih razloga, ili zbog studiranja u Srbiji. Možda znate osnove gramatike, ali Vam je vokabular slaba strana, ili obrnuto; ili ste možda potpuni početnik. U svakoj od ovih situacija, onlajn časovi pružaju adekvatan odgovor.

7) Termini časova su fleksibilni.

Možete imati časove kasno uveče, rano ujutru, ili u neko drugo doba dana kada Vama najviše odgovara. Možete imati stalni termin svake sedmice, ili zakazivati svaki čas posebno.
8) Zahvaljujući Internetu, prostorna distanca ne postoji.
Ukoliko Vam baš ja odgovaram kao nastavnik srpskog jezika, možemo imati časove dok ste Vi u Kanadi ili Australiji, a ja u Evropi. Jedna od velikih prednosti Interneta je što je ukinuo prostorne granice.

Za više informacija, čitajte o kursevima , metodu učenja srpskog jezika preko interneta i pišite mi.

Serbian grammar - Exercises for beginners, part 2

Try to solve these exercises from Serbian grammar. When you finish, write to Serbian teacher online to check your answers.  

1. Make 'da li questions' by translating following sentences:

Are you well?

Is she pretty?

Am I your brother?

Are we going?

Are you professors?

Is he a good man?

Is she your child?

Are they here?

Am I from Venezuela?

Is it cold?

2. Write down regular verbs in present tense like in example:

SPAVATI – JA SPAVAM, TI SPAVAŠ, ON SPAVA, MI SPAVAMO, VI SPAVATE, ONI SPAVAJU

PLIVATI (TO SWIM) –

PEVATI (TO SING) –

STUDIRATI (TO STUDY)  –

PRAVITI (TO MAKE) –

VEČERATI (TO HAVE A DINNER)–

ČUVATI (TO KEEP) –

3. Fill in the blanks by correct possessive pronouns (several possibilities are correct): 

______ grad je Amsterdam.

______ država je SAD.

Da li je _____ ime Jelena?

Kako je ______ ime, gospodine?

Da li je _____ brat Marko?

Da li si ti _______ prijatelj?

4. Fill in the blanks with nouns in locative:  

1.     Živim u _________ (Beograd).

2.     Ona studira u _________ (Sarajevo).

3.     Ana na _________ (fakultet) predaje francuski jezik.

4.     Marko uživa u ________ (tenis), a Sanja u _________ (plivanje).

5.     Videćemo se sutra u _________ (Pariz).

6.     Đaci uče u _______ (škola).

7.     Aleksandar je vrlo uspešan u ______ (sport).

8.     Glumica učestvuje u _________ (predstava).

9.      U ______ (kuća) se nalaze Anina deca, ona sede na ________ (krevet).

If you want to get more exercises from Serbian grammar, or you are curious how to learn Serbian online with a help of Serbian teacher, send me an email to kratkeprice@gmail.com .

Ako želite da unapredite svoje znanje srpskog jezika, ili znate nekoga ko želi da počne da uči "od nule" naš lepi jezik, pišite mi na navedenu adresu.

Lidija Novaković Lagrini

Test Your Level of Serbian Language

Find out if you are a beginner, intermediate or an advanced learner of Serbian language. Test your knowledge. 

This test contains questions from Serbian grammar, vocabulary and comprehension. 

Take a deep breath, concentrate, and start with answering the first one of the 40 questions. 

After finishing the test, read the solutions, and find out what is your level of Serbian language. 

1. The color of lemon is:

a) ljubičasta
b) roze
c) žuta
d) crvena

2. Which one from these numbers is number 702 ?   

a) sedamdeset dva    

b) sedam dva   

c) sedamdesetsto dva     

d) sedamsto dva 

3. What is on the picture:

a) pljeskavica     

b) lice    
c) voz    
d) radio

4. How we say "Good morning" in Serbian: 

a) Dobar dan   

b) Dobro jutro   

c) Dobro veče      

d) Dobra noć

5. Family members are:

a) sin, broj, stolica   

b) otac, kupatilo, majka    

c) otac, majka, sin    

d) sunce, sin, mesec

6. What may we say when we are leaving the room (informal): 

a) Ćao!  

b) Dobro jutro. 

c) Gladan sam.  

d) Pijem vino.

7. How may you introduce yourself: 

a) Ja se zovem Ana.   

b) Ti se zoveš Sanja.   

c) Oni se prezivaju Marković.   

d) On je Marko.

8. What are parts of the face: 

a) oči, ruke, noge     

b) oči, obraz, noge    

c) oči, usta, nos    

d) oči, telefon, sunce

9. What is the Serbian expression for "Have a good trip!":

    

a) Dobar dan!   

b) Laku noć!   

c) Dobro jutro!    

d) Srećan put!

10. Which sentence is correct: 

a) Nesam znao da li ona zna.  

b) Nisam znao dali ona zna.  

c) Nisam znao da li ona zna.   

d) Ni sam znao da li ona zna.

11.  Read the sentence and answer the question about it: 

Sutra uveče, posle fudbalske utakmice, moja sestra Ana, moj drug Marko i ja idemo kod njegovog brata Petra i nosimo mu poklon - malog psa Žuću. 

What are Marko and Petar to each other ?

12.  Which conjugation of verb "govoriti" is correct:  

a) govorem, govoreš, govore, govoremo, govorete, govorete    

b) govorem, govoreš, govore, govoremo, govorete, govore    

c) govorum, govoro, govoro, govoren, govoreni, govor   

d) govorim, govoriš, govori, govorimo, govorite, govore

13. What is Serbian word for verb 'to think': 

a) bežati  

b) pričati   

c) misliti    

d) učiti

14. Choose the correct translation of sentence 'I learn Serbian and I have lots of Serbian friends' : 

a) Ja učiš srpski i nemam puno srpskih prijatelja.   

b) Ti učiš srpski i imaš malo srpskih prijatelja.   

c) Oni ne uče srpski, ali imaju srpske prijatelje.     

d) Ja učim srpski i imam puno srpskih prijatelja.

15. What do you see on the picture: 

a) banane, kivi, grožđe   

b) gibanica, burek, grožđe     

c) pljeskavica, sarma, grožđe    

d) luk, paprika, grožđe

16. Correct the mistakes in a sentence (two correct answers are possible) :  

Ja živimo u Novi Sad, a moja roditelji živeju u Rim. 

17. Fill in the blanks with correct forms of possessive pronouns: 

Ova knjiga je ______ (ja). 

________ (mi) prijatelji dolaze na ručak. 

18. Fill in the blanks with correct forms of adjective 'dobar' :    

______ dete, _______  devojčica, _______ čovek. 

19. Put the following sentence into negative form: 

Ja volim Anu, ona je dobra devojka. 

20. Which conjugation of verb "želeti" is correct: 

a) želem, želeš, žele, želemo, želete, žele    

b) želim, želiš, želi, želimo, želite, želeju     

c)  želem, želeš, žele, želemo, želete, želeju     

d) želim, želiš, želi, želimo, želite, žele

21. Which sentence about this picture is true:

a) Jabuka je zelena. 

b) Dve knjige su otvorene. 

c) U čaši je vino.    

d) Na stolu je vaza sa cvećem. 

22. Read the dialog and answer the question about it: 

- Konobar, želela bih da naručim. - Dobar dan, izvolite, šta biste želeli? - Donesite mi bečku šniclu sa pomfritom i čašu belog vina. - Odmah.  

       

Where may you hear this dialog?   

a) u pekari     

b) u učionici     

c) u noćnom klubu     

d) u restoranu 

23. Which plural of word 'grad' is correct:   

 

a) građi    

b) gradi     

c) gradovi     

d) građovi 

24. What time is it:

a) pet do dva  

b) dva i pet   

c) dva i deset 

d) petnaest do dva

25. Write the following sentence in future tense (two correct solutions are possible): 

Otac čita novine.

26. Which translation of the sentence 'Are you well?' is correct:  

a) Da li si dobro?    

b) Da li su oni u školi?    

c) Da li su oni dobro?    

d) Da li je on lud?

27. Which from these words we may use when we talk about weather: 

a) kiša, narod, brat    

b) sunce, kiša, mesec      

c) sunce, kiša, oluja    

d) poplava, kiša, mesec 

28. Which tense is used in sentence 'U parku sam srela druga iz detinjstva.'  

a) past tense   

b) present tense   

c) infinitive    

d) future tense 

29. Which question word should be at the beginning of the following sentence: 

______  kilograma sira želite? 

a) gde   

b) koliko  

c) ko   

d) kada

30. Write down words for at least 7 objects from the picture.

31. Write down two synonyms  for verb 'govoriti'. 

32. Which from these verbs are modal verbs: imati, hodati, moći, spavati, morati, pevati, hteti. 

33. Conjugate verb 'putovati'.

34. Which objects may be in a classroom:    

a) tabla, kompjuter, klupa    

b) krevet, tabla, frižider    

c) šporet, kompjuter, kada     

d) auto, tabla, klupa 

35. Finish the sentence with a correct case of noun 'majka' : 

Idem u šetnju sa ________ .               

36. Translate the idiom 'In the middle of nowhere' : 

a) Ko drugome jamu kopa, sam u nju upada.   

b) Minut je do dvanaest.    

c) Bogu iza leđa.     

d) Ko se poslednji smeje, najslađe se smeje. 

37. Write the following sentence in past tense in masculine gender (there are several possibilities of correct answers): 

Sedim na klupi i posmatram prolaznike. 

38. In which sentence is the word "otac" used in a correct case:  

a) Kupujem oca knjigu.  

b) Kupujem ocu knjigu. 

c) Kupujem otcu knjigu.   

g) Kupujem oču knjigu. 

39. Which sentence is correct: 

a) Ja ću živeti u Beogradu.   

b) Jaću živeti u Beograda.    

c) Ja ću živeti u Beograda.    

d) Ja ću živeti u Beograd.

40. Read the text and answer the question about it:   

Kada je bila na prvoj godini fakulteta, Marija još uvek nije imala dečka. Prvo se zaljubila u Gorana, ali on nije osećao isto, tako da među njima ničeg nije bilo. Marija se veoma dopala Marku, drugu iz razreda, ali bila je ravnodušna. Posle toga upoznala je Ivana i započeli su vezu. To je bilo zanimljivo, ali trajalo je samo nekoliko meseci. Dugu vezu imala je tek nekoliko godina kasnije, sa Bojanom, kolegom sa fakulteta. 

Who is Marija's first boyfriend?

INTERPRETATION OF THE TEST: Every correct answer brings you 1 point. (There is no option of getting 0,5 points for partially solved questions. Only full answers counts.) 

LEVELS: 

BEGINNER 1-10 correct answers 

INTERMEDIATE 11-30 correct answers 

ADVANCED 31-40 correct answers

CORRECT ANSWERS:

1) c)

2) d)

3) b)

4) b)

5) c) 

6) a)

7) a)

8) c)

9) d)

10) c)

11) brothers

12) d)

13) c)

14) d)

15) a)

16) Ja živim u Novom Sadu, a moji roditelji žive u Rimu. / Mi živimo u Novom Sadu, a moji roditelji žive u Rimu.

17) moja,  naši

18)  dobro dete,  dobra devojčica, dobar čovek. 

19) Ja ne volim Anu, ona nije dobra devojka. 

20) d)

21) b)

22) d)

23) c)

24) a)

25) Otac će čitati novine. / Čitaće otac novine.

26) a)

27) c)

28) a)

29) b)

30) kada, wc šolja (toalet šolja), prozor, stolica, veš mašina, radni sto, ormar (orman), lampa, frižider, tepih, šporet, sudopera, kauč (sofa), stolica, vrata

31) pričati, razgovarati, izgovarati, reći, kazati (there are also correct further synonyms such as šaputati, brbljati, etc.) 

32) moći, morati, hteti

33) putujem, putuješ, putuje, putujemo, putujete, putuju

34) a)

35) majkom

36) c)

37) Sedeo sam na klupi i posmatrao sam prolaznike. / Sedeo sam na klupi i posmatrao prolaznike. / Ja sam sedeo na klupi i posmatrao sam prolaznike. / Ja sam sedeo na klupi i posmatrao prolaznike.

38) b)

39) a)

40) Ivan

Be free to comment the test results, your opinion is important. 

If you want to find out more about learning Serbian online , or about any other Serbian language issue, you may write me here .

Serbian teacher online,

Lidija Novaković Lagrini

Swearing in Serbian Language – Psovke u srpskom jeziku

In this post I will translate and explain few Serbian common swearwords.

If you think that this is a trivial topic, I will remind you of a great reformer of Serbian language in 19^th century, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić. He was also very much interested in swearwords, and gave to this topic lot of attention in his first Serbian dictionary from 1818^th. He also collected and published erotic-porn oral folk poetry in a book ‘Crven ban’ (‘Red Duke’).

Swearwords throw interesting light on a language and they often carry metaphorical potential. I hope you will agree with me after reading this post. I am looking forward to hear your comments.  

But please, if you find swearwords and writing about them offensive or inappropriate, stop reading this text. Switch to some text about Stanoraya and Farm, or about terrorism, thank you.

’Marš u pičku materinu!’

This one is in use when you are really angry at somebody and you are right (at least you are strongly convinced that you are right).

Word ‘marš’ means – ‘go away!’ but said in a very harsh tone of voice.

The whole expression means – ‘Go back into your mother’s cunt!’ Metaphorically speaking – it would be better that you have never been born.

This curse might be sometimes used in a totally opposite way, as a joke, with meaning – ‘C’mon, you don’t say!’

‘Jebem ti krvavo sunce!’

This one is my favorite because I never understood who would say something like that about the Sun.

It literally means – ‘I fuck your bloody Sun.’

Can you imagine the scene? A guy is putting his phallus into the shiny star covered with blood. Pretty impressive, right?

‘Jebaću ti brata/sestru/oca/majku!’

‘I will fuck your brother/sister/father/mother!’

By these swearwords somebody is expressing intention to break the ancient taboo – taboo of incest. Verb ‘jebati’ (‘to fuck’) is often used in swearwords with violent connotation. It sounds more as a treat than as an act of giving and receiving pleasure.

Future tense is used, so, this swearword sounds like a promise. Very offensive one. 

‘Jebem ti i seme i pleme’

‘I fuck your seed and your tribe.’

These swearwords are taking us to the ancient time of tribes. We may interpret them as – I am so angry at you that I want to fuck (read ‘hurt’) your beginning (your seed) and your ancestors (your tribe), so, I want to go into the time before you were born and to… We can only imagine what would have happened further. Inventor of this curse went far away; his idea belongs to the science fiction. 

‘Bog te jebo!’

‘May God fuck you!’

(There is also an opposite version to this one – Jebem ti Boga – I fuck your God.) This expression is not an insult; it is used to express our astonishment by something.

‘To je pičkin dim.’

This expression means – ‘That is an easy accomplishment’ or literally ‘That is a cunt’s smoke’. Why is cunt’s smoke easy and irrelevant, or is it relevant, what does it symbolize - we may only guess. According to the funny web dictionary ‘Vukajlija’ – pičkin dim does not actually exist in a real life (even if some people have been searching for it). The expression is compound word, made from ‘pička’ and ‘dim’ (first word has two meanings - 'weak man'/'cunt', and smoke); both words symbolize something weak and easy to go through, without obstacles.

We mentioned collection of erotic-porn poetry, published by Vuk Stefanović Karadžić two centuries ago, the book ‘Crven ban’ (‘Red Duke’). The title is a metaphor for sexual organ, as you might assume. Some of the poems, full of swearwords, you may hear here. It's an interesting poetry, I hope you will enjoy it. 

Read more about Serbian swearwords in texts Fuck this article and Serbian Swearing .

And let’s finish this post with an old joke:

- Do you know where is the border between Serbia and Montenegro?

- It is where you stop fucking mothers and start fucking fathers!

Swearwords are vivid part of the Serbian language, they are in common use and they are changing, just like the language.

Lidija Novaković Lagrini

For everything else you want to know about this topic, or how to learn Serbian online with a help of a Serbian teacher, send me an email to kratkeprice@gmail.com.

Ako želite da unapredite svoje znanje srpskog jezika, ili znate nekoga ko želi da počne da uči "od nule" naš lepi jezik, pišite mi na navedenu adresu.

Make an online appointment

Useful Phrases in Serbian language

Here are some useful phrases which you may use in everyday life.  

Dobar dan. 

Kako ste? 

Nije loše. 

Hvala, dobro sam. 

Izvinite gospodine, gde je ulica Majke Jevrosime? 

Izvinite, koliko je sati? 

Dajte mi dve karte do Novog Sada. 

Doviđenja. 

Konobar, želela bih da naručim. 

Ko je ona lepa devojka? 

Hvala puno. 

Vozite me na adresu Majke Jevrosime 32. 

Izvinite, gde je železnička stanica? 

Izvini devojko, gde je stanica autobusa broj 16? 

Da. 

Ne. 

Ja nisam odavde. 

Ja sam student. 

Moja adresa je Majke Jevrosime 32. 

Ja sam Ana. Imam 36 godina. 

Prijatno! 

Kako se ti zoveš? 

Zovem se Marko. 

Drago mi je. 

Srećan rođendan! 

Srećan put! 

Živeli! 

Dobro došli! 

Ja učim srpski jezik.  

For everything else you want to know about this topic, or how to learn Serbian online with a help of a Serbian teacher, send me an email to kratkeprice@gmail.com.

Ako želite da unapredite svoje znanje srpskog jezika, ili znate nekoga ko želi da počne da uči "od nule" naš lepi jezik, pišite mi na navedenu adresu.

Make an online appointment

Learn Serbian online with
Lidija Novakovic Lagrini