BosanskiEssentials
Osnove
Boje: Colors
Goal: I can recognize and name the basic colors.
The flag colors, plava i žuta, and the ljiljan (the golden lily, Bosnia's oldest symbol). Colors here are taught in the feminine form (crvena, plava…), the form you hear when naming a color; the full m/f/n adjective system is Unit 13's job.
| Audio | Bosnian | English |
|---|---|---|
| boja | color | |
| crvena | red | |
| plava | blue | |
| žuta | yellow | |
| zelena | green | |
| crna | black | |
| bijela | white | |
| smeđa | brown | |
| narandžasta | orange | |
| ljubičasta | purple | |
| roza | pink | |
| siva | grey | |
| svijetla / tamna | light / dark |
Životinje: Animals
Goal: I can name the animals you meet at nana's village.
Village animals and the summer-visit farm scene: every avlija (courtyard) has a dog, a cat that owns the place, and hens underfoot. Medvjed (bear) and šuma (forest) wait for the Kids track.
| Audio | Bosnian | English |
|---|---|---|
| pas | dog | |
| mačka | cat | |
| krava | cow | |
| konj | horse | |
| ovca | sheep | |
| kokoš | hen / chicken | |
| ptica | bird | |
| riba | fish | |
| svinja | pig | |
| zec | rabbit | |
| medvjed | bear | |
| vuk | wolf | |
| lisica | fox | |
| pčela | bee |
Po kući: Around the House
Goal: I can name the everyday things in a Bosnian home.
Shoes OFF at the door, always. The ćilim and the good-guest rules: you'll be offered slippers (papuče); take them.
| Audio | Bosnian | English |
|---|---|---|
| kuća | house / home | |
| ključ | key | |
| sto | table | |
| stolica | chair | |
| krevet | bed | |
| vrata | door | |
| prozor | window | |
| ćilim | rug / carpet | |
| kuhinja | kitchen | |
| kupatilo | bathroom | |
| soba | room | |
| lampa | lamp | |
| gdje je kupatilo? | where is the bathroom? | |
| sjedi ovdje | sit here | |
| kauč | sofa / couch | |
| fotelja | armchair | |
| ormar | wardrobe / cupboard | |
| polica | shelf | |
| jastuk | pillow |
Osnovni glagoli: Basic Verbs
Goal: I can recognize the most useful little verbs, have, see, go, want, know, give, take, wait.
'Uzmi, uzmi', the untranslatable physics of a Bosnian table. You will take more. It was decided before you arrived.
| Audio | Bosnian | English |
|---|---|---|
| imam | I have | |
| vidim | I see | |
| daj mi | give me | |
| uzmi | take (it) | |
| čekaj | wait | |
| idem | I go | |
| hoću / neću | I want / I don't want | |
| znam / ne znam | I know / I don't know | |
| volim | I love / I like | |
| mogu / ne mogu | I can / I can't | |
| trebam | I need | |
| kupujem | I'm buying | |
| trebam nešto | I need something | |
| mogu li ti pomoći? | can I help you? |
Preživljavanje: Survival Phrases
Goal: I can save myself anywhere in Bosnia with eight phrases.
| Audio | Bosnian | English |
|---|---|---|
| gdje je WC? | where is the toilet / restroom? | |
| gdje je...? | where is...? | |
| koliko košta? | how much does it cost? | |
| ne razumijem | I don't understand | |
| sporije | slower | |
| možete li pomoći? | can you help? (polite) | |
| oprostite | excuse me / sorry (formal) | |
| hvala puno | thank you so much |
Brzi brojevi i dani: Quick Numbers & Days
Goal: I can rattle off the key numbers and days without thinking.
Bosnian phone numbers are read digit-by-digit, nula šest jedan..., practice with your own.
Šta ima?: Catching Up
Goal: I can open, carry, and close a casual catch-up call the way it actually sounds.
A Bosnian call opens with "Halo?" and then, often as not, a scolding: "Gdje si ti? Nema te nigdje!" That is not anger, it is affection with the volume up. The expected reply is not an apology but a warm deflection, "Evo me, nano", and from there the questions alternate: you ask, she asks back. The first "moram ići" is rarely the last one. And "pozdravi sve" is how the call actually ends.
| Audio | Bosnian | English |
|---|---|---|
| kako ide? | how's it going? | |
| inače? | so how are things? | |
| šta ima kod tebe? | what's new with you? | |
| kod tebe? | and you? | |
| kako su tvoji? | how's your family? | |
| dobro su | they're good | |
| sve po starom | same as always | |
| pomalo | getting by, little by little | |
| dobro | good / fine | |
| nema te nigdje | you're never around | |
| odavno se nismo čuli | it's been a while (on the phone) | |
| odavno se nismo vidjeli | long time no see (in person) | |
| evo me | here I am | |
| šta ima? | what's up? | |
| gdje si? | where are you? (casual 'hey!') | |
| nema ništa | not much / nothing new | |
| moram ići | I have to go | |
| javi se | get in touch / call/text me | |
| čujemo se | talk soon | |
| pozdravi sve | say hi to everyone |
Šta voliš?: What Do You Love?
Goal: I can say what I love and what I don't, and ask someone back.
Volim covers both love and like. Bosnian does not split them the way English does, so the same word carries your nana and your coffee.
| Audio | Bosnian | English |
|---|---|---|
| volim | I love / I like | |
| volim te | I love you | |
| puno te volim | I love you so much | |
| volim mamu i tatu | I love Mom and Dad | |
| volim nanu | I love Nana | |
| kahva | coffee | |
| volim kahvu | I love coffee | |
| pita | pita (filled pastry) | |
| volim pitu | I love pita | |
| muzika | music | |
| volim muziku | I love music | |
| ne volim | I don't like | |
| čaj | tea | |
| ne volim čaj | I don't like tea | |
| voliš li kahvu? | do you like coffee? | |
| šta voliš? | what do you like? | |
| i ja tebe | I love you too | |
| i ja volim | I love it too |
Next unit: Tech & Phones.