Learn 25+ Basic Words In Bosnian: An Easy Guide

Ling Learn Languages
6 min readMay 16, 2022

Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/bs/basic-words-in-bosnian/

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 know 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 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.

Greetings In Bosnia

It is important to greet someone by standing up while sitting shows 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

This blog will also be updated weekly, so keep an eye out. At the moment we have only one other post No Bosnian on Duolingo.

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 right now with the Ling App!

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