Serbian for foreigners

Learn Serbian online

Taught in English, from the very first sound.

For people who live in Serbia, work with Serbian colleagues, or have family here and are tired of nodding along. One-to-one or in a small group, with teachers who speak Serbian natively and explain it in English.

  • Start from zero - alphabet, sounds, first sentences, in that order
  • Explained in English - less of it as you get better, none of it eventually
  • Both alphabets - Latin first, Cyrillic soon after, because Serbia uses both
  • Fully online - over Google Meet, wherever you are
Book a free trial lesson See prices

No prior Serbian needed Trial lesson is free

Straight talk

What is actually hard about Serbian

And what turns out to be easier than you expect.

Two alphabets

Serbia writes in both Cyrillic and Latin, often on the same street. It sounds like double work; in practice the second alphabet takes about a week, because the two map onto each other letter for letter.

Seven cases

This is the part that takes time. Word endings change depending on the job the word does in the sentence. We introduce them one situation at a time, not as a table to memorise.

Verb pairs

Serbian verbs come in pairs - one for the action as a process, one for the action finished. English does this with tenses instead, so it feels strange at first and then suddenly clicks.

Pronunciation is easy

Good news, and the reason beginners move fast. Serbian is written exactly as it sounds - one letter, one sound, no silent letters, no spelling exceptions. Once you know the alphabet, you can read anything aloud.

No articles

There is no "a" and no "the" in Serbian. One whole category of English mistakes simply does not exist here, which is a relief for anyone who has fought with articles in another language.

Official language

Forms, contracts and counter clerks use a formal register that textbooks skip. If that is what you are dealing with, we work on it directly - the wording you will actually meet.

Your teacher

Who will actually teach you

The question worth asking before the price one.

Aleksandra Djuric - Serbian and English teacher at A2C

Aleksandra Đurić

Your Serbian teacher

  • Serbian is her first language
  • BA and MBA taken in the United States
  • Teaches every level, from the alphabet up

That pairing is the whole point of the course. Explaining Serbian grammar in Serbian to a beginner helps nobody, and explaining it in shaky English helps even less. You need someone who is at home on both sides of the sentence.

In practice it means the first lessons run mostly in English, and less of it every month. By the time cases start to make sense, most of the lesson is already happening in Serbian.

Beginners are not a special case here, they are the usual one. She has taught students at every level in Belgrade language schools - from people who had never seen the alphabet to candidates sitting international exams.

Honestly

Is this for you

✓ Yes, if

  • You live in Serbia and want to stop depending on other people to speak for you
  • You work here, or with Serbian colleagues, and follow only half of what is said
  • Your partner or family speaks Serbian and you would like to join in
  • Your family came from here and the language got lost along the way
  • You have tried apps and can name fruit but cannot hold a conversation

✕ Not really, if

  • You want a certificate for a citizenship or residence application - we teach the language, but we do not run or certify official exams
  • You are here to improve your English instead - that is our English courses (in Serbian)
  • You want a self-study app with no teacher - this is live teaching, one-to-one or in a small group

Prices

What it costs

Per one-to-one lesson, in Serbian dinars (RSD). Paid monthly by bank transfer, for the lessons taken that month.

45

45 minutes 1.500 RSD

Short and frequent. Works well early on, when a shorter lesson more often beats a long one once a week.

60

60 minutes 2.000 RSD Most chosen

Enough time for new material and speaking practice in the same lesson. This is what most people take.

90

90 minutes 3.000 RSD

For an intensive push - a move, a new job, or a deadline that decides how fast you need to get there.

Learning with a partner or a colleague? A small group costs less per person - see the full price list.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know any Serbian to start?
No. Most people start from zero - we begin with the sounds and the alphabet, and you leave the first lesson able to say a few useful things. If you already know some Serbian, the trial lesson tells us where to pick up.
What language are the lessons in?
English at the beginning, because explaining Serbian cases in Serbian to a beginner helps nobody. As you progress, more and more of the lesson happens in Serbian, until English is only used to unstick something.
Cyrillic or Latin?
Both are in everyday use in Serbia, so you get both. We usually start with the Latin alphabet, since you already read those letters, and add Cyrillic soon after - you will need it for official documents, older signage and a lot of public notices.
Serbian has seven cases. Is it as bad as people say?
It is the part that takes longest, and we do not pretend otherwise. But you do not learn seven cases before you can order a coffee. Cases come in gradually, tied to situations you actually need, so you are speaking long before the grammar is complete.
How long until I can hold a conversation?
With two lessons a week, most people manage simple everyday exchanges - shopping, ordering, small talk with neighbours - within a few months. Real fluency takes longer than that. Anyone promising you fluent Serbian in 30 days is selling something.
I do not live in Serbia. Does that work?
Yes. All lessons are online over Google Meet, so where you are does not matter - only the time. Tell us your time zone in the form and we will find a slot that works for both sides.
Is the trial lesson really free?
Yes, and it commits you to nothing. It runs 15 to 30 minutes: we talk about why you need Serbian, check where you are, and suggest a plan. If it is not for you, that is where it ends.

Tell us why you need it

The free trial lesson takes 15 to 30 minutes. We find out where you are, what you need Serbian for, and suggest a plan. No commitment either way.

Book a free trial lesson