The Balkans span a remarkable range of languages across a compact region. Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian are essentially the same language with minor vocabulary differences — a sentence learned in one works in all three countries plus Montenegro. Albanian is entirely unrelated and distinct, while Slovenian is Slavic but different enough from Serbian/Croatian to need separate attention. We cover the key phrases across these language groups below to prepare you for a multi-country Balkan trip.
Greetings and Basics
Serbian / Croatian / Bosnian (BCS)
These three languages are mutually intelligible. Serbian uses both Cyrillic and Latin script; Croatian and Bosnian use Latin. We use Latin script here.
| English | BCS | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello | Zdravo | ZDRAH-voh |
| Good morning | Dobro jutro | DOH-broh YOO-troh |
| Good evening | Dobro veče | DOH-broh VEH-cheh |
| Thank you | Hvala | HVAH-lah |
| Please / You’re welcome | Molim | MOH-leem |
| Yes | Da | DAH |
| No | Ne | NEH |
| Excuse me | Izvinite | iz-VEE-nee-teh |
| Goodbye | Doviđenja | doh-vee-JEN-yah |
| How are you? | Kako ste? | KAH-koh steh? |
| I don’t understand | Ne razumijem | neh rah-ZOO-mee-yem |
Albanian
| English | Albanian | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello | Përshëndetje | pur-shun-DET-yeh |
| Good morning | Mirëdita | meer-uh-DEE-tah |
| Thank you | Faleminderit | fah-leh-meen-DEH-reet |
| Please | Ju lutem | yoo LOO-tem |
| Yes | Po | POH |
| No | Jo | YOH |
| Goodbye | Mirupafshim | meer-oo-PAF-sheem |
Slovenian
| English | Slovenian | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello | Zdravo | ZDRAH-voh |
| Thank you | Hvala | HVAH-lah |
| Please | Prosim | PROH-seem |
| Yes | Da | DAH |
| No | Ne | NEH |
| Goodbye | Nasvidenje | nahs-VEE-den-yeh |
Getting Around
| English | BCS | Albanian | Pronunciation (BCS) |
|---|
| Where is…? | Gdje je…? | Ku është…? | GDYEH yeh? |
| How much? | Koliko? | Sa kushton? | KOH-lee-koh? |
| Left | Lijevo | Majtas | LEE-yeh-voh |
| Right | Desno | Djathtas | DES-noh |
| Straight | Pravo | Drejt | PRAH-voh |
| Stop here | Stanite ovdje | Ndalo këtu | STAH-nee-teh OV-dyeh |
| Bus station | Autobuska stanica | Stacioni i autobusit | ow-toh-BOO-skah STAH-nee-tsah |
| Too expensive | Preskupo | Shumë shtrenjtë | preh-SKOO-poh |
Food and Dining
| English | BCS | Albanian | Pronunciation (BCS) |
|---|
| Water | Voda | Ujë | VOH-dah |
| The bill, please | Račun, molim | Llogarinë, ju lutem | RAH-choon MOH-leem |
| Delicious | Ukusno | E shijshme | oo-KOOS-noh |
| Coffee | Kafa/Kava | Kafe | KAH-fah |
| Beer | Pivo | Birrë | PEE-voh |
| Wine | Vino | Verë | VEE-noh |
| Bread | Hleb/Kruh | Bukë | HLEB |
| Meat | Meso | Mish | MEH-soh |
| Cheers! | Živjeli! | Gëzuar! | ZHEE-vyeh-lee |
| I’m vegetarian | Vegetarijanac sam | Jam vegjetarian | veh-geh-tah-ree-YAH-nahts sahm |
Numbers (BCS)
| Number | BCS | Albanian | Pronunciation (BCS) |
|---|
| 1 | Jedan | Një | YEH-dahn |
| 2 | Dva | Dy | DVAH |
| 3 | Tri | Tre | TREE |
| 4 | Četiri | Katër | CHEH-tee-ree |
| 5 | Pet | Pesë | PET |
| 6 | Šest | Gjashtë | SHEST |
| 7 | Sedam | Shtatë | SEH-dahm |
| 8 | Osam | Tetë | OH-sahm |
| 9 | Devet | Nëntë | DEH-vet |
| 10 | Deset | Dhjetë | DEH-set |
Emergency Phrases
| English | BCS | Albanian |
|---|
| Help! | Upomoć! (oo-POH-mohch) | Ndihmë! (NDEE-muh) |
| Police | Policija (poh-LEE-tsee-yah) | Policia (poh-lee-TSEE-ah) |
| Hospital | Bolnica (BOHL-nee-tsah) | Spitali (spee-TAH-lee) |
| I need a doctor | Treba mi doktor (TREH-bah mee DOK-tor) | Kam nevojë për doktor (kahm neh-VOY-uh pur dok-TOR) |
| I am lost | Izgubio sam se (iz-GOO-bee-oh sahm seh) | Jam humbur (yahm HOOM-boor) |
Pronunciation across BCS languages is phonetic — every letter is pronounced exactly as written, making reading straightforward once you learn the alphabet. The letters č (ch), š (sh), ž (zh), ć (soft ch), and đ (soft j) are the main additions to learn. Albanian is also phonetic but has its own patterns — “xh” sounds like English “j”, “q” is a soft “ch”, and “ë” is a neutral schwa sound. We recommend mastering “Hvala” for the ex-Yugoslav countries and “Faleminderit” for Albania — gratitude goes further than anything else in this famously hospitable region.
