Start here: quick wins for absolute beginners
For beginners, begin with what you can use today: greetings, yes/no, please/thank you, and introducing yourself. Hear the sounds first, then say them out loud. A few high‑frequency phrases will make every later lesson easier and more fun.
Keep sessions short. Do one focused online lesson daily, then speak. Record yourself, compare to a native clip, and repeat. Consistency matters more than marathon study, especially at the beginner level.
- Learn 10 core phrases (hello, goodbye, thanks)
- Memorize yes/no/please/thank you
- Shadow a 2‑minute dialogue daily
- Do one mini lesson and one recap
Alphabet and pronunciation, fast
Serbian uses both Latin (č, ć, š, ž, đ) and Cyrillic (Ч, Ћ, Ш, Ж, Ђ). The language is very phonetic: what you see is what you say. Learn sounds once and you can read almost anything. Practice letter pairs with audio until your mouth “remembers” them.
Set your phone/keyboard to Serbian (Latin and Cyrillic). Read street signs, menus, and names out loud. A simple alphabet PDF you can glance at during practice keeps you on track while you’re still a beginner.
- Download a free PDF alphabet chart
- Add Serbian keyboard (Latin + Cyrillic)
- Read names slowly, then at natural speed
- Record tough sounds: č vs ć, dž vs đ
Build daily habits with short lessons
Micro‑learning wins. Aim for 15–20 minutes: 5 minutes review, 10 minutes new input, 5 minutes speaking. Rotate topics—greetings, food, numbers, directions—so you see words in multiple contexts. Small, steady wins beat cramming.
About Duolingo: there isn’t a Serbian course for English speakers yet. A workaround is using “English for Serbian speakers” for reading/typing practice, or mixing other free apps with YouTube lessons and flashcards to cover gaps.
- 5 min: review yesterday’s phrases
- 10 min: new beginner lesson or video
- 5 min: speak aloud or shadow
- Quick note: 1 phrase you’ll use today
Best free online resources for Serbian
Use a mix: structured lessons, example sentences, and audio. Combine a free course or textbook PDF with listening practice and spaced‑repetition flashcards. Keep it light but regular.
If a site says “Serbo‑Croatian,” it still helps beginners; core grammar and vocabulary overlap widely. Add Serbian‑specific listening to tune your ear to accent and usage.
- FSI Serbo‑Croatian Basic Course (free PDF + audio) for structured drills
- Memrise and Clozemaster community Serbian courses for vocab in context
- Wikibooks: Serbian for grammar summaries and beginner lessons
- YouTube: “Serbian lessons for beginners” playlists with transcripts
- Forvo and Tatoeba for pronunciation and example sentences
Your 30‑day beginner plan (A1 aims)
Goal: introduce yourself, handle numbers, order food, ask simple questions, and read/write in Latin and basic Cyrillic. Keep a printable PDF tracker to tick off daily tasks and stay motivated.
Focus on clarity over speed. If a topic feels hard (cases, new sounds), slow down and repeat that lesson across two days. Progress compounds when you can actually use each piece.
- Week 1: alphabet (both scripts), greetings, yes/no, polite phrases
- Week 2: numbers, days, time, coffee/food phrases, simple questions
- Week 3: introduce yourself, family, nationality, basic verb present
- Week 4: directions, shopping, prices, review and record a 60‑sec bio
- Daily: 5 min review, 10 min new lesson, 5 min speaking or shadowing
FAQ
- Is Serbian hard for English‑speaking beginners?
- It’s manageable. Serbian spelling is phonetic, which helps. New challenges are cases (word endings) and two scripts (Latin and Cyrillic). If you learn the alphabet early and practice short, daily speaking, you can reach solid A1–A2 basics without overwhelm.
- Can I learn Serbian online for free?
- Yes. Combine a free course or PDF (e.g., FSI Serbo‑Croatian) with YouTube beginner lessons, Forvo for pronunciation, and flashcard apps. Add a simple study plan and you’ll cover vocabulary, listening, and grammar without paying.
- Should I learn Cyrillic or Latin first?
- Start with Latin to read quickly, then add Cyrillic in Week 1–2. Most online beginner content uses Latin, but real‑world Serbian uses both. Knowing both scripts early prevents confusion and boosts reading confidence.
- How long to reach A1–A2 in Serbian?
- With 20 minutes a day, many learners hit A1 in 2–3 months and A2 in 4–6 months. Roughly 60–120 hours for A1 and 150–300 for A2, depending on background and consistency. Short, focused lessons work best.
- Is Duolingo good for learning Serbian?
- There’s no Serbian course for English speakers yet. You can still use “English for Serbian speakers” to practice typing and reading Serbian. For a fuller path, pair it with free PDFs, YouTube lessons, and vocab apps.