Adjectives

1. Velik

   Big

   Usage

   For stating size, e.g. of clothes, rooms or bags

   Grammar Note

   Headword is masculine singular; feminine velika, neuter veliko.

2. Malen

   Small

   Usage

   The opposite of "big"; useful when asking for a different size

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine malena, neuter maleno. The short form mali is also very common.

3. Težak

   Heavy

   Usage

   For the weight of luggage, or before asking for help

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine teška, neuter teško. It also means "difficult".

4. Lagan

   Light (weight)

   Usage

   Means light in weight; also "easy"

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine lagana, neuter lagano.

5. Skup

   Expensive

   Usage

   To say a price is high; a natural opener for bargaining

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine skupa, neuter skupo. The noun skup ("gathering") is a different word.

6. Jeftin

   Cheap

   Usage

   For asking about or describing cheap options

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine jeftina, neuter jeftino. The comparative is jeftiniji.

7. Vruć

   Hot

   Usage

   For hot food or drinks, not for hot weather

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine vruća, neuter vruće.

8. Hladan

   Cold

   Usage

   For cold drinks or food, not for cold weather

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine hladna, neuter hladno. The a of hladan drops in the other forms.

9. Nov

   New

   Usage

   For asking for a new item or a fresh room

   Grammar Note

   Masculine singular; feminine nova, neuter novo.

10. Star

    Old (thing)

    Usage

    For old things; for people use the next card

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine stara, neuter staro. Said of a person it can sound rude.

11. Mlad

    Young

    Usage

    For talking about a person's age

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine mlada, neuter mlado.

12. Stariji

    Old (person)

    Usage

    A polite word for an older person; not for things

    Grammar Note

    Comparative of star (masculine singular); feminine starija. It softens "old" to "older".

13. Čist

    Clean

    Usage

    For the cleanliness of a room, water or dishes

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine čista, neuter čisto.

14. Prljav

    Dirty

    Usage

    For complaints, e.g. when asking to change a room

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine prljava, neuter prljavo.

15. Dobar

    Good

    Usage

    The most general word for praising or approving

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine dobra, neuter dobro. It is also part of the greeting Dobar dan.

16. Loš

    Bad

    Usage

    For saying something is poor or not working well

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine loša, neuter loše.

17. Blizu

    Near

    Usage

    A common answer when asking about distance

    Grammar Note

    An adverb and preposition that does not inflect; "near X" is blizu + genitive (blizu hotela).

18. Daleko

    Far

    Usage

    To judge whether you can walk or need transport

    Grammar Note

    An adverb that does not inflect; "far from X" is daleko od + genitive.

19. Rano

    Early

    Usage

    Means early in time, not fast

    Grammar Note

    An adverb; "Rano je" means "it is still early".

20. Kasno

    Late

    Usage

    Means late in time; also handy for talking about delays

    Grammar Note

    An adverb; "Kasno je" means "it is already late".

21. Mnogo

    Many

    Usage

    For large amounts or numbers; useful when adjusting an order

    Grammar Note

    It takes the genitive (mnogo ljudi).

22. Malo

    Few

    Usage

    For small amounts; useful when asking for less

    Grammar Note

    It takes the genitive (malo soli).

23. Vruće je

    Hot (weather)

    Usage

    For hot weather

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal sentence; weather needs no subject.

24. Hladno je

    Cold (weather)

    Usage

    For cold weather

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal sentence; weather needs no subject.

25. Sladak

    Cute

    Usage

    Praises a person, animal or thing as cute; also means sweet in taste

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine slatka, neuter slatko (d becomes t).

26. Kul

    Cool

    Usage

    A casual word praising how someone or something looks

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from English "cool"; it does not inflect. Best in casual speech.

27. Ukusno

    Delicious

    Usage

    The most common compliment at the table

    Grammar Note

    The neuter form of ukusan used like an adverb; "Ukusno je" is also common.

28. Nevjerovatan

    Amazing

    Usage

    For expressing surprise or admiration

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine nevjerovatna, neuter nevjerovatno. Bosnian uses the vjerovatno- stem.

29. Zabavan

    Fun

    Usage

    For commenting on an experience

    Grammar Note

    Masculine singular; feminine zabavna, neuter zabavno. The a is a fixed vowel.

30. Više

    More

    Usage

    Asks for a larger amount; "Više, molim" means "More, please"

    Grammar Note

    The adverb serving as the comparative of mnogo.

31. Samo malo

    Just a little

    Usage

    Asks for a smaller serving or only a little top-up

    Grammar Note

    "samo" is a particle meaning "only".

32. Pola

    Half

    Usage

    Asks for half; "pola porcije" is a half portion

    Grammar Note

    Before a noun it takes the genitive (pola porcije).

33. Sve

    All / everything

    Usage

    "All" or "everything"; also useful when asking to settle the whole bill

    Grammar Note

    A neuter pronoun that can also be a subject, as in "Sve je u redu".

34. Dovoljno je

    That's enough

    Usage

    Stops a top-up or serving without sounding rude

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal sentence meaning "that is enough".

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