medvjed
Ijekavian, Latin, masculine
The English word "bear" translates to Bosnian as medvjed. Wiktionary also lists medo and medved.
Meaning: large mammal of family Ursidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Bosnian | Note |
|---|---|
| medvjed | Ijekavian, Latin, masculine |
| medo | diminutive, masculine |
| medved | Ekavian, Latin, masculine |
| medvjedica | Ijekavian, Latin, feminine |
| medvedica | Ekavian, Latin, feminine |
The term refers to the large mammal of the family Ursidae.
Which one should you use?
medvjed and medved both mean the animal, but they belong to different dialectal groups. For gender, use the feminine forms medvjedica or medvedica to refer to a female bear.
Is it said differently in some regions?
medvjed is the standard Ijekavian variant used in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The form medved is the Ekavian variant, which is more common in Serbia.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer specifically to a female bear, use the feminine noun medvjedica (Ijekavian) or medvedica (Ekavian).
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the noun medvjed (the animal) with the verb nositi, which means to carry or bear a load.
Did you know?
- In many Slavic languages, including Bosnian, the original name for the bear was likely a taboo word that was replaced by the descriptive 'honey-eater' to avoid offending the spirit of the animal.
- Bosnian folklore sometimes portrays the medvjed as a shape-shifter who can take on human form.
- If you are talking to a child, you might use the much shorter, sweeter form medo instead of the formal name for the animal.
Examples in context
- Zoološki vrt ima nekoliko medvjeda.The zoo has several bears.
- Medvjed je veoma snažna životinja.A bear is a very strong animal.
- Čuo sam da je medvjed ušao u selo.I heard that a bear entered the village.
Example conversation
Selma and Amar are looking at a nature book.
- SelmaPogledaj, ovaj medvjed je stvarno ogroman!Look, this bear is really huge!
- AmarDa, izgleda jako opasno.Yes, it looks very dangerous.
- SelmaŽao mi je da živi u kavezu.I feel sorry that it lives in a cage.
- AmarSlažem se s tobom, Selma.I agree with you, Selma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bear” translations and entries medo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
