девојка
dèvōjka/děʋoːjka/Cyrillic, feminine
The English word girl is translated into Serbian as девојка (dèvōjka). Wiktionary also lists дјевојка (djèvōjka) and devojka.
Meaning: young female person (noun)
Ways to say it
| Serbian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| девојка | dèvōjka | /děʋoːjka/ | Cyrillic, feminine |
| дјевојка | djèvōjka | /djěʋoːjka/ | Cyrillic, feminine |
| devojka | /děʋoːjka/ | Latin, feminine | |
| djevojka | /djěʋoːjka/ | Latin, feminine |
девојка is used to refer to a young female person. In a romantic context, it is also commonly used to mean girlfriend.
Which one should you use?
While девојка refers to a young woman or girl, the term девојчица is used specifically when referring to a little girl or a small child.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form дјевојка is the Ijekavian dialect variant used in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /děʋoːjka/.
Did you know?
- In much of the Balkans, calling a woman 'девојка' is a compliment to her youth, but calling her 'жена' (woman) can sometimes be perceived as a sign that she has lost her 'spark' or youthfulness.
- In Serbian, the word девојка is derived from the root дева, which in Slavic mythology and poetry refers to a maiden or a virgin.
- If a Serbian man says 'Моја девојка', he is almost certainly declaring a romantic relationship, whereas an English speaker saying 'My girl' might just be being affectionate towards a daughter.
Examples in context
- Mlada devojka je zagrlila Toma.The young girl hugged Tom.This sentence shows the use of devojka to describe a young person.Tatoeba #4784577 by Lebad, translation #4740882 by CK
- Нисам сигуран ко је та девојка.I'm not sure who that girl is.This sentence shows the use of девојка to identify a female.Tatoeba #8840719 by Lebad, translation #8829162 by CK
- Devojka je pustila ptice iz kaveza.The girl released the birds from the cage.This sentence shows the use of devojka in a simple action sentence.Tatoeba #5993428 by dzoja, translation #46634 by CK
- Jako mi je drago da sam upoznao tu curicu.I'm really glad I met that girl.
- Našao sam pravu devojku.I found the right girl.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Stefan and Jelena are talking about a new neighbor.
- StefanКо је та девојка у новом стану?Who is that girl in the new apartment?
- JelenaОна је моја сестра, недавно је дошла.She is my sister, she arrived recently.
- StefanТа девојка изгледа веома пријатно.That girl seems very pleasant.
- JelenaЈесе, она је стварно др наука.Yes, she is really sweet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries девојка, дјевојка, devojka, djevojka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
