Ways to say it
| Serbian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| здраво | Cyrillic | ||
| ћао | ćȃo | /t͡ɕâːo/ | Cyrillic |
| мерхаба | Cyrillic | ||
| селам | Cyrillic | ||
| бок | bok | Cyrillic | |
| zdravo | /zdrâʋo/ | Latin | |
| ćao | /t͡ɕâːo/ | Latin | |
| merhaba | Latin | ||
| selam | Latin | ||
| bok | /bok/ | Latin |
The Serbian language offers several ways to greet others depending on the level of familiarity and cultural context. While здраво (or zdravo in Latin script) is a standard way to say hello or hi, other options exist. For example, ćao (or ћао) can mean both hi and bye, while selam (or селам) is a greeting used primarily within Muslim communities in Serbia and the Balkans. You might also encounter merhaba (or мерхаба) and bok (or бок) as greetings.
What does it mean word for word?
The word здраво is literally an adjective meaning healthy, whole or safe.
Which one should you use?
The forms provided cover different scripts and nuances. здраво and zdravo are the same word in Cyrillic and Latin scripts. ћао (Cyrillic) and ćao (Latin) are informal borrowings from Italian used for both hello and goodbye. Similarly, мерхаба and merhaba are used as greetings, as are селам and selam and бок and bok.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, it is better to use time-specific greetings: Dobro jutro for Good morning, Dobar dan for Good day and Dobro veče for Good evening. The word здраво is considered an informal greeting meaning hi. The word ćao is also informal and used among friends. For very informal social situations, you can use the phrase Šta ima? which means What's up?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the phrase Dobra večer is used to mean Good evening.
When do people say it?
Greetings in the Balkans often reflect religious and cultural diversity. For instance, selam is a greeting commonly used within Muslim communities.
Did you know?
- While ћао means 'hi' or 'bye', its Italian ancestor 'ciao' comes from a Venetian phrase meaning 'I am your slave'.
- In some traditional Serbian rural areas, a greeting might be accompanied by a firm handshake and direct eye contact to establish trust and respect.
- Depending on the region, using bok instead of здраво can immediately signal that a speaker is from or has spent time in Croatia.
Examples in context
- Здраво.Hello!This sentence uses здраво to provide a simple hello.Tatoeba #402121 by Lebad, translation #373330 by CK
- Здраво!Hello there!This sentence uses здраво for a slightly more emphatic hello there.Tatoeba #8846811 by Lebad, translation #1619718 by Spamster
- Здраво опет.Hello again.This sentence uses здраво to say hello again.Tatoeba #8830097 by Lebad, translation #1764868 by Amastan
- Dobar dan! Drago mi je što sam vas upoznao/la.Good day! Nice to meet you.
- Ćao! Kako si?Hi! How are you?
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet on the street.
- MarijaЗдраво, Никола!Hello, Nikola!
- NikolaЗдраво, Марија! Како си?Hello, Marija! How are you?
- MarijaДобро сам, хвала.I am well, thanks.
- NikolaДраго ми је.I am glad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries ћао, бок, zdravo, ćao, bok, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries мерхаба, ћао, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
