hej
/ɦɛj/
The English phrase "hey" is translated into Serbian as hej.
hej is a casual way to say "hey" in Serbian used among young people or in informal settings.
Meaning: informal greeting (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hej is an informal greeting used primarily among friends or people of similar age. For a versatile and popular casual greeting equivalent to "hey" or "hi", you might also use Ćao.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɦɛj/
Did you know?
- If you use hej with an older person or someone in a professional setting, it may be perceived as unexpectedly blunt or even slightly rude.
- The word hej can also be used in poetic or musical contexts to evoke a sense of old-fashioned, rustic charm, such as in traditional folk songs.
- In Serbian, calling out hej to a stranger is often seen as more of a 'call' than a 'greeting', whereas in English, 'hey' is a very common way to start a conversation with a barista or shopkeeper.
Examples in context
- Hej, daj mi priliku.Hey, give me a chance.Tatoeba #4251392 by Lebad, translation #3151417 by CK
- Hej, opušteno.Hey, relax.Tatoeba #5003680 by Lebad, translation #325177 by CM
- Ćao, kako si?Hey, how are you?
- Hej, šta ima novo?Hey, what's new?
- Bre, što nisi sinoć došao?Hey, why didn't you come last night?
- Hej, kako si danas?Hey, how are you today?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marija sees Stefan walking towards her in a park.
- MarijaHej, Stefan!Hey, Stefan!
- StefanZdravo, Marija.Hello, Marija.
- MarijaGde si krenuo?Where are you off to?
- StefanIdem samo malo do prodavnice.I am just going to the shop.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hej, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
