краљ
Cyrillic, masculine
The English word king can be translated into Serbian as краљ or цар. Wiktionary also lists kralj and car.
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Serbian | Note |
|---|---|
| краљ | Cyrillic, masculine |
| цар | Cyrillic, masculine |
| kralj | Latin, masculine |
| car | Latin, masculine |
The term краљ (or its Latin script form kralj) refers to a king of a kingdom. It is also used metaphorically to describe the most powerful or dominant member of a group, such as a краљ џунгле (king of the jungle).
Which one should you use?
While both words can be translated as king in English, they have distinct meanings in Serbian. краљ refers specifically to a king of a kingdom, whereas цар (or its Latin script form car) refers to an emperor or a supreme ruler of an empire.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'of the king', the form краљ changes to краља in the genitive case.
Did you know?
- If you call someone a краљ in a casual setting, you are not just praising them, but might be using a superlative slang term for someone who is 'the best' at a specific task.
- The word цар is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'caesar', as both trace their lineage back to the Latin 'Caesar'.
- In traditional Serbian history, the title of цар was rarely used for domestic rulers unless they claimed authority over other Slavic kings.
Examples in context
- Орао је цар птица.The eagle is king of birds.This sentence uses цар to describe the eagle as the king of birds.Tatoeba #1082324 by Dimitrije, translation #29139 by slyfin
- Лав је краљ џунгле.The lion is the king of the jungle.This sentence uses краљ to describe the lion as the king of the jungle.Tatoeba #2788392 by Lebad, translation #29846 by CM
- Kada porastem hoću da budem kralj.When I grow up, I want to be a king.This sentence uses kralj to express a desire to be a king.Tatoeba #800138 by mrdax, translation #1337 by CK
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marko and Jelena are visiting a history museum.
- MarkoКо је био овај краљ?Who was this king?
- JelenaОн је владао много година.He ruled for many years.
- MarkoИзгледа као стварни краљ на слици.He looks like a real king in the picture.
- JelenaДа, имао је велику моћ.Yes, he had great power.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries car, краљ, цар, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
