говорити
govoriti
The English phrase "speak" translates to Serbian as говорити (govoriti).
The primary meaning of this verb is to be able to communicate in a language. It is a common and neutral way to express the act of speaking.
Meaning: to be able to communicate in a language (verb)
Which one should you use?
While говорити is the standard neutral term, you might choose different words depending on the context: pričati is the most common way to say "speak" in informal settings and razgovarati is used when emphasizing a conversation or dialogue. If you want to convey the idea of chattering or babbling, you can use blebetati.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine plural past tense form of говорити is говорили.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is govoriti.
Did you know?
- The verb говорити is inherited from the Proto-Indo-European root *gewH-, which originally meant 'to call' or 'cry'.
- There is a linguistic divide where speakers in Bosnia and Croatia might use pričati in situations where a Serbian speaker would use говорити.
- In Serbian, the verb говорити can actually mean 'to say' or 'to tell' as well as 'to speak', depending on whether an object follows it.
Examples in context
- Ускоро ћеш говорити француски довољно добро да можеш да путујеш у земље где се говори француски.You'll soon be able to speak French well enough to travel in French-speaking countries.This sentence shows how to use говорити regarding language proficiency.Tatoeba #8870705 by Lebad, translation #5903651 by CK
- Ja govorim srpski jezik.I speak Serbian.
- Razgovaramo o važnoj temi.We are discussing an important topic.
- Oni pričaju o putovanjima.They talk about travels.
- Deca blebetaju o svemu i svačemu.Children chatter about everything and anything.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries говорити, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
