шећер
Cyrillic, masculine
Sugar in Serbian is шећер (Cyrillic) or šećer (Latin).
Meaning: sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beet used to sweeten food and drink (noun)
Ways to say it
| Serbian | Note |
|---|---|
| шећер | Cyrillic, masculine |
| šećer | Latin, masculine |
The word refers to the sucrose obtained from sugar cane or sugar beet used to sweeten food and drink.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase шећер у праху is the standard term for powdered sugar. It literally translates to sugar in powder.
How does it change in a sentence?
Depending on the sentence structure, the form changes. Use the genitive case шећера after verbs of consumption or when expressing a quantity, such as 'a lot of sugar'. Use the instrumental case шећером to express the means or accompaniment, such as 'sweetened with sugar'.
Did you know?
- The word šećer shares an unexpected ancestor with the English word 'gravel'. Its ancient roots trace back to a Proto-Indo-European word meaning 'grit' or 'small stones', describing the texture of unrefined sugar.
- In Serbian culture, it is common to serve a small cube of šećer on the side of a traditional Bosnian-style coffee rather than stirring it in.
- The word šećer entered the Serbian language via Ottoman Turkish, marking the historical influence of the Ottoman Empire on the culinary and linguistic landscape of the Balkans.
Examples in context
- Волим шећер у праху.I like powdered sugar.This sentence shows how to use the form шећер to talk about powdered sugar.Tatoeba #8840409 by Lebad, translation #8837724 by CK
- Стављам шећер у чај.I put sugar in my tea.This sentence shows how to use the form шећер when putting it in tea.Tatoeba #8840422 by Lebad, translation #8837976 by CK
- Хоћеш ли млеко и шећер?Do you want milk and sugar?This sentence shows how to use the form шећер when offering milk and sugar.Tatoeba #8876603 by Lebad, translation #8859074 by sundown
- Molim Vas, možete li mi doneti šećer?Could you please bring me sugar?
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marko and Jelena are preparing coffee in the kitchen.
- MarkoЈелена, где је шећер?Jelena, where is the sugar?
- JelenaШећер је у првој фиоци.The sugar is in the first drawer.
- MarkoХвала, не могу без њега.Thanks, I can't do without it.
- JelenaСтави мало, није здраво.Put a little, it's not healthy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sugar” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries šećer, шећер, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
