супруга
Cyrillic, feminine
The Serbian word for wife can be expressed as супруга or жена. Wiktionary also lists žena and supruga.
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Serbian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| супруга | Cyrillic, feminine | ||
| жена | žèna | /ʒěna/ | Cyrillic, feminine |
| žena | Latin, feminine | ||
| supruga | Latin, feminine |
The word жена is used to mean both 'wife' and 'woman', with the specific meaning determined by the context of the sentence. Супруга is used specifically to mean a female partner in a marriage.
Which one should you use?
While жена is a common way to refer to a wife, it also carries the meaning of 'woman'. In contrast, супруга is a more precise term for a wife or spouse.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of жена is жене (wives).
Did you know?
- The word жена is a distant linguistic cousin to the English word 'queen', both tracing back to an ancient root meaning 'woman'.
- The word супруга is derived from the root meaning 'companion' or 'joint partner', emphasizing the legal and social bond over gender.
- The term жена is often used in folk songs and poetry to symbolize not just a partner but the concept of domestic stability and home.
Examples in context
- Ради ли ти жена?Does your wife work?This sentence demonstrates the use of жена for 'wife'.Tatoeba #12402741 by Lebad, translation #2260603 by Amastan
- Žena mi je iz Kede.My wife is from Kedah.This sentence demonstrates the use of žena for 'wife'.Tatoeba #4246906 by Lebad, translation #4210204 by geebee60
- Ја нисам Томова жена.I'm not Tom's wife.Tatoeba #8892306 by Lebad, translation #8868067 by CK
- Danas se moja supruga oseća sjajno.Today, my wife feels great.
- Gde je moja draga žena?Where is my dear wife?
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marko introduces his partner to Jelena at a party.
- MarkoОво је моја супруга, Елена.This is my wife, Elena.
- JelenaДраго ми је, Елена.Nice to meet you, Elena.
- MarkoОна је одличан лекар.She is a great doctor.
- JelenaТо је заиста импресивно.That is really impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries жена, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries жена, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
