The four prefixes
ne-“some-” — an unspecified one: neko = someone, negde = somewhere
ni-“no-” — negative: niko = no one, nigde = nowhere (the verb must also be negated — see the golden rule)
i-“any- / ever” — used in questions and conditions: iko = anyone, ikada = ever
sva- / svu-“every- / all” — universal: svako = everyone, svugde = everywhere
The matrix
Click any word for example sentences. Dashed cells are rare or literary — learn to recognise them, but the everyday language prefers the alternatives noted in the examples.
| base word | ne- · some- | ni- · no- | i- · any- | sva-/svu- · every- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kowho | ||||
| štawhat | ||||
| kadawhen | ||||
| gdewhere | ||||
| kakohow | ||||
| kudawhich way | ||||
| kamowhere to (formal) | ||||
| odakle / otkudafrom where | ||||
| čijiwhose | ||||
| kakavwhat kind | ||||
| kojiwhich | ||||
| kolikohow much/many | ||||
| zaštowhy | — | — | — | |
| dokleuntil when / how far | — | — | — |
Click a word in the matrix
Example sentences will appear here. The ne- column is a good place to start.
- Tip: press “Hide English” in the header to turn the matrix into a self-test.
The golden rule: negative concord
The ni- series never replaces the negative on the verb — Serbian requires both. Leaving ne off the verb is the most common learner error with these words.
✗ Niko zna. → ✓ Niko ne zna. — No one knows.
✗ Nikada idem tamo. → ✓ Nikada ne idem tamo. — I never go there.
✗ Vidim ništa. → ✓ Ne vidim ništa. — I see nothing.
✗ Nikada idem tamo. → ✓ Nikada ne idem tamo. — I never go there.
✗ Vidim ništa. → ✓ Ne vidim ništa. — I see nothing.
Exception: a ni- word can stand alone as a one-word answer. — Ko je zvao? — Niko. (Who called? — No one.)
Two-word cousins
Two more patterns do the same job but are written as two separate words.
| pattern | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| bilo ko | anyone at all | Pitaj bilo koga. — Ask anyone at all. |
| bilo šta | anything at all | Reći će bilo šta da se odbrani. — He'll say anything to defend himself. |
| bilo kada / bilo gde | anytime / anywhere | Dođi bilo kada. Sedi bilo gde. — Come anytime. Sit anywhere. |
| bilo koji | any (one) at all | Uzmi bilo koju knjigu. — Take any book. |
| ko god | whoever | Ko god da zove, reci da me nema. — Whoever calls, say I'm not here. |
| šta god | whatever | Šta god da uradiš, neće pomoći. — Whatever you do, it won't help. |
| kada god / gde god | whenever / wherever | Kada god dođem, spava. — Whenever I come, he's asleep. |
These words still decline
The prefix is glued on — everything after it declines exactly like the base word.
| case | ko → neko | šta → nešto | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | neko | nešto | Nešto se čuje. — Something can be heard. |
| G | nekoga | nečega | Ne sećam se ničega. — I remember nothing. |
| D | nekome | nečemu | Pomažem nekome. — I'm helping someone. |
| A | nekoga | nešto | Video sam nekoga. — I saw someone. |
| I | nekim(e) | nečim(e) | Pokrio je to nečim. — He covered it with something. |
| L | nekome | nečemu | Pričamo o nečemu. — We're talking about something. |
Adjective series decline too: čiji and kakav families behave like possessives/adjectives — nečijeg prijatelja (of someone's friend), nikakvog problema (no problem at all, gen.), ikakvim rečima (in any words, instr.).
Watch out — special meanings
svašta ≠ svesve is “everything” (Sve je u redu. — Everything is fine). svašta is “all sorts of stuff”, often dismissive: Pričao je svašta. — He talked all kinds of nonsense.
svakakoUsually an adverb of certainty, not manner: Svakako ću doći. — I'll definitely come.
nekad(a)Two meanings: “sometime” (Dođi nekada. — Come by sometime) and “formerly” (Nekada je ovde bila škola. — There used to be a school here).
nekako“Somehow”, and also “sort of / vaguely”: Osećam se nekako čudno. — I feel sort of strange.
nikakoAs an exclamation it means “no way / absolutely not”: — Mogu li? — Nikako!
nekoliko + genitive“A few”: nekoliko puta — several times; nekoliko ljudi — a few people.
uvek, not *svakada“Always” breaks the pattern — svagda exists only in poetry and old books. Say uvek.
svuda / svugdeBoth mean “everywhere”; svuda is the shorter, very common form: Tražio sam te svuda.