What Makes Serbian Special? A Fun Language Guide

Serbian is a beautiful language spoken by around 9 million people! You can hear it mostly in Serbia, but also in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and North Macedonia. It’s the official language of Serbia and shares many similarities with Croatian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin—like cousins in the same language family!

How Was Serbian Written in the Past?

A long time ago, people in Serbia wrote with a very old alphabet called the Glagolitic alphabet. It looked very different from the letters we use today. Over time, this was replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet, which is still used in Serbia today.

In fact, the modern Serbian Cyrillic alphabet was developed in 1814. It has 30 letters and is perfectly matched to the way Serbian is spoken. Some people also use the Latin alphabet, especially in books or websites, so it’s helpful to know both!

Where Did Serbian Words Come From?

The Serbian language has grown and changed over hundreds of years. It includes words from Greek, Turkish, and more recently English and other world languages. Just like a living thing, the Serbian language keeps growing and adding new words all the time!

Creating a Shared Language

Before the mid-1800s, Serbian didn’t have a standard way of writing. There were lots of poems, songs, and stories—but no one “official” version of written Serbian.

That changed in 1850, when a group of writers and language experts from Serbia and Croatia got together to agree on a shared written language. They based it on a popular way of speaking called the Štokavian dialect. This helped create the modern Serbian literary standard that became the official language of Yugoslavia (a country that existed from 1918 to 1991).

When Yugoslavia broke apart in 1991, new countries began forming their own versions of the language. But they all still sound very similar!

Learn Serbian the Fun Way!

Learning Serbian opens the door to a world of stories, songs, and traditions. Kids can explore this language through games, videos, and music that make learning exciting and fun.

At Dinolingo, children ages 2–14 can start learning Serbian and more than 50 other languages. With age-appropriate content for toddlers, elementary kids, and teens, Dinolingo offers printable worksheets, interactive games, animated stories, and fun progress badges to keep kids motivated. Whether using the website or mobile app, families can enjoy learning anytime, anywhere!