cheers montenegro kotor bay

10 phrases you can often hear while in Montenegro

divider
Gospa od Skrpjela and island of St. George

9 May 2019

marina

written by Marina Pejaković

Welcome! You have just arrived in Montenegro and you are ready to explore. You have arrived into the country of cheerful and warm people, delicious smoked ham and cheese, and irresistible wine. It is well known that people from Montenegro are hearty and although we express ourselves through hugging and kissing, we also belong to the group of talkative nations.

These phrases bring you closer to the people of Montenegro and they can definitely come in handy during your visit.
*the translation of the words is in English in the brackets

what to eat in kotor
Živjeli! – (Cheers!)

Ćao! – (Hi!) – The easiest way to say Hi! and the easiest way to say Bye! to a Montenegrin. It is pronounced as ‘Ciao’ in Italian language.

Živjeli! – (Cheers!) – One of the dearest words used by people in Montenegro, because we are famous for giving toasts and celebrating life in general.

Još jednu turu! – (Another round of drinks!) – We are also famous as generous drinkers, so we like to order another round of drinks for our friends.

coffee in kotor
Sjutra pijemo kafu! – (Coffee tomorrow!)

Hvala. – (Thank you.) – A simple word used to express thankfulness. It might seem like people from Montenegro are proud but they appreciate good people and they are thankful for them.

Nego šta! – (Sure thing!) – In the sea of different words used to describe the approval of something, this one stands out because it really expresses eagerness to do something.

Divno! – (It’s amazing!) – We usually do not hide our amazement with something so we express it loudly.

Sjutra pijemo kafu! – (Coffee tomorrow!) – We are famous for randomly meeting our friends or acquaintances on the street and then very confidently promise them we will drink coffee with them soon, but usually it turns out that we never meet for that coffee :/

girls gossiping
Šališ se? – (You must be joking?)

Šališ se? – (You must be joking?) – We are not perfect, and Montenegrin people cannot help it but enjoy listening to some new gossip in town. This is the phrase they usually use while expressing their shock.

Slatka kao bombon! (Sweet as candy!) – This phrase is usually referred to women who are pretty, and you must admit there are plenty of beautiful women in Montenegro 🙂

Idemo! – (Let’s go!) – Montenegrin people are usually ‘go with the flow’ type of people and they are easily persuaded to go out for a coffee or to help others while they are doing some kind of work in their yard. It usually ends up with a couple of beers and discussing the philosophy of life.

looking over kotor bay
Idemo! – (Let’s go!)

Hopefully, these phrases illustrated you people from Montenegro, who might be hard to understand and perhaps a little bit too proud, but they are honest and hearty hosts. Enjoy your stay in Montenegro, surprise the locals with your knowledge of our language and do not miss the chance of giving a toast and ordering another round of drinks!

budva montenegro

Share on platform

Read more posts

Classic Car Tour – Unique Boka Bay Experience

Classic Car Tour – Unique Boka Bay Experience

Imagine feeling goosebumps as you are going on a first date with the person you like. Imagine feeling powerful as you are teleporting through time to ...

KOTOR – on the list of the Best European Destination in 2021!

KOTOR – on the list of the Best European Destination in 2021!

Have you heard that Kotor is enlisted as one of the best & safest destinations for travel in 2021? That’s right, Montenegro is calling! 🙂 I know ...

Perast & Our Lady of the Rock – getaway for romantic souls

Perast & Our Lady of the Rock – getaway for romantic souls

Are you planning a visit to Montenegro? Whether you're arriving by cruise ship, car, or plane, get ready to be enchanted by this beautiful country. Wi...