Serbian

A language of Serbia

ISO 639-3

srp

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Autonym

српски‎ (Srpski)

Population

6,340,000 in Serbia (2013 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 8,779,176.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps

Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia

Serbia

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2006, Constitution, Article 10(1)).

Classification

Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western

Dialects

Shtokavski (Stokavian), Torlakian. A member of macrolanguage Serbo-Croatian [hbs].

Typology

SVO; postpositions; genitives, articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word initial; 1 suffix; case determines subject, object; obligatory verb affixes mark person, number, gender of subject, object, other noun phrase; passive for each tense, not commonly used today; causatives marked by separate words; comparatives marked by prefix; CCVCVC; nontonal.

Language Development

Fully developed. Bible: 1804–1868.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Serbian

Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], primary usage. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Torlakian spoken in south and east. Influence from Bulgarian [bul]. Some linguists consider it transitional between Shtokavski and Macedonian [mkd]. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Albania

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

66 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 370 (2012 census).

Location

Durrës, Elbasan, Fier, Korçë, Shkodër, and Tiranë counties.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

1,170,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook).

Alternate Names

Montenegrin, Serbo-Croatian

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Croatia

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

60,700 in Croatia (2011 census). Ethnic population: 187,000 (2011 census).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Bjelovarsko-Bilgors, Brodsko-Posavska, Grad Zgreb, Istarska, Karlovacka, Koprivnicko-Krizevaka, Licok-Senjska, Osjecko-Baranjska, Pozescko-Slavonska, Sibensko-Kninska, and 4 other counties (2002, Constitutional Law on the Rights of Minorities, Article 15), the Serbian minority has the right to elect a maximum of 3 members to the national legislature.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Istro Romanian [ruo].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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Hungary

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

3,710 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 7,210 (2011 census).

Location

Budapest county; Bács-Kiskun, Baranya, and Csongrád counties, urban enclaves.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Status

4 (Educational). Recognized language (1993, Minorities Act No. LXXVII).

Language Use

Also use Hungarian [hun]. Probably all L1 speakers.

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

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Macedonia

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

25,000 in Macedonia (2016). Ethnic population: 35,900 (2002 census).

Location

Kriva Palanka, Kumanovo, and Skopje municipalities.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Dialects

Serbian.

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Christian.

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Montenegro

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

266,000 in Montenegro (2011 census).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Muslim.

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Romania

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

16,800 in Romania (2014 UNSD).

Location

Arad, Caras-Severin, Mehedinti, and Timis counties.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian, Muslim.

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Russian Federation

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

11,000 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Census includes Bosnian [bos] and Croatian [hrv]. Ethnic population: 9,670 Serbo-Croatian (2002 census).

Location

Scattered.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian, Muslim.

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Slovenia

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

50,000 in Slovenia (2003 UNSD).

Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2000, Slovenian Ratification, ECRML).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Turkey

Language nameSerbian

Population Full

4,500 in Turkey (Leclerc 2014c). 2,350 monolinguals (1965 census). Ethnic population: 61,000.

Location

Widespread, west.

Alternate Names

Serbo-Croatian

Status

6b* (Threatened).

Language Use

Also use Turkish [tur].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

View other languages of Turkey

Ethnologue

Serbian

Primary tabs

A language of Serbia

Also spoken in:

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