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Learn Hardcore Serbian: Igramo društvenu igru. - We are playing a board game.

Hardcore Serbian
/Hosting a board-game night
/Igramo društvenu igru.

Igramo društvenu igru.

Igramo društvenu igru.

We are playing a board game.

Breakdown of Igramo društvenu igru.

društvena igra

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Questions & Answers about Igramo društvenu igru.

Why is the verb igramo translated as we play or we are playing?

Because igramo is the 1st person plural present tense form of igrati (to play).

In Serbian, the present tense can often cover both:

we play (habitually / generally)
we are playing (right now)

So Igramo društvenu igru. can mean either one, depending on context.

Why isn’t the pronoun mi (we) included?

Serbian usually drops subject pronouns when they are not needed for emphasis, because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, -mo in igramo clearly means we.

So:

Igramo društvenu igru. = We are playing a board game.
Mi igramo društvenu igru. also means We are playing a board game, but mi adds emphasis, like we in we are the ones playing.

Why is it društvenu igru and not društvena igra?

Because this phrase is the direct object of the verb, so it must be in the accusative case.

The dictionary form is:

društvena igra = board game / social game

In the accusative singular feminine, it becomes:

društvenu igru

Both the adjective and the noun change:

društvena → društvenu
igra → igru

So:

društvena igra = nominative, the basic form
društvenu igru = accusative, used after igramo

What exactly does društvena igra mean?

Društvena igra literally means something like social game, but in normal usage it commonly means board game or tabletop game.

So in this sentence, it is best understood as:

a board game
a party/game played together with others, depending on context

It does not mean a game about society. It refers to a game people play together.

Is Serbian word order fixed here?

No, Serbian word order is fairly flexible because cases show grammatical roles.

The neutral order here is:

Igramo društvenu igru.

But you could also say:

Društvenu igru igramo. — puts more emphasis on the game
Mi igramo društvenu igru. — emphasizes we

Even though word order can change, the most natural basic version is the original one.

Does Serbian have articles like a and the? How do I know whether it means a board game or the board game?

Serbian has no articles like English a/an/the.

So društvenu igru by itself can mean:

a board game
the board game

Context tells you which one is meant.

In many learning translations, this sentence is given as We are playing a board game, because that is the most neutral English version.

What is the base form of each word in the sentence?

The base forms are:

igrati = to play
društven / in dictionary-style adjective form društvena = social
igra = game

In the sentence:

igramo is a conjugated verb form
društvenu igru is the accusative singular form of društvena igra

So the full basic phrase behind it is:

društvena igra

Why is the adjective društvenu before the noun igru?

In Serbian, adjectives usually come before the noun they describe, just like in English.

So:

društvena igra = board game / social game

And when the phrase changes case, both words change, but the adjective still stays before the noun:

društvenu igru

That is the normal order.

What aspect is the verb igrati, and does that matter here?

Igrati is imperfective.

That matters because imperfective verbs are used for:

ongoing actions
repeated actions
general activities

So Igramo društvenu igru. naturally fits meanings like:

We are playing a board game.
We play board games.

A perfective verb would not normally be used the same way here for a simple ongoing activity.

Could you say just Igramo without društvenu igru?

Yes. Igramo by itself can mean:

We’re playing
We play

But adding društvenu igru tells you what you are playing.

Compare:

Igramo. = We’re playing.
Igramo društvenu igru. = We’re playing a board game.

So the object is not always required, but it adds useful information.

How would this sentence be negated or turned into a question?

For negation, add ne before the verb:

Ne igramo društvenu igru. = We are not playing a board game.

To make a yes/no question, one common option is:

Igramo li društvenu igru? = Are we playing a board game?

In speech, intonation can also help show that something is a question.

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