Nemoj da varaš.

Nemoj is the usual word used to make a negative command to one person in Serbian.

So Nemoj da varaš means Don’t cheat / Don’t deceive.

By itself, nemoj is related to the verb hteti (to want) in an older pattern, but for learners it is easiest to remember it as a fixed command word meaning don’t when speaking to one person informally.

Examples:

• Nemoj da kasniš. — Don’t be late.
• Nemoj da vičeš. — Don’t shout.

After nemoj, Serbian very often uses da + present tense:

• Nemoj da varaš.

This is one standard way to say don’t do X.

The word da links nemoj to the following verb. English does not need a word like this here, so it can feel strange at first.

You may also hear:

• Nemoj varati.

That means the same thing. Both patterns are used:

• nemoj da + present
• nemoj + infinitive

Varaš is the 2nd person singular present tense form of the verb varati.

So:

• ja varam — I cheat / deceive
• ti varaš — you cheat / deceive
• on/ona/ono vara — he/she/it cheats / deceives

In Nemoj da varaš, the form varaš shows that the speaker is talking to one person and using the informal singular you.

Because Serbian often drops subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb ending.

The ending -aš in varaš already tells you the subject is ti (you, singular informal), so saying ti is usually unnecessary.

So:

• Nemoj da varaš. already clearly means
• You, don’t cheat / deceive.

If you say Ti nemoj da varaš, that adds emphasis, as if you are specifically contrasting that person with someone else.

It can mean both, depending on context.

Common meanings of varati include:

• to cheat — for example on a test, in a game, or in a relationship
• to deceive / trick someone

So Nemoj da varaš could mean:

• Don’t cheat
• Don’t deceive people
• Don’t be unfaithful

The exact meaning depends on the situation, since the Serbian sentence itself is quite general.

Yes. Nemoj da varaš is for one person informally.

For plural or formal/polite you, use:

• Nemojte da varate.

Comparison:

• Nemoj da varaš. — don’t cheat/deceive (to one person, informal)
• Nemojte da varate. — don’t cheat/deceive (to several people, or politely to one person)

Yes, Ne varaj is also a correct negative command.

So both are possible:

• Nemoj da varaš
• Ne varaj

In practice:

• Nemoj da varaš often sounds a bit more conversational or softer
• Ne varaj can sound shorter, more direct, and more forceful

Both mean essentially Don’t cheat / Don’t deceive.

For many learners, nemoj + da + present is a very useful and common pattern to learn early.

The dictionary form is varati.

It is an imperfective verb. That means it usually refers to an action as ongoing, repeated, habitual, or not viewed as a single completed whole.

That is why Nemoj da varaš can naturally mean:

• don’t cheat
• don’t keep cheating
• don’t be deceptive

If you later study aspect more deeply, you may meet related perfective verbs with more specific meanings, but for now it is enough to know that varati is the basic imperfective verb.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

NE-moy da VA-rash

Approximate sounds:

• ne as in net, but shorter
• moj like moy in boy with an m at the front
• da like duh, but shorter and cleaner
• varaš roughly VA-rash

A few sound notes:

• j in Serbian sounds like English y
• š sounds like English sh

So nemoj is pronounced roughly ne-moy, not like English moj with a hard j.

Yes. It is completely natural and complete.

Serbian often leaves out words that English would also sometimes leave out in commands. Since commands are directed at the listener, the subject does not need to be stated.

So Nemoj da varaš. is a perfectly normal full sentence meaning Don’t cheat / Don’t deceive.