Ovo je glavni potez.

Ovo means this.

It is used here because ovo is the neuter singular form of the demonstrative pronoun when you are pointing to something in a general way, like English this is...

Compare:

• ovo = this
• ovaj = this (masculine)
• ova = this (feminine)

In Ovo je glavni potez, ovo works like This is..., introducing or identifying something. It does not have to match potez directly in gender the way an adjective would.

Je is the 3rd person singular form of the verb biti (to be) in the present tense.

So:

• ovo = this
• je = is
• glavni potez = main move / key move

Together: Ovo je... = This is...

This is one of the most common Serbian sentence patterns.

Glavni means main, principal, or sometimes key.

It is an adjective, and here it is in the form that matches potez, which is:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative

In Serbian, adjectives usually agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case.

So:

• glavni potez = main move
• if the noun changed, the adjective would usually change too

For example:

• glavna stvar = main thing
• glavno pitanje = main question

Potez most often means move, stroke, action, or maneuver, depending on context.

Common uses include:

• in chess: a move
• in drawing/writing: a stroke
• in strategy or everyday speech: an action or a move

So glavni potez could mean:

• the main move
• the key move
• the crucial action

The exact English translation depends on context.

Serbian does not have articles like English a/an/the.

So glavni potez can mean:

• a main move
• the main move

The context tells you which one is meant.

This is normal in Serbian. Learners often want to add something like English the, but Serbian simply does not use articles that way.

Potez is in the nominative singular.

That is because it is the predicate noun after je in a basic identifying sentence:

• Ovo je glavni potez.
• This is the main move.

The nominative is the basic dictionary form of the noun.

Yes, it is the most neutral and natural word order.

Serbian word order is fairly flexible, but this version sounds straightforward and standard:

• Ovo je glavni potez.

Other word orders are possible for emphasis, but they would sound more marked. For example:

• Glavni potez je ovo. = This is the main move with extra emphasis on glavni potez or contrast

For a learner, Ovo je glavni potez is the best default version.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

Ovo je glavni potez
OH-vo yeh GLAHV-nee POH-tez

A few notes:

• j in Serbian sounds like English y in yes
• v is like English v
• glavni has a clear v, not silent
• z in potez is pronounced like English z

Serbian spelling is quite phonetic, so words are usually pronounced close to how they are written.

Yes. Serbian often uses potez both literally and figuratively.

It can refer to:

• a literal move in a game
• a practical action someone takes
• a strategic step
• a decisive maneuver

So depending on context, Ovo je glavni potez might mean:

• This is the main move
• This is the key step
• This is the crucial action

Yes, but the meaning shifts slightly.

• Ovo je... = This is... and usually refers to something close, present, or being introduced
• To je... = That is... or sometimes That’s..., and can sound a bit more detached or refer back to something already mentioned

So:

• Ovo je glavni potez. = This is the main move.
• To je glavni potez. = That is the main move. / That’s the main move.

Both are correct, but ovo and to are not identical.

Yes, especially for the adjective.

Potez is a masculine noun, so the adjective must match it:

• glavni potez

If the noun were feminine or neuter, the adjective would change:

• glavna stvar = main thing
• glavno pitanje = main question

However, ovo stays ovo here because it functions as this in the whole identifying structure Ovo je..., not as a direct adjective attached to potez.

It is neutral and works in both spoken and written Serbian.

There is nothing especially formal or informal about it. It is a standard, natural sentence pattern that you can use in many contexts.