Uklonite istrošenu bateriju iz električnog aparata.

Uklonite is the imperative form, so it is used for a command or instruction: remove.

In this sentence, it is the 2nd person plural imperative of ukloniti. In Serbian, that same plural form is also used as a formal singular command, so it is very common in manuals, instructions, and notices.

Related forms:

• ukloniti = to remove
• ukloni = remove! (informal, to one person)
• uklonite = remove! (to several people, or formal/polite)

This makes the sentence sound like standard instruction-manual Serbian.

Ukloniti is perfective. That means it focuses on the action as a completed whole: remove it completely.

That is why it fits well in an instruction like this. The idea is not be removing or remove repeatedly, but carry out this one action and finish it.

The imperfective partner is uklanjati:

• ukloniti = to remove completely / take away
• uklanjati = to be removing / to remove repeatedly or in process

In commands for manuals, Serbian often prefers the perfective verb because the instruction is about a completed result.

Because bateriju is the direct object of the verb uklonite, it has to be in the accusative case.

The basic dictionary form is:

• istrošena baterija = worn-out / spent battery

But in this sentence, after remove, it becomes:

• istrošenu bateriju = the spent battery, as the object

Both the adjective and the noun change because they must agree.

So:

• nominative: istrošena baterija
• accusative: istrošenu bateriju

This is a very common pattern with feminine nouns ending in -a.

Because the preposition iz means out of / from inside of, and it requires the genitive case.

The base form is:

• električni aparat = electrical device / appliance

After iz, it changes to:

• iz električnog aparata

So:

• električni → električnog
• aparat → aparata

This is not optional: iz regularly takes the genitive in Serbian.

Here iz means out of or from inside. It is used because the battery is being removed from the inside of a device.

So:

• iz aparata = out of the device

A different preposition would change the meaning:

• sa = from off a surface
• od = from, away from, belonging to, depending on context

For a battery inside a device, iz is the natural choice.

For a battery, istrošena means used up, spent, or depleted.

Literally, the adjective comes from the idea of something being worn out through use. With batteries, it commonly means the battery no longer has useful charge.

A learner may also see:

• prazna baterija = empty / dead battery
• istrošena baterija = spent / used-up battery

In practical contexts, both can refer to a battery that should be replaced, but istrošena is especially common in formal instructions and packaging.

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

So Serbian simply says:

• uklonite istrošenu bateriju

Depending on context, English might translate that as:

• remove the spent battery
• remove a spent battery

The exact interpretation comes from the situation, not from an article.

Yes, Serbian word order is more flexible than English word order.

This sentence starts with the verb:

• Uklonite istrošenu bateriju iz električnog aparata.

That is very natural in instructions, because Serbian manuals often put the command first.

You could also say:

• Istrošenu bateriju uklonite iz električnog aparata.

That version puts more focus on the battery itself. But the original version is the most neutral and typical for instruction style.

Yes, aparat is normal, especially in formal or technical language.

It can mean:

• device
• appliance
• apparatus

In everyday speech, people might also say uređaj, especially for modern electronic devices.

So:

• električni aparat = electrical appliance/device
• električni uređaj = electrical/electronic device

In a manual, aparat sounds completely natural.

In Serbian, adjectives must agree with the nouns they describe in gender, number, and case.

Here there are two adjective+noun pairs:

1. istrošenu bateriju

   • noun: bateriju = feminine singular accusative
   • adjective: istrošenu = feminine singular accusative

2. električnog aparata

   • noun: aparata = masculine singular genitive
   • adjective: električnog = masculine singular genitive

So the adjective endings are not random. They match the noun’s grammar exactly.

Because baterija is a noun that ends in -a, and nouns of that type are very often feminine in Serbian.

Its basic form is:

• baterija = feminine singular nominative

That is why its adjective also appears in feminine forms:

• istrošena baterija
• istrošenu bateriju

This is one of the most useful patterns for learners: many Serbian nouns ending in -a are feminine.

A few sounds may stand out to an English speaker:

• j is pronounced like English y in yes
  • bateriju sounds roughly like bah-teh-ree-yu
• č is like ch in chalk
  • električnog
• lj does not appear here, but j alone often surprises learners because it is never like English j in jam

Also, Serbian spelling is very phonetic, so words are usually pronounced close to how they are written. That makes sentences like this easier to read once you learn the alphabet and sound values.