Ja često šaljem poruke sestri.

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Breakdown of Ja često šaljem poruke sestri.

• sestra: sister
• često: often
• poruka: message

Questions & Answers about Ja često šaljem poruke sestri.

Can I leave out ja here?

Yes. In Serbian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

So:

Često šaljem poruke sestri.

already clearly means I often send messages to my sister because šaljem is a 1st person singular form.

Using ja is still correct, but it usually adds a bit of emphasis, contrast, or clarity:

• Ja često šaljem poruke sestri, a on retko. = I often send messages to my sister, but he rarely does.

What does često mean, and does it have to go in that position?

Često means often.

Its position here is natural and neutral:

• Ja često šaljem poruke sestri.

But Serbian word order is flexible, so you can move it around depending on emphasis:

• Često šaljem poruke sestri.
• Poruke često šaljem sestri.

The original order is a very normal way to say it.

What form is šaljem?

Šaljem is the 1st person singular present tense form of the verb slati, meaning to send.

So:

• slati = to send
• šaljem = I send / I am sending

The change from to is just part of how this verb is conjugated, so it is something learners usually just memorize: