Mala lampa je na stolu, ali u sobi je mrak.

Because lampa is a feminine noun in Serbian, and adjectives must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

• mali = masculine singular
• mala = feminine singular
• malo = neuter singular

So:

• mala lampa = small lamp

Both words here are in the nominative singular, because lampa is the subject of the sentence.

Je is the 3rd person singular form of the verb biti (to be), meaning is.

It appears twice because the sentence has two clauses:

• Mala lampa je na stolu = The small lamp is on the table
• ali u sobi je mrak = but the room is dark / but it is dark in the room

So each clause has its own form of to be.

Because after na when it means on in a location sense, Serbian uses the locative case.

• sto = table
• na stolu = on the table

Here the lamp is already located on the table, so this is a static location, not movement.

Compare:

• na stolu = on the table
• na sto = onto the table

So:

• Lampa je na stolu = the lamp is on the table
• Stavljam lampu na sto = I am putting the lamp onto the table

For the same reason as na stolu: u takes the locative case when it means in for location.

• soba = room
• u sobi = in the room

If there were movement into the room, Serbian would use the accusative:

• u sobu = into the room

So:

• u sobi je mrak = it is dark in the room
• Ulazim u sobu = I am entering the room

Both are in the locative singular.

From the sentence:

• sto → stolu
• soba → sobi

They are locative because they follow prepositions showing location:

• na stolu = on the table
• u sobi = in the room

This is a very common pattern in Serbian:

• u + locative for being in a place
• na + locative for being on a place/surface

Because Serbian often uses the noun mrak (darkness) in expressions like this.

Literally, u sobi je mrak means:

• in the room is darkness

But natural English would usually say:

• it is dark in the room or
• the room is dark

So this is a good example of how Serbian and English express the same idea differently.

Mrak literally means darkness or dark.

In this sentence, it functions like a noun:

• mrak = darkness

So je mrak literally means it is darkness or there is darkness, but in natural English we translate it as it is dark.

Serbian often uses nouns in these weather/environment-type expressions, similar to:

• Tišina je. = It is quiet. / There is silence.
• Vrućina je. = It is hot.
• Mrak je. = It is dark.

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

So:

• lampa can mean a lamp or the lamp
• soba can mean a room or the room
• sto can mean a table or the table

The exact meaning depends on context.

So Mala lampa je na stolu could mean:

• A small lamp is on the table or
• The small lamp is on the table

English requires an article, but Serbian does not.

Ali means but, and it clearly marks a contrast.

• Mala lampa je na stolu, ali u sobi je mrak.
• The small lamp is on the table, but the room is dark.

This makes sense because there is a contrast between having a lamp and still having darkness in the room.

Serbian also has a, which can sometimes mean and, while, or a milder kind of contrast. But ali is stronger and more directly matches English but.

So in this sentence, ali is the most natural choice.

The given word order is natural, but Serbian word order is more flexible than English.

The basic sentence is:

• Mala lampa je na stolu, ali u sobi je mrak.

You could also hear variations like:

• Na stolu je mala lampa, ali u sobi je mrak.
• Mala lampa je na stolu, ali mrak je u sobi.
  This last version is less natural in normal speech, but possible for emphasis.

Serbian often changes word order for:

• emphasis
• topic/focus
• style

Still, the original version is a very good neutral sentence for learners.

This has to do with Serbian clitic placement. Short forms like je often appear in the second position of a clause.

So:

• Mala lampa je na stolu
  • first unit: Mala lampa
  • then je

And:

• ali u sobi je mrak
  • within that clause, u sobi comes first
  • then je

This second-position tendency is very common in Serbian, although learners do not need to master every detail immediately. For now, it is enough to notice that short forms like je usually do not come first.

A simple pronunciation guide:

• Mala ≈ MAH-lah
• lampa ≈ LAHM-pah
• je ≈ yeh
• na ≈ nah
• stolu ≈ STOH-loo
• ali ≈ AH-lee
• u ≈ oo
• sobi ≈ SOH-bee
• mrak ≈ mrahk

So the whole sentence sounds roughly like:

MAH-lah LAHM-pah yeh nah STOH-loo, AH-lee oo SOH-bee yeh mrahk.

The r in mrak is rolled or tapped, and Serbian pronunciation is generally quite phonetic, so words are usually pronounced close to how they are written.