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Learn Hardcore Serbian: Kako putujete? - How are you travelling?

Hardcore Serbian
/At the doctor
/Kako putujete?

Kako putujete?

How are you travelling?

Breakdown of Kako putujete?

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Questions & Answers about Kako putujete?

What does kako mean in this sentence?

Kako means how. In Kako putujete?, it asks about the way or manner of traveling.

Depending on context, it can mean things like:

How do you travel?
How are you traveling?
What means of transport do you use?

So it often invites an answer like By car, By train, By plane, and so on.

Why is there no separate word for you in the sentence?

In Serbian, subject pronouns are often left out because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Here, putujete already tells us the subject is you plural or formal you singular. So Serbian does not need to say vi unless there is special emphasis.

Compare:

Kako putujete? = normal, natural
Kako vi putujete? = How do you travel? with extra emphasis on you

What is the basic form of putujete?

The basic dictionary form is putovati, which means to travel.

So:

putovati = to travel
putujete = you travel / you are traveling

This is a present-tense form of putovati.

Why does putujete end in -te?

The ending -te shows second person plural in the present tense. It is also the form used for formal singular you.

So putujete can mean:

you all travel
you travel when speaking politely to one person

That is why Kako putujete? can be addressed either to:

more than one person, or
one person in a polite/formal way

Is this sentence formal or informal?

By itself, Kako putujete? is either:

formal singular, or
plural

If you want to ask one person informally, you would say:

Kako putuješ? = How do you travel?

So the difference is:

putuješ = informal singular you
putujete = plural you or formal singular you

Is this present tense? Does it mean do you travel or are you traveling?

Yes, it is present tense.

Like in Serbian generally, the present tense can cover both:

How do you travel? = habitual / usual
How are you traveling? = current situation

The exact meaning depends on context.

For example:

If someone asks about your general habits, it means How do you usually travel?
If you are planning a trip right now, it can mean How are you traveling this time?

Does Kako putujete? specifically ask about transportation?

Often, yes. In many contexts it asks about the means or mode of travel.

Typical answers might be:

Putujem automobilom. = I travel by car.
Putujemo vozom. = We travel by train.
Putujem avionom. = I travel by plane.

But it can also be a bit broader, depending on context, and ask generally How is your travel going? or What kind of travel arrangements do you have? Still, the most common interpretation is about the manner or means of traveling.

How is Kako putujete? different from something with ići, like Kako idete?

Putovati and ići are related, but they are not exactly the same.

putovati = to travel
ići = to go

Kako putujete? sounds more like asking about travel in general or the means of transport.

Kako idete? can also mean How are you going?, but it is often more directly about going somewhere specific.

Very roughly:

Kako putujete u Beograd? = How are you traveling to Belgrade?
Kako idete do stanice? = How are you going to the station?

In many situations they overlap, but putovati is more clearly connected with travel.

Can the word order change?

Yes, Serbian word order is fairly flexible, but Kako putujete? is the most neutral and natural order.

You may also hear:

Kako vi putujete? — adds emphasis to you
A kako putujete? — And how do you travel?

Changing word order too much can sound unnatural in a simple question, so for learners, Kako putujete? is the safest pattern to use.

How do you pronounce Kako putujete?

A simple pronunciation guide is:

Kako ≈ KAH-koh
putujete ≈ poo-TOO-yeh-teh

A few helpful points:

j in Serbian sounds like English y
every vowel is pronounced clearly
the r is not in this sentence, so pronunciation is fairly straightforward

So the whole sentence sounds roughly like:

KAH-koh poo-TOO-yeh-teh?

What would a natural answer look like?

A natural answer usually names the means of transport.

Examples:

Putujem kolima. = I travel by car.
Putujemo autobusom. = We travel by bus.
Putujem vozom. = I travel by train.
Putujem avionom. = I travel by plane.
Putujem biciklom. = I travel by bicycle.

If you want to answer very briefly, you can also just say:

Automobilom. = By car.
Vozom. = By train.

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