Questions & Answers about Treba mi kilogram brašna.
Why does Serbian say Treba mi... instead of something more literal like I need...?
In Serbian, trebati is very often used in an impersonal-style pattern:
Treba mi + noun
Literally, this is closer to It is needed to me, but the natural English translation is I need.
So:
- Treba mi kilogram brašna. = I need a kilogram of flour.
This is one of the most common everyday ways to say that you need an object.
You may also hear forms like Trebam kilogram brašna, but Treba mi... is extremely common and often sounds more natural in many situations.
What does mi mean here?
Mi is the short form of meni, meaning to me.
So in this sentence:
- treba = is needed
- mi = to me
Together, treba mi means I need.
Other examples:
- Treba mi voda. = I need water.
- Treba mi pomoć. = I need help.
- Treba mi novi telefon. = I need a new phone.
Why is it kilogram, not kilograma?
Because after numbers and quantity expressions, Serbian often uses specific case/number patterns.
Here, is the quantity word itself, and it stays in the form you would expect after or as a basic measure noun: