Grejanje je pokvareno.

• grejanje = heating
• je = is
• pokvareno = broken, out of order, not working

Grammatically, grejanje is the subject, je is the 3rd person singular form of biti (to be), and pokvareno is the predicate adjective that describes the subject.

So the structure is basically:

Grejanje + je + pokvareno
The heating + is + broken

Je is the present-tense form of biti (to be) for he/she/it is.

Because grejanje is singular, Serbian uses je:

• grejanje je = the heating is

Unlike in some Serbian sentences where forms of to be can be omitted, in a normal present-tense statement like this one, je is usually kept.

Because it agrees with grejanje, which is neuter singular.

In Serbian, adjectives must agree with the noun in:

• gender
• number
• case

Since grejanje is neuter singular, the adjective also takes the neuter singular form:

• masculine: pokvaren
• feminine: pokvarena
• neuter: pokvareno

So:

• auto je pokvareno
• grejanje je pokvareno

Both are neuter singular.

A very common clue is the ending -je. Nouns ending in -je are often neuter in Serbian.

So grejanje is neuter singular, and that is why the sentence uses:

• je
• pokvareno

You do not always want to rely only on endings, but here the ending is a very good guide.

It is in the nominative singular, because it is the subject of the sentence.

You are saying what the heating is:

• Grejanje = the thing being talked about
• je pokvareno = what is being said about it

So this is a straightforward nominative subject + to be + adjective pattern.

In this sentence, you can think of it as functioning like an adjective: it describes the state of the heating.

Historically and grammatically, forms like pokvaren / pokvarena / pokvareno come from a participial form, but for learners it is usually most helpful to treat them as adjectives in sentences like this:

• Telefon je pokvaren.
• Mašina je pokvarena.
• Grejanje je pokvareno.

In all of these, the word means something like broken or not working.

Yes, it is natural and correct.

But Serbian also commonly uses:

• Grejanje ne radi. = The heating isn’t working.
• Grejanje je u kvaru. = The heating is out of order.

The differences are small:

• pokvareno focuses on being broken
• ne radi focuses on not functioning
• u kvaru also means out of order / faulty

All three are common, depending on context.

Yes. Serbian word order is fairly flexible.

The neutral, standard order is:

• Grejanje je pokvareno.

But you may also hear:

• Pokvareno je grejanje.

That version can sound more contrastive or context-driven, as if you are emphasizing what is broken.

Still, for learners, the safest default is:

• Grejanje je pokvareno.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

GREH-yah-nyeh

A few notes:

• gr is pronounced clearly, with a rolled or tapped r
• ja sounds like ya
• nj is a single Serbian sound, like the ny in canyon or onion

So grejanje is not pronounced as separate n + j sounds in English style. The nj is one combined sound.

Yes. It comes from the verb grejati = to heat.

Grejanje is a verbal noun, so it means heating as a process or system.

This is very common in Serbian:

• učiti = to study
• učenje = studying, learning

Similarly:

• grejati = to heat
• grejanje = heating

Both forms exist, depending on the standard variety and pronunciation system.

• grejanje = common in Serbian Ekavian
• grijanje = common in Ijekavian varieties

So if you are learning standard Serbian as used in much of Serbia, grejanje is perfectly normal. If you see grijanje, that is not a different meaning—just a different standard pronunciation/spelling pattern.

Yes. Serbian has no articles like a or the.

So grejanje can mean:

• heating
• the heating

The exact English choice depends on context. In this sentence, English usually says:

• The heating is broken

But Serbian simply uses grejanje without any article.

Yes. Grejanje is the normal word for heating in general, especially in homes, buildings, schools, offices, and apartments.

Depending on context, it can refer to:

• the heating system
• the heating in a room or building
• central heating in general

So in everyday use, Grejanje je pokvareno naturally means that the heating system is broken or not working.