Pišem novu reč.

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

• pišem = I write / I am writing

So Pišem novu reč naturally means I am writing a new word without needing ja.

You could say Ja pišem novu reč, but that usually adds emphasis, like I am the one writing a new word.

Pišem is the 1st person singular present tense of the verb pisati (to write).

So:

• pisati = to write
• pišem = I write / I am writing

Like in many Slavic languages, the Serbian present tense can cover both:

• I write
• I am writing

The exact English translation depends on context.

Because reč is the direct object of the sentence, it must be in the accusative case.

The basic nominative form is:

• nova reč = a new word

But after the verb pišem (I am writing), the object changes to accusative:

• novu reč = a new word

So:

• nova reč = subject form
• novu reč = object form

This is very common in Serbian: adjectives and nouns often change form depending on their role in the sentence.

Great question. Reč is a feminine noun, and in this pattern its accusative singular form is the same as its nominative singular form:

• nominative: reč
• accusative: reč

But the adjective nova does change:

• nominative feminine singular: nova
• accusative feminine singular: novu

So the case change is visible mainly in the adjective here, not in the noun.

Yes, reč is feminine.

In Serbian, many feminine nouns end in -a, but not all of them. Some feminine nouns end in a consonant, and reč is one of those.

You usually learn the gender together with the noun. A clue here is the adjective:

• nova reč
• novu reč

The adjective is in the feminine form, so that tells you reč is feminine.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• pišem ≈ PEE-shem
• novu ≈ NO-voo
• reč ≈ retch (but with a softer, cleaner ch sound)

A few useful sound notes:

• š sounds like sh in shoe
• č sounds like ch in church, though often a bit firmer/retroflex in Serbian
• e is usually like e in met, not like English ee

They are the same word, but from different standard varieties/pronunciation patterns.

• reč = standard in Serbian Ekavian
• riječ = Ijekavian form, common in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Croatia

If you are learning standard Serbian as used in Serbia, reč is completely normal.

Yes. Serbian word order is more flexible than English because case endings show grammatical roles.

The most neutral order here is:

• Pišem novu reč.

But you may also see:

• Novu reč pišem.
  This puts more emphasis on novu reč.

Even though the order changes, the meaning stays clear because novu reč is marked as the object.

Pisati is an imperfective verb.

That means it is used for:

• ongoing actions
• repeated actions
• general processes

So Pišem novu reč suggests:

• I am writing a new word
• or I write a new word, depending on context

The related perfective verb is often napisati (to write down / to write and finish).

Compare:

• Pišem novu reč. = I am writing a new word.
• Napišem novu reč. = I write down / complete a new word, depending on context

Serbian has no articles.

So reč can mean:

• a word
• the word

The exact meaning depends on context.

That is why novu reč can translate as:

• a new word
• the new word

In beginner translations, a new word is often the most natural choice unless the context clearly points to the.

Usually no. Reč means word, not letter.

• reč = word
• slovo = letter (of the alphabet)

So:

• Pišem novu reč. = I am writing a new word.
• Pišem novo slovo. = I am writing a new letter.

Because the noun reč has its own declension pattern. Not all Serbian nouns change in the same way.

For this noun:

• nominative singular: reč
• accusative singular: reč

So the noun itself stays the same in this case, while the adjective changes:

• nova reč → novu reč

This may feel strange at first, but it becomes easier as you learn noun patterns and case endings.

The plural would be:

• Pišem nove reči. = I am writing new words.

Here both words change:

• novu → nove
• reč → reči

So singular and plural are:

• Pišem novu reč. = I am writing a new word.
• Pišem nove reči. = I am writing new words.