When you're just starting out in Serbian, one of the first verbs you'll want to learn is verovati, which means 'to believe'. This is a very common verb you'll use in many everyday situations.
For example, you might say 'Ja verujem' to mean 'I believe' or 'Ja verujem u tebe' to say 'I believe in you'. It's a great verb to know for expressing your thoughts and feelings, even at an A1 level.
§ Basic Usage of 'verovati'
The verb 'verovati' means 'to believe' in Serbian. It's a fundamental verb you'll use often, so let's break down how it works. Like many Serbian verbs, its form changes depending on who is doing the believing (the subject) and when they are doing it (the tense).
Let's start with the present tense conjugations. This is how you'll typically use it for things you believe right now or generally believe.
- Ja verujem (I believe)
- Ti veruješ (You believe - singular, informal)
- On/Ona/Ono veruje (He/She/It believes)
- Mi verujemo (We believe)
- Vi verujete (You believe - plural or singular, formal)
- Oni/One/Ona veruju (They believe)
Ja verujem u tebe.
- Hint
- I believe in you.
Ona veruje u Boga.
- Hint
- She believes in God.
§ 'Verovati' with Prepositions
The most common preposition used with 'verovati' is 'u' (in/into). When you believe *in* something or *in* someone, you'll almost always use 'u' followed by the accusative case. This is a crucial point for beginners, so pay close attention.
Let's look at some examples:
Ja ne verujem u duhove.
- Hint
- I don't believe in ghosts.
Da li ti veruješ u sudbinu?
- Hint
- Do you believe in destiny?
Sometimes, 'verovati' can also be used with the dative case to mean 'to believe someone' or 'to trust someone's word'. In this case, you don't use a preposition. The person you believe will be in the dative case.
Ne verujem mu.
- Hint
- I don't believe him. (Literally: I don't believe to him.)
Uvek verujem svojoj majci.
- Hint
- I always believe my mother. (Literally: I always believe to my mother.)
§ 'Verovati' with 'da' (that)
You can also use 'verovati' with the conjunction 'da' (that) when you want to express belief in a statement or a fact. This is very straightforward, similar to English.
Verujem da je to istina.
- Hint
- I believe that is the truth.
Oni veruju da će sutra biti sunčano.
- Hint
- They believe that it will be sunny tomorrow.
You'll find this structure very helpful for expressing your opinions and beliefs about various situations and facts. Just remember to conjugate 'verovati' correctly for the subject and then add 'da' followed by the statement you believe.
§ Mistakes people make with this word
Alright, let's talk about 'verovati' (to believe). It seems simple, right? But there are a few common traps English speakers fall into. Don't worry, we'll clear them up, and you'll be using 'verovati' correctly in no time.
The biggest mistake? Forgetting the dative case. In Serbian, when you believe *someone* or *something*, that someone or something goes into the dative case. This is different from English, where you just say 'believe someone' or 'believe something' directly.
- DEFINITION
- In Serbian, when you believe *someone* or *something*, the object of your belief is in the dative case.
Ja verujem tebi. (I believe you.)
Here, 'tebi' is the dative form of 'ti' (you). If you said 'Ja verujem ti', it would be incorrect. It's like saying 'I believe to you' in English, which sounds off.
Ne verujem u to. (I don't believe in that.)
When you're talking about believing *in something* (like an idea, a system, or a religion), you'll use the preposition 'u' (in) followed by the accusative case. This is another common point of confusion.
- DEFINITION
- To express belief *in something* (e.g., an idea, concept, or religion), use 'u' + accusative case.
Ona veruje u ljubav. (She believes in love.)
Here, 'ljubav' (love) is in the accusative case. If you just said 'Ona veruje ljubav', it would be wrong. It implies she *believes* love as if love were a person telling her something, which doesn't make sense.
Another thing to watch out for is using 'verovati' to mean 'think' or 'suppose'. While in English you might say 'I believe it will rain', in Serbian, it's more natural to use 'mislim' (I think) or 'pretpostavljam' (I suppose) in such contexts. 'Verovati' implies a stronger conviction, more like 'I have faith that it will rain'.
- DEFINITION
- Use 'mislim' (I think) or 'pretpostavljam' (I suppose) for general opinions or predictions, rather than 'verovati'.
Mislim da će padati kiša. (I think it will rain.)
Saying 'Verujem da će padati kiša' implies a deep conviction, perhaps based on a strong feeling or prophecy, which is usually not what you mean when just stating a weather prediction. So, stick to 'mislim' for everyday thoughts.
In summary, here's what to remember to avoid common mistakes:
- When believing a person or their words, use the dative case.
- When believing *in* an idea, concept, or religion, use 'u' + accusative case.
- Don't use 'verovati' when you simply mean 'I think' or 'I suppose'. Use 'mislim' or 'pretpostavljam' instead.
Keep these points in mind, practice a bit, and you'll be using 'verovati' like a native speaker!
أمثلة حسب المستوى
Verujem ti.
I believe you.
Ne verujem u duhove.
I don't believe in ghosts.
On veruje u sudbinu.
He believes in destiny.
Da li veruješ u Boga?
Do you believe in God?
Verovala je da će uspeti.
She believed she would succeed.
Moramo verovati jedni drugima.
We must believe each other.
Oni veruju u bolju budućnost.
They believe in a better future.
Lako je verovati u ono što želiš.
It's easy to believe what you want.
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةTo conjugate 'verovati' (to believe) in the present tense, you have to remember it's a verb that ends in '-ovati'. Here's how it goes:
- Ja verujem (I believe)
- Ti veruješ (You believe - singular, informal)
- On/ona/ono veruje (He/she/it believes)
- Mi verujemo (We believe)
- Vi verujete (You believe - plural, or formal singular)
- Oni/one/ona veruju (They believe)
When you want to say you believe in something or someone, you use the preposition 'u' (in) followed by the accusative case. For example:
- Ja verujem u Boga. (I believe in God.)
- Oni veruju u sreću. (They believe in luck.)
- Mi verujemo u tebe. (We believe in you.)
'Verovati' means to believe, often with a sense of faith or conviction. 'Mislim' (from 'misliti') means to think, to have an opinion or an idea. They're not interchangeable.
- Ja verujem da će biti bolje. (I believe it will be better.) - This implies faith.
- Ja mislim da će biti bolje. (I think it will be better.) - This implies an opinion.
Yes, 'verovati' can definitely mean 'to trust', especially when used with the dative case. It implies believing in someone's reliability or honesty.
- Ja verujem ti. (I trust you. / I believe you.)
- Oni veruju joj. (They trust her. / They believe her.)
- Ne verujem mu. (I don't trust him. / I don't believe him.)
To say 'I don't believe you', you use the negative form of 'verujem' and the dative case for 'you': 'Ne verujem ti.' (singular, informal) or 'Ne verujem vam.' (plural or formal singular).
The past tense of 'verovati' is formed with 'biti' (to be) and the past active participle. It's often called the perfect tense.
- Ja sam verovao/verovala (I believed - masculine/feminine)
- Ti si verovao/verovala (You believed)
- On je verovao (He believed)
- Ona je verovala (She believed)
- Mi smo verovali/verovale (We believed - masculine/feminine plural)
- Vi ste verovali/verovale (You believed)
- Oni/one su verovali/verovale (They believed)
Just like in English, you can simply change the intonation or add question words. Remember to invert the subject and verb (or pronoun and verb) in formal questions.
- Veruješ mi? (Do you believe me?)
- Da li verujete u to? (Do you believe in that?)
- Kome veruješ? (Whom do you trust/believe?)
Yes, you absolutely can and should use 'da' (that) when stating a belief about a fact or a situation. This is very common.
- Ja verujem da je istina. (I believe that it is true.)
- Oni veruju da će uspeti. (They believe that they will succeed.)
Yes, the most common noun form related to 'verovati' is 'vera', which means 'faith' or 'belief'.
- Imam jaku veru. (I have strong faith.)
- To je stvar vere. (That is a matter of belief/faith.)
'Verovati' appears in a few useful expressions:
- Verovali ili ne (Believe it or not)
- Ne mogu da verujem! (I can't believe it!) - A common expression of surprise.
- Veruj mi! (Believe me! / Trust me!) - An imperative, often used to emphasize something.
اختبر نفسك 24 أسئلة
Write a short sentence using 'verovati' to say 'I believe in you.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Verujem u tebe.
Form a sentence asking 'Do you believe him?'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Da li mu veruješ?
Translate: 'She doesn't believe that.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ona ne veruje to.
Šta ja verujem?
Read this passage:
Ja verujem u dobrotu. Moji prijatelji takođe veruju u dobrotu. Mi volimo da pomažemo drugima.
Šta ja verujem?
The passage states 'Ja verujem u dobrotu.' (I believe in goodness.)
The passage states 'Ja verujem u dobrotu.' (I believe in goodness.)
Ko veruje da je sutra sunčan dan?
Read this passage:
Ana veruje da je sutra sunčan dan. Marko ne veruje. On misli da će padati kiša.
Ko veruje da je sutra sunčan dan?
The passage says 'Ana veruje da je sutra sunčan dan.' (Ana believes that tomorrow is a sunny day.)
The passage says 'Ana veruje da je sutra sunčan dan.' (Ana believes that tomorrow is a sunny day.)
U šta deca veruju?
Read this passage:
Deca veruju u Deda Mraza. Oni pišu pisma Deda Mrazu svake godine. To je lepa tradicija.
U šta deca veruju?
The passage clearly states 'Deca veruju u Deda Mraza.' (Children believe in Santa Claus.)
The passage clearly states 'Deca veruju u Deda Mraza.' (Children believe in Santa Claus.)
Do you believe in destiny?
I don't believe anything he says.
We believed her.
Read this aloud:
Verujem ti.
Focus: Ve-ru-jem ti
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
On ne veruje.
Focus: On ne ve-ru-je
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
Verujemo vam.
Focus: Ve-ru-je-mo vam
قلت:
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Choose the correct form of 'verovati' to complete the sentence: 'Ja ___ u tvoju priču.' (I believe in your story.)
'Verujem' is the first person singular present tense form of 'verovati'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'verovati' to express doubt? (To doubt, to not believe)
Adding 'ne' before the verb 'verujem' (I believe) makes it 'I don't believe'.
Complete the sentence: 'Oni ___ da će sve biti u redu.' (They believe that everything will be alright.)
'Veruju' is the third person plural present tense form of 'verovati'.
The sentence 'Verujem da je to istina' means 'I believe that it is true.'
'Verujem' is 'I believe', and 'da je to istina' is 'that it is true'.
The phrase 'Ne verujem ti' means 'I believe you.'
'Ne verujem ti' means 'I don't believe you.' The 'ne' negates the verb.
In Serbian, 'verovati' can be used with the preposition 'u' to mean 'to believe in'. For example: 'Verujem u Boga.' (I believe in God.)
This is a common and correct usage of 'verovati' in Serbian.
Write a short paragraph about something you strongly believe in, using the verb 'verovati' at least once. (Napiši kratak paragraf o nečemu u šta čvrsto veruješ, koristeći glagol 'verovati' bar jednom.)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Verujem u snagu dobrote i da će se na kraju uvek isplatiti biti pošten. Mislim da je važno pomagati drugima i širiti pozitivnu energiju. Čvrsto verujem da male promene mogu dovesti do velikih rezultata.
Imagine you are talking to a friend who is feeling down. Write two sentences using 'verovati' to encourage them. (Zamislite da razgovarate sa prijateljem koji je neraspoložen. Napišite dve rečenice koristeći 'verovati' da biste ga ohrabrili.)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Veruj u sebe, siguran sam da možeš to da uradiš. Uvek treba verovati u bolja sutra.
Describe a situation where someone had to decide whether to believe a story or not. Use 'verovati' multiple times. (Opišite situaciju u kojoj je neko morao da odluči da li da veruje nekoj priči ili ne. Koristite 'verovati' više puta.)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Marko je čuo neobičnu priču od kolege i nije znao da li da veruje. Pitao se da li da veruje u sve što mu se kaže. Odlučio je da ne veruje dok ne proveri činjenice.
Šta je Ana uvek verovala?
Read this passage:
Ana je uvek verovala u istinsku ljubav. Iako je imala neka teška iskustva, nikada nije prestala da veruje da će pronaći svoju srodnu dušu. Njena prijateljica Jovana, s druge strane, nije verovala u bajke, već u realnost.
Šta je Ana uvek verovala?
Ana je uvek verovala u istinsku ljubav, kako je navedeno u prvoj rečenici pasusa.
Ana je uvek verovala u istinsku ljubav, kako je navedeno u prvoj rečenici pasusa.
Šta naučnici obično ne veruju?
Read this passage:
Mnogi ljudi veruju u horoskop, ali naučnici obično ne veruju u njegovu tačnost. Ipak, za neke je to zabava i način da se opuste. Verovali ili ne, svako ima pravo na svoje uverenje.
Šta naučnici obično ne veruju?
U tekstu piše da naučnici 'ne veruju u njegovu tačnost', a 'njegovu' se odnosi na horoskop.
U tekstu piše da naučnici 'ne veruju u njegovu tačnost', a 'njegovu' se odnosi na horoskop.
Zašto roditelji nisu verovali dečaku?
Read this passage:
Dečak je tvrdio da je video vanzemaljca. Roditelji mu nisu verovali, misleći da je to samo dečija mašta. On je, međutim, čvrsto verovao u ono što je video.
Zašto roditelji nisu verovali dečaku?
U tekstu je jasno navedeno: 'Roditelji mu nisu verovali, misleći da je to samo dečija mašta.'
U tekstu je jasno navedeno: 'Roditelji mu nisu verovali, misleći da je to samo dečija mašta.'
/ 24 correct
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