Kako si?
kako si
How are you?
Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential way to ask 'How are you?' when speaking to a friend, family member, or someone your age in Serbia.
- Means: 'How are you?' specifically for one person you know well.
- Used in: Casual meetups, texting friends, or starting a phone call.
- Don't confuse: Never use this with a boss or a stranger; use 'Kako ste?' instead.
Explanation at your level:
Signification
Asking a friend about their well-being.
Contexte culturel
The 'Coffee Culture': Asking 'Kako si?' is often the start of a 2-hour ritual. If you ask this, be prepared to actually sit down and listen. In Montenegro, you might hear 'Kako si?' answered with 'A, evo, jadan...' (Oh, here, poor me...), a common humorous way to start a conversation about life's hardships. People here are known for a slower pace of life. 'Kako si?' might be answered with 'Polako' (Slowly/Take it easy), reflecting the local 'ravnica' (plain) mentality. In the capital, speed is key. 'Kako si?' is often shortened or replaced by 'Gde si?' as people rush to their next meeting.
The 'A ti?' Rule
Always follow up your answer with 'A ti?' (And you?). It's considered polite and keeps the conversation flowing.
Don't be too brief
If you just say 'Dobro' and stop, you might seem cold. Add 'Hvala na pitanju' (Thanks for asking).
Signification
Asking a friend about their well-being.
The 'A ti?' Rule
Always follow up your answer with 'A ti?' (And you?). It's considered polite and keeps the conversation flowing.
Don't be too brief
If you just say 'Dobro' and stop, you might seem cold. Add 'Hvala na pitanju' (Thanks for asking).
The Ethical Dative
Close friends say 'Kako si mi?'. That little 'mi' (to me) adds a layer of 'How are you doing for my sake?', showing deep closeness.
The Honest Answer
Don't be shocked if a Serb spends 10 minutes answering 'Kako si?'. It's a sign they trust you!
Teste-toi
You are meeting your best friend for a drink. Which greeting is most appropriate?
Zdravo! _______?
Since it's your best friend, you must use the informal singular 'si'.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'biti'.
E, Marko! Kako ___ ti danas?
Marko is a first-name basis friend, so 'si' is the correct 2nd person singular form.
Match the phrase to the correct person.
1. Kako si? | 2. Kako ste?
Informal 'si' for family, formal 'ste' for professionals.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
Ana: Ćao, kako si? Bojan: Dobro sam, hvala. ______?
Bojan should return the question using the same level of formality Ana used.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Ti vs. Vi (Informal vs. Formal)
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsGenerally no, unless you go there every day and are friends. Use 'Kako ste?' to be safe.
'Dobro sam' (I'm fine) or 'Evo, ide' (Here, it's going).
Yes, it is identical and perfectly understood in all BCMS (Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian) variants.
Because 'si' is a clitic and must follow the first stressed word ('Kako').
Only if the email is to a friend. For business, use 'Nadam se da ste dobro'.
No, 'Kako si?' is the same whether you ask a man or a woman.
You must use 'Kako ste?', which is the plural form.
Yes, it's very common to just start with 'E, kako si?'.
You say 'Kako si zapravo?' or 'Kako si zaista?'.
Among young people in cities, yes. 'Kako si?' feels slightly more personal.
Expressions liées
Kako ste?
formal formHow are you? (Formal/Plural)
Šta ima?
similarWhat's up?
Kako ide?
similarHow's it going?
Šta radiš?
builds onWhat are you doing?
Gde si?
slangWhere are you? (Hey!)
Où l'utiliser
Meeting a friend for coffee
Jovan: E, ćao Milice! Kako si?
Milica: Evo, dobro sam. Malo sam umorna, ali dobro. Ti?
Calling your sibling
Brat: Gde si sestro? Kako si?
Sestra: Super sam! Upravo sam položila ispit!
Texting a crush
Luka: Hej, kako si provela dan?
Ana: Bilo je baš naporno, ali sad sam kući. Kako si ti?
Seeing a neighbor your age
Komšija: Zdravo! Kako si komšija?
Ti: Dobro je, hvala na pitanju. Kako si ti?
Checking on a sad friend
Prijatelj 1: Samo sam hteo da vidim kako si... čuo sam šta se desilo.
Prijatelj 2: Hvala ti. Teško je, ali biće bolje.
Gaming online with Serbs
Igrač 1: Desi brate, kako si?
Igrač 2: Evo me, spreman za partiju!
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Kako' as 'Coco' (the movie) and 'si' as 'see'. 'Coco, I see you! How are you?'
Visual Association
Imagine two friends sitting on a sunny Belgrade terrace with small cups of Turkish coffee. One leans in, places a hand on the other's arm, and says 'Kako si?'. The steam from the coffee forms the words.
Rhyme
Kako si, šta radiš ti? (How are you, what are you doing?)
Story
You walk into a 'kafana' (tavern). You see your best friend Marko. You can't use formal words here; it's too cozy. You shout 'Kako si?' and he immediately starts telling you about his crazy weekend. The phrase is the key that unlocks his story.
Word Web
Défi
Next time you see a Serbian speaker (or a language partner), don't just say 'Ćao'. Say 'Ćao, kako si?' and try to understand at least one word of their real answer.
In Other Languages
¿Cómo estás?
Spanish has two verbs for 'to be' (ser/estar), Serbian only has one (biti).
Comment vas-tu?
Serbian uses 'to be', French uses 'to go'.
Wie geht es dir?
German is more idiomatic with 'it goes', Serbian is direct with 'you are'.
お元気ですか？ (O-genki desu ka?)
Japanese is often omitted if obvious; Serbian is a mandatory social lubricant.
كيف حالك؟ (Kayfa haluk?)
Serbian 'si' is a verb; Arabic 'haluk' is a noun with a possessive suffix.
你好吗？ (Nǐ hǎo ma?)
Serbian is used every time; Chinese has many other situational greetings.
잘 지냈어요? (Jal jinaesseoyo?)
Korean has many more levels of formality than Serbian's two.
Como você está?
Portuguese 'você' can be tricky with formality; Serbian 'ti' is strictly informal.
Easily Confused
Learners think it's the same as 'Kako si?'.
Use 'Kako si?' for the person's state, and 'Kako ide?' for their work or a project.
Learners use it to mean 'How are you?'.
This literally means 'What are you doing right now?'.
FAQ (10)
Generally no, unless you go there every day and are friends. Use 'Kako ste?' to be safe.
'Dobro sam' (I'm fine) or 'Evo, ide' (Here, it's going).
Yes, it is identical and perfectly understood in all BCMS (Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian) variants.
Because 'si' is a clitic and must follow the first stressed word ('Kako').
Only if the email is to a friend. For business, use 'Nadam se da ste dobro'.
No, 'Kako si?' is the same whether you ask a man or a woman.
You must use 'Kako ste?', which is the plural form.
Yes, it's very common to just start with 'E, kako si?'.
You say 'Kako si zapravo?' or 'Kako si zaista?'.
Among young people in cities, yes. 'Kako si?' feels slightly more personal.
