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A1 adjective 5 min de lecture

skup

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

§ Understanding 'skup' in Serbian

The Serbian word for 'expensive' is skup (pronounced: skoop). It's an adjective, which means it will change its form depending on the noun it describes. This is a fundamental concept in Serbian grammar, so let's break it down.

§ Basic Forms of 'skup'

Like most Serbian adjectives, 'skup' has different forms for masculine, feminine, and neuter singular nouns, and also for plural nouns. These changes are called declension.

Masculine Singular: skup (for male nouns like automobil - car, stan - apartment)

Ovaj skup auto je crven. (This expensive car is red.)

Feminine Singular: skupa (for female nouns like kuća - house, haljina - dress)

Ta skupa haljina je lepa. (That expensive dress is beautiful.)

Neuter Singular: skupo (for neuter nouns like vino - wine, pivo - beer)

Ovo skupo vino je dobro. (This expensive wine is good.)

Plural (all genders): skupi (for plural nouns of all genders)

Oni su kupili skupe poklone. (They bought expensive gifts.)

Notice that for plural nouns, the form skupi is generally used for all genders in the nominative case (when the noun is the subject of the sentence). However, like all adjectives, it will change based on the case of the noun. We won't go into all the cases right now, but it's good to be aware.

§ Using 'skup' with verbs

You'll often use 'skup' with the verb 'biti' (to be).

Ovaj telefon je skup. (This phone is expensive.)

Cipele su skupe. (The shoes are expensive.)

§ Making comparisons with 'skup'

To say something is 'more expensive', you'd use skuplji. For 'most expensive', it's najskuplji.

skuplji (more expensive)
najskuplji (most expensive)

Ovaj sat je skuplji od onog. (This watch is more expensive than that one.)

To je najskuplji restoran u gradu. (That is the most expensive restaurant in the city.)

The comparative and superlative forms also change according to gender, number, and case, but these are the basic masculine singular forms you'll use most often when simply stating a comparison.

§ Common phrases with 'skup'

Here are some common phrases where you might encounter 'skup':

Previše skupo: Too expensive

Ne mogu to da kupim, previše je skupo. (I can't buy that, it's too expensive.)

Nije skupo: It's not expensive

Ovo voće nije skupo sada. (This fruit is not expensive now.)

By practicing these forms and sentences, you'll get a better feel for how 'skup' works in Serbian. Keep an eye on the gender of the noun you're describing, and you'll be using 'skup' correctly in no time!

Alright, let's talk about 'skup'. This is a super useful word in Serbian, especially when you're out shopping or just talking about prices. It means 'expensive'. You'll hear it a lot, so it's good to get comfortable with it.

DEFINITION: Expensive

Now, let's see where you'll actually hear 'skup' in action. We'll cover work, school, and the news, but honestly, it's most common when you're dealing with money or value.

§ At the market or in shops

This is probably the most common place you'll use or hear 'skup'. When you're buying groceries, clothes, or anything else, you'll often need to talk about prices.

Ova haljina je baš skupa.

Translation hint: 'Ova haljina' means 'This dress'. 'Je' is 'is'. 'Baš' means 'really' or 'very'. So, 'This dress is really expensive.'

Da li je ovaj telefon previše skup?

Translation hint: 'Da li je' is how you start a 'yes/no' question. 'Ovaj telefon' means 'This phone'. 'Previše' means 'too much' or 'too'. So, 'Is this phone too expensive?'

§ In general conversation

You'll also hear 'skup' when people are just chatting about living costs, travel, or anything that involves money.

Život u Beogradu je postao veoma skup.

Translation hint: 'Život' is 'life'. 'U Beogradu' is 'in Belgrade'. 'Je postao' means 'has become'. 'Veoma' means 'very'. So, 'Life in Belgrade has become very expensive.'

Putovanje je skupo, ali vredi.

Translation hint: 'Putovanje' is 'travel' or 'the trip'. 'Ali' means 'but'. 'Vredi' means 'it's worth it'. So, 'Travel is expensive, but it's worth it.'

§ In the news (less common for A1 learners, but good to know)

While you won't typically be reading complex news articles at A1, it's good to know that 'skup' can appear in economic reports or discussions about rising costs.

You might hear phrases like: 'Cene su previše skupe.' (Prices are too expensive.) Here 'cene' (prices) is feminine plural, so 'skup' becomes 'skupe'.
Or: 'Skupi projekti' (Expensive projects). 'Projekti' (projects) is masculine plural, so 'skup' becomes 'skupi'.

Exemples par niveau

Ovo je skup auto.

This is an expensive car.

Ova haljina je skupa.

This dress is expensive.

On kupuje skupe stvari.

He buys expensive things.

Znam da je to skupo.

I know that is expensive.

Nije skupo.

It is not expensive.

Koliko je skupo?

How expensive is it?

To je vrlo skupo.

That is very expensive.

Previše je skupo.

It is too expensive.

Cene nekretnina u Beogradu su postale izuzetno skupe, gotovo nedostižne za prosečnu platu.

Real estate prices in Belgrade have become extremely expensive, almost unattainable for an average salary.

Održavanje starog automobila može biti vrlo skupo, posebno ako su potrebne česte popravke.

Maintaining an old car can be very expensive, especially if frequent repairs are needed.

Kupovina organske hrane je često skupa, ali mnogi smatraju da je vredna ulaganja u zdravlje.

Buying organic food is often expensive, but many believe it's worth the investment in health.

Iako je putovanje na egzotične destinacije skupo, iskustva koja se steknu su neprocenjiva.

Although traveling to exotic destinations is expensive, the experiences gained are priceless.

Lekovi bez recepta mogu biti prilično skupi, pogotovo oni za hronična stanja.

Over-the-counter medications can be quite expensive, especially those for chronic conditions.

Obrazovanje u inostranstvu može biti skupo, ali otvara vrata mnogim profesionalnim mogućnostima.

Education abroad can be expensive, but it opens doors to many professional opportunities.

Digitalna tehnologija je često skupa na početku, ali s vremenom cene obično opadaju.

Digital technology is often expensive at the beginning, but over time prices usually drop.

Uređenje enterijera sa dizajnerskim nameštajem može biti veoma skupo, ali daje poseban šarm prostoru.

Interior design with designer furniture can be very expensive, but it gives a special charm to the space.

Comment l'utiliser

When you want to say something is expensive in Serbian, you use the adjective 'skup'. It behaves like other adjectives, so it needs to agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. For example:

'Ovaj auto je skup.' (This car is expensive. - masculine singular)
'Ova haljina je skupa.' (This dress is expensive. - feminine singular)
'Ovo odelo je skupo.' (This suit is expensive. - neuter singular)
'Ovi automobili su skupi.' (These cars are expensive. - masculine plural)

Erreurs courantes

A common mistake is forgetting to adjust the ending of 'skup' to match the gender and number of the noun. Forgetting this will make your sentence sound incorrect.
Incorrect: 'Ova kuća je skup.'
Correct: 'Ova kuća je skupa.' (This house is expensive.)