Meaning
Cleaning clothes.
Cultural Background
Laundry is traditionally hung outside on balconies or in yards. It is common to see rows of colorful clothes drying in the breeze in Serbian cities. There is a strong cultural emphasis on the smell of clean laundry. Fabric softeners (omekšivači) are very popular and often discussed. Some people avoid doing laundry on major religious holidays (marked in red on the calendar), believing it brings bad luck. In small apartments, the 'veš mašina' is almost always located in the bathroom, not a separate laundry room.
The 'Perem' Rule
Always remember the stem change. If you say 'pram', people will understand but know you're a beginner.
Cheap Electricity
In Serbia, many people 'peru veš' at night because electricity is cheaper (jeftina struja).
Meaning
Cleaning clothes.
The 'Perem' Rule
Always remember the stem change. If you say 'pram', people will understand but know you're a beginner.
Cheap Electricity
In Serbia, many people 'peru veš' at night because electricity is cheaper (jeftina struja).
Don't say 'Pratim'
Unless you are literally following your laundry down the street, don't use 'pratim'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct present tense form of 'prati'.
Ja danas ______ veš.
The first person singular of 'prati' is 'perem'.
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the most natural way to say 'I washed the laundry'.
'Oprao sam veš' uses the perfective verb for a completed action and the correct noun.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Gde je Marko? B: U kupatilu je, ______.
'Pere veš' is the most logical activity in the bathroom involving the laundry.
Match the verb with the object.
Match the following:
All are correct, but 'Prati veš' is our target collocation.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You want to tell your roommate it's their turn to do laundry.
'Tvoj je red' means 'It's your turn'.
🎉 Score: /5
Visual Learning Aids
Laundry Vocabulary
Tools
- • Mašina
- • Prašak
- • Korpa
Actions
- • Prati
- • Širiti
- • Peglati
Practice Bank
5 exercisesJa danas ______ veš.
The first person singular of 'prati' is 'perem'.
Choose the most natural way to say 'I washed the laundry'.
'Oprao sam veš' uses the perfective verb for a completed action and the correct noun.
A: Gde je Marko? B: U kupatilu je, ______.
'Pere veš' is the most logical activity in the bathroom involving the laundry.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
All are correct, but 'Prati veš' is our target collocation.
You want to tell your roommate it's their turn to do laundry.
'Tvoj je red' means 'It's your turn'.
🎉 Score: /5
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsNo, it's a general term for all laundry, though 'donji veš' specifically means underwear.
Yes, but it sounds more formal or slightly unnatural. 'Perem veš' is the standard idiom.
You say 'Perem veš'. Serbian doesn't use 'raditi' (to do) for this.
'Prati' is the process (I am washing), 'oprati' is the completed action (I have washed).
Related Phrases
Širiti veš
builds onTo hang the laundry to dry.
Peglati veš
builds onTo iron the laundry.
Mašina za veš
specialized formWashing machine.
Prljav veš
similarDirty laundry.
Donji veš
specialized formUnderwear.
