A1 Collocation Neutral

Skup hotel

skup hotel

Expensive hotel

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'skup hotel' to describe accommodation that costs a lot of money, whether complaining or admiring luxury.

  • Means: A hotel with high prices (literal: expensive hotel).
  • Used in: Booking trips, discussing travel budgets, or reviewing luxury stays.
  • Don't confuse: 'Skup' (expensive) with 'Skup' (a meeting/gathering) which is a noun.
💰 + 🏨 = 💸 Skup hotel

Explanation at your level:

This is a very simple phrase. 'Skup' means expensive. 'Hotel' is the same as in English. You use it to say a hotel costs a lot of money. For example: 'Ovaj hotel je skup.' (This hotel is expensive). It is one of the first things you learn when talking about travel.
At this level, you can use the phrase in sentences with prepositions. You might say 'Odsedam u skupom hotelu' (I am staying in an expensive hotel). You also learn the opposite, 'jeftin' (cheap), and how to compare two hotels using 'skuplji' (more expensive).
You can now discuss the reasons why a hotel is expensive. You might talk about the 'usluga' (service) or 'lokacija' (location). You use 'skup hotel' in more complex sentences, like 'Iako je to skup hotel, vredi svaku paru' (Although it is an expensive hotel, it's worth every penny).
At this stage, you understand the nuance between 'skup' (expensive) and 'luksuzan' (luxury). You can describe the 'visoki standardi' (high standards) of such establishments and use the phrase in formal reviews or business travel reports, discussing market trends in the hospitality sector.
You can analyze the socio-economic impact of 'skupi hoteli' on local neighborhoods (gentrification). You use the phrase within sophisticated arguments about the 'elitistički turizam' (elitist tourism) and how it contrasts with the traditional Serbian 'kafana' culture.
You possess a near-native grasp of the phrase's connotations, including its use in literature or high-level journalism to symbolize wealth disparity or the 'tranzicioni period' (transition period) of the Balkans. You can use it ironically or metaphorically in complex linguistic structures.

Significado

A lodging with high prices.

🌍

Contexto cultural

In Belgrade, 'Hotel Moskva' is the most famous 'skup hotel'. Even if you don't stay there, it's a tradition to eat their famous 'Moskva šnit' cake in the cafe. On the coast, 'skupi hoteli' like those in Porto Montenegro or Sveti Stefan are symbols of the country's transformation into a luxury destination. In Serbian business culture, booking a 'skup hotel' for a partner is a sign of high respect and 'obraz' (honor/face). Younger Serbians often use 'skup hotel' as a backdrop for Instagram photos to project a lifestyle of 'luksuz' (luxury).

💡

Use 'baš'

Add 'baš' before 'skup' to sound more like a native: 'Baš skup hotel!' (A really expensive hotel!)

⚠️

Gender check

Remember 'hotel' is masculine. Don't say 'skupa hotel'.

Significado

A lodging with high prices.

💡

Use 'baš'

Add 'baš' before 'skup' to sound more like a native: 'Baš skup hotel!' (A really expensive hotel!)

⚠️

Gender check

Remember 'hotel' is masculine. Don't say 'skupa hotel'.

🎯

The 'Pre-' prefix

If the price is ridiculous, use 'preskup'. It adds emotional weight to your complaint.

Ponte a prueba

Fill in the correct form of the adjective 'skup'.

Ovo je veoma ___ hotel.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: skup

'Hotel' is masculine singular nominative, so 'skup' is the correct form.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Where are you staying?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Spavam u skupom hotelu.

The preposition 'u' (meaning 'in') requires the locative case.

Match the Serbian phrase with its English translation.

Match the following:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Skup hotel = Expensive hotel, Jeftin hotel = Cheap hotel, Najskuplji hotel = The most expensive hotel, Skuplji hotel = More expensive hotel

These are the basic degrees of comparison and opposites.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Da li je ovaj hotel dobar? B: Da, ali je ___.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: skup

In the context of hotels, price is a common contrast to quality.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Price Levels

Jeftin
Hostel Hostel
Skup
Hotel Hotel
Preskup
Resort Resort

Preguntas frecuentes

4 preguntas

No, it's a neutral observation of price. However, saying it to the hotel owner might be a bit blunt.

Use the superlative: 'najskuplji hotel'.

No, if you call a person 'skup', it doesn't make sense. You would use 'bogat' (rich) or 'stipsa' (stingy).

The opposite is 'jeftin hotel' (cheap hotel).

Frases relacionadas

🔄

luksuzan hotel

synonym

Luxury hotel

🔗

jeftin hotel

contrast

Cheap hotel

🔗

povoljan smeštaj

similar

Affordable accommodation

🔗

hotel sa pet zvezdica

specialized form

Five-star hotel

Dónde usarla

✈️

Booking a trip

Ana: Gde ćemo spavati u Parizu?

Marko: Ne znam, ali ovaj hotel je previše skup.

neutral
😒

Complaining to a friend

Jovan: Kako je bilo na moru?

Maja: Lepo, ali smo bili u veoma skupom hotelu. Potrošili smo sve pare!

informal
📍

Asking for directions

Turista: Izvinite, gde je onaj skupi hotel 'Hajat'?

Prolaznik: Idite pravo, pa levo.

formal
💼

Business meeting

Menadžer: Sastanak je sutra u onom skupom hotelu u centru.

Klijent: Odlično, tamo je kafa izvrsna.

formal
📱

Reading a review

Korisnik: Ovo je skup hotel, ali vredi svaku paru.

Vlasnik: Hvala na divnoj recenziji!

neutral
💭

Dreaming about the future

Sestra: Šta ćeš raditi ako dobiješ na lutriji?

Brat: Živeću mesec dana u najskupljem hotelu na svetu.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'SKUP' as 'Super Kostly Unaffordable Place'.

Visual Association

Imagine a hotel made of gold coins. Every time you step on a tile, you hear the sound of a cash register 'cha-ching!'.

Rhyme

Skup hotel, pravi pakao za novčanik (Expensive hotel, a real hell for the wallet).

Story

Marko wanted to impress his girlfriend. He booked a 'skup hotel'. When he saw the bill, he realized he had to wash dishes for a month to pay for it. Now he only stays in 'jeftin' places.

Word Web

novacluksuzsobarecepcijaodmorračunzvezdicerezervacija

Desafío

Go to a Serbian booking site (like booking.rs) and find the most 'skup hotel' in Belgrade. Say the price out loud in Serbian.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

hotel caro

Word order: 'hotel caro' vs 'skup hotel'.

French high

hôtel cher

French uses 'cher' which also means 'dear' (affectionate), similar to the Slavic root of 'skup'.

German high

teures Hotel

German adjective endings are different but the grammatical concept is identical.

Japanese high

高いホテル (takai hoteru)

Japanese adjectives don't change for gender or case like Serbian ones do.

Arabic moderate

فندق غالٍ (funduq ghalin)

The script and the specific rules for case marking (tanwin).

Chinese moderate

昂贵的酒店 (ánguì de jiǔdiàn)

Lack of inflection and use of a linking particle.

Korean high

비싼 호텔 (bissan hotel)

Korean adjectives are technically 'descriptive verbs' and are conjugated differently.

Portuguese high

hotel caro

Pronunciation of 'caro' and 'hotel'.

Easily Confused

Skup hotel vs skup (noun)

The word 'skup' is also a noun meaning 'meeting' or 'gathering'.

If there is an article or it's followed by a noun, it's an adjective. If it's the subject of a sentence about people, it's a noun.

Skup hotel vs skupo (adverb)

Learners use 'skupo' (expensively) instead of 'skup' (expensive).

Use 'skup' to describe the hotel (noun). Use 'skupo' to describe an action (verb), like 'platiti' (to pay).

Preguntas frecuentes (4)

No, it's a neutral observation of price. However, saying it to the hotel owner might be a bit blunt.

Use the superlative: 'najskuplji hotel'.

No, if you call a person 'skup', it doesn't make sense. You would use 'bogat' (rich) or 'stipsa' (stingy).

The opposite is 'jeftin hotel' (cheap hotel).

¿Te ha servido?

Comentarios (0)

Inicia Sesión para Comentar
¡No hay comentarios todavía. Sé el primero en compartir tus ideas!