A1 noun Neutral 2 min read

hrana

/xrǎːna/

Hrana is the primary Serbian word for food, encompassing everything from raw ingredients to prepared meals.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • General term for food or nourishment in Serbian.
  • Feminine noun used in everyday and formal contexts.
  • Essential A1 vocabulary for survival and daily conversation.

Pregled

Reč 'hrana' je imenica ženskog roda koja se u srpskom jeziku koristi kao opšti pojam za sve što je jestivo. Ona je jedna od najosnovnijih reči u vokabularu i uči se na samom početku učenja jezika. 2) Obrasci upotrebe: 'Hrana' se najčešće koristi u jednini, čak i kada se misli na različite vrste namirnica (npr. 'zdrava hrana'). Često se kombinuje sa pridevima koji opisuju ukus, poreklo ili kvalitet, kao što su 'ukusna hrana', 'italijanska hrana' ili 'brza hrana'. 3) Uobičajeni konteksti: Reč se koristi u svakodnevnim situacijama poput kupovine u prodavnici, naručivanja u restoranu ili razgovora o zdravom načinu života. Takođe, termin se pojavljuje u naučnim kontekstima kada se govori o lancu ishrane ili nutritivnim vrednostima. 4) Poređenje sa sličnim rečima: Često se meša sa rečima 'jelo' i 'obrok'. Dok je 'hrana' opšti pojam za materiju, 'jelo' se obično odnosi na konkretan recept ili pripremljenu porciju (npr. sarma je jelo). 'Obrok' se odnosi na vreme u toku dana kada se jede, kao što su doručak, ručak ili večera. Takođe, reč 'namirnice' se koristi za sirove sastojke koji se kupuju za pripremu hrane.

Examples

1

Ova hrana miriše fantastično.

everyday

This food smells fantastic.

2

Organska hrana postaje sve popularnija na tržištu.

formal

Organic food is becoming increasingly popular in the market.

3

Daj mi neku hranu, gladan sam!

informal

Give me some food, I'm hungry!

4

Pravilna ishrana i kvalitetna hrana su ključni za zdravlje.

academic

Proper nutrition and quality food are key to health.

Common Collocations

zdrava hrana healthy food
brza hrana fast food
domaća hrana homemade/local food

Common Phrases

duševna hrana

food for the soul

lanac ishrane

food chain

puno hrane

a lot of food

Often Confused With

hrana vs jelo

'Hrana' is the substance (food), while 'jelo' is a specific prepared dish or the act of eating.

hrana vs ishrana

'Ishrana' refers to the process of nourishing the body or a specific diet regime, whereas 'hrana' is the physical item.

Grammar Patterns

Imenica ženskog roda (Feminine noun) Jednina (Singular): hrana, hrane, hrani, hranu, hrano, hrani, hranom Često se koristi sa pridevima u genitivu (npr. 'puno hrane')

How to Use It

Usage Notes

The word 'hrana' is neutral in register and can be used in any situation. In very formal settings, you might encounter 'živežne namirnice' for groceries, but 'hrana' remains the standard. It is a feminine noun ending in -a, following the first declension group.


Common Mistakes

English speakers often try to pluralize 'hrana' (as 'foods'), but in Serbian, 'hrana' is almost always singular. Another mistake is using 'hrana' when they actually mean 'obrok' (a meal event) or 'recept' (a recipe).

Tips

💡

Using adjectives to describe food quality

Always place the adjective before the noun, such as 'ukusna hrana' (delicious food) or 'začinjena hrana' (spicy food).

⚠️

Don't confuse food with meal

Remember that 'hrana' is what you eat, but 'obrok' is the occasion (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

🌍

Serbian hospitality and food culture

In Serbia, offering 'domaća hrana' (homemade food) is a sign of great respect and hospitality towards guests.

Word Origin

The word 'hrana' comes from the Proto-Slavic word '*xorna', which originally meant 'protection' or 'keeping', later evolving to mean 'sustenance' or 'food'.

Cultural Context

Food is central to Serbian culture, especially during 'Slava' (patron saint days) where 'bogata trpeza' (a rich table/spread of food) is expected. Sharing food is a primary way of showing affection and community.

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'hrana' as being related to 'hraniti' (to feed). If you are 'hungry', you need 'hrana'.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

U srpskom jeziku 'hrana' se najčešće koristi kao nebrojiva imenica u jednini. Retko ćete čuti množinu 'hrane' osim u specifičnim tehničkim ili poetskim kontekstima.

'Hrana' je opšti pojam za sve što se jede, dok je 'jelo' specifičan obrok ili kulinarski specijalitet koji je pripremljen.

Najčešći prevod za 'junk food' je 'nezdrava hrana' ili specifičnije 'brza hrana' (fast food), iako 'brza hrana' ne mora uvek biti nezdrava.

Najčešći glagoli su 'jesti' (to eat), 'pripremati' (to prepare), 'kupovati' (to buy) i 'proizvoditi' (to produce).

Test Yourself

fill blank

Na stolu je veoma ukusna ___.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: hrana

The sentence requires the nominative singular case because 'hrana' is the subject.

multiple choice

Kako se na srpskom kaže 'Healthy food'?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Zdrava hrana

'Zdrava' means healthy and 'hrana' means food.

sentence building

omiljena / Moja / italijanska / je / hrana / .

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: Moja omiljena hrana je italijanska.

The standard word order is: Possessive pronoun + Adjective + Noun + Verb + Predicate adjective.

Score: /3

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