When you're just starting out in Serbian, "malo" is a really useful word. You'll hear it all the time, and it means either "a little" or "a few."
Think of it as the opposite of "mnogo," which means "a lot." So, if you want to say you have "a little time," you'd say "Imam malo vremena." Or, if you want "a few friends," you'd say "Imam malo prijatelja."
It's straightforward: use "malo" for small quantities of things you can count (like friends) and things you can't count (like time). Practice using it, and you'll sound more natural in no time.
Exemplos por nível
S obzirom na kompleksnost projekta, očekivali smo malo veće izazove.
Given the complexity of the project, we expected slightly bigger challenges.
Kada se govori o budućnosti, malo je onih koji zaista mogu predvideti sledeći korak.
When talking about the future, few are those who can truly predict the next step.
Iako je bilo malo vremena za pripremu, rezultat je bio iznenađujuće dobar.
Although there was little time for preparation, the result was surprisingly good.
Posle svih prepreka, malo je verovatno da ćemo odustati sada.
After all the obstacles, it's highly unlikely that we will give up now.
Malo je poznato da je autor ove knjige zapravo živeo pod pseudonimom.
It is little known that the author of this book actually lived under a pseudonym.
Čak i malo odstupanje od plana može dovesti do značajnih komplikacija.
Even a small deviation from the plan can lead to significant complications.
Uprkos svim naporima, malo je toga što se moglo učiniti da se situacija popravi.
Despite all efforts, there was little that could be done to improve the situation.
Njegov uticaj je bio toliko diskretan da su ga samo malo ljudi zaista razumeli.
His influence was so discreet that only a few people truly understood him.
Padrões gramaticais
Padrões de frases
Imam malo vremena.
I have little time.
On ima malo novca.
He has little money.
Imamo malo prijatelja ovde.
We have few friends here.
Popio sam malo vode.
I drank a little water.
Daj mi malo hleba, molim te.
Give me a little bread, please.
Jedeš malo.
You eat little.
Spavam malo.
I sleep little.
Vidim malo svetlosti.
I see little light.
Teste-se 12 perguntas
Imam ___ vremena za odmor danas. (I have ___ time for rest today.)
The sentence indicates a limited amount of time, so 'malo' (little) is the correct fit. 'Puno', 'dosta', and 'mnogo' all mean 'a lot' or 'plenty'.
U gradu je bilo ___ ljudi zbog kiše. (There were ___ people in the city because of the rain.)
The rain would typically lead to fewer people, so 'malo' (few) is appropriate. 'Mnogo' (many), 'više' (more), and 'dosta' (enough/plenty) don't fit the context.
On govori srpski, ali samo ___. (He speaks Serbian, but only ___.)
The phrase 'but only' suggests a limited ability, making 'malo' (a little) the correct choice. 'Tečno' (fluently), 'dobro' (well), and 'odlično' (excellently) imply a higher level of proficiency.
Kupili smo samo ___ namirnica, jer nismo imali puno novca. (We bought only ___ groceries, because we didn't have much money.)
If there wasn't much money, they would buy 'malo' (few) groceries. 'Dosta' (enough/plenty), 'puno' (a lot), and 'mnogo' (many) contradict this.
Popij ___ vode, izgledaš žedno. (Drink ___ water, you look thirsty.)
'Malo' here implies a small, but perhaps helpful, amount of water. While 'dosta' (enough) could also work, 'malo' is more common in this context. 'Mnogo' (a lot) might be too much, and 'svu' (all) is unlikely.
Čekali smo ___ duže nego što smo očekivali. (We waited ___ longer than we expected.)
'Malo' can also be used to mean 'a little' in terms of duration, as in 'a little longer'. 'Mnogo' (much) would imply a significantly longer wait. 'Satima' (for hours) and 'dugo' (long) refer to the extent of waiting, not the degree of difference from expectation.
Write a short paragraph about something you have very little of, using 'malo' at least once. For example, 'I have very little free time.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Imam vrlo malo slobodnog vremena ove nedelje zbog posla. Voleo bih da imam više vremena za odmor i hobije.
Describe a situation where there are 'few people' somewhere. Use 'malo' in your description.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Na plaži je bilo vrlo malo ljudi jutros, što mi se svidelo jer sam mogao da uživam u miru.
Write a sentence expressing a wish for 'a little more' of something. Use 'malo'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Želim malo više strpljenja kada učim nove stvari.
Zašto Marko nije kupio jabuke?
Read this passage:
Marko je juče išao u prodavnicu. Hteo je da kupi jabuke, ali je ostalo samo malo, pa nije uzeo. Zato je kupio pomorandže. Uvek ima malo sreće sa jabukama.
Zašto Marko nije kupio jabuke?
U tekstu piše da je 'ostalo samo malo', što znači da nije bilo dovoljno jabuka.
U tekstu piše da je 'ostalo samo malo', što znači da nije bilo dovoljno jabuka.
Šta Ana ima malo?
Read this passage:
Ana ima malu biblioteku kod kuće. Ima mnogo knjiga, ali vrlo malo vremena za čitanje. Ponekad poželi da dan ima više sati da bi mogla da pročita sve što želi.
Šta Ana ima malo?
Tekst navodi da Ana ima 'vrlo malo vremena za čitanje'.
Tekst navodi da Ana ima 'vrlo malo vremena za čitanje'.
Zašto je konobar mislio da je bilo malo gostiju?
Read this passage:
U restoranu je sinoć bilo malo gostiju. Konobar je mislio da je to zato što je bila kiša. Obično je vikendom prepuno, ali juče je bilo tiho i mirno.
Zašto je konobar mislio da je bilo malo gostiju?
Konobar je 'mislio da je to zato što je bila kiša'.
Konobar je 'mislio da je to zato što je bila kiša'.
/ 12 correct
Perfect score!
