Questions and answers
Is Beseda free?
Yes. Every lesson is free. You only need a free account, so that your progress is saved.
Do I need an account?
Yes. Your progress is saved to your account, so you can pick up where you left off on any device. You can sign up with an email address and a password, or with Google, and delete your account at any time in Settings.
What level does the course go up to?
The course follows the levels of the Common European Framework (CEFR). It has 41 units: Section 1 (A1, Beginner) has 21, Section 2 (A2, Elementary) has 16 and Section 3 (B1, Intermediate) has 4 units. Each section opens when you finish the one before.
Which Serbian does Beseda teach?
Standard Serbian as it is spoken in Belgrade, with the pronunciation used in Serbia (mleko, not mlijeko). Every word is checked against a dictionary of millions of Serbian word forms, so Croatian and Bosnian forms are kept out.
Is Serbian written in Cyrillic or Latin?
Both. Cyrillic is the official script of Serbia under its constitution, and the Latin alphabet is very common in everyday life, from adverts to text messages. Beseda teaches both: you can switch between them at any time and type your answers in either.
Do I have to learn Cyrillic first?
No. You can start in the Latin alphabet. A short early unit teaches you to read Cyrillic, and the Alphabet section lets you practise reading and writing it whenever you like.
Is Serbian hard for English speakers?
It takes steady work. The US Foreign Service Institute puts Serbian among the languages that take English speakers about 44 weeks, or 1,100 class hours, to reach professional working proficiency. The good news is the spelling: each letter has one sound, so once you know the alphabet you can read any word aloud.
How is Serbian different from Croatian and Bosnian?
They are closely related and their speakers understand each other easily. The standard languages differ in some words, in spelling and in pronunciation (Serbian mleko, Croatian mlijeko). Beseda teaches standard Serbian.
How do the lessons work?
Each lesson brings in a few new words with audio and a pronunciation guide, then practises them: you pick the meaning, pick the word out by sound, recall it from English and use it in sentences both ways. Anything you miss comes back a few questions later, and words you have learned return in your review before you forget them.
What happens when I make a mistake?
Beseda tells you what went wrong, not just that it is wrong. Type idem u škola and it tells you that škola is the nominative, and that this sentence needs the accusative, školu. A missing č or ć is usually accepted with a note, unless it makes a different word.
How do I know how to say a word?
Every new word comes with audio and a guide written for English speakers, with the stressed syllable in capitals: здраво is ZDRAH-voh. Where the stress falls comes from the accent marks in Wiktionary.
Can I use Beseda on my phone?
Yes. Beseda works in the browser on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to install, and your progress follows you from one to another. You can also add it to your home screen.
I found a mistake in a lesson. What should I do?
Tap the flag after answering and tell us what looks wrong, or write to us on the Support page.
Ready to start?
It starts with здраво, "hello". Create a free account