Getting around in Bosnian
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet. Play the ten Bosnian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Bosnian phrases in this lesson
- Gdje je toalet?GDYE ye to-A-let
- Where is the toilet?
- Kako da dođem do...?KA-ko da DO-jem do
- How do I get to...?
- LijevoLI-ye-vo
- To the left
- DesnoDES-no
- To the right
- RavnoRAV-no
- Straight ahead
- OvdjeOV-dye
- Here
- Željeznička stanicazhel-YEZ-nich-ka STA-ni-tsa
- Train station
- AutobusAU-to-boos
- Bus
- AerodromA-e-ro-drom
- Airport
- Jednu kartu, molimYED-noo KAR-too MO-lim
- One ticket, please
Also commonly called "WC" (pronounced "vay-tse") on signs throughout Bosnia. In cafes it is polite to order something before asking for the bathroom.
The place changes ending after do: "do stanice", to the station.
"Lj" is a single letter in Bosnian, pronounced like the "ll" in Spanish "llave" or a soft "ly" sound. When asking for directions, listen for "lijevo" and "desno" as the key signals.
Stress on the first syllable. "Desno" also informally means "right" in the political sense, so context is clear. Pair with a pointing gesture to confirm you understood.
Literally "straight." You may also hear "pravo" used interchangeably. Directions in Bosnia often use landmarks rather than street names, so "ravno do džamije" (straight to the mosque) is typical.
Sarajevo's train station is central and well connected to Mostar. "Stanica" (station) on its own with a questioning tone will often get the message across if the full phrase feels too long.
Intercity buses are the main way to travel; buy tickets at the station.
"Karta" (ticket) is feminine, so "jednu" is used rather than "jedno." You can add the destination: "jednu kartu za Mostar, molim."