Serbian and Slovenian: 153 words that are the same
Among the two thousand words each language uses most, these are written identically and carry the same meaning in both. If you have one of the two, this is the part you do not have to learn.
A shared word is not proof of a shared root. Two languages can land on the same spelling by borrowing from a third — that is all tren and bomba are — and a word that looks the same can still be said quite differently. What this list is good for is the head start.
| Word | In English | Serbian | Slovenian |
|---|---|---|---|
| nesr /ne/sl /nɛ́/ | not | #3 | #2 |
| misr /mîː/sl /míː/ | we | #11 | #16 |
| kakosr /kâko/sl /kakòː/ | how | #30 | #30 |
| onsr /ôːn/sl /ɔ́n/ | he | #48 | #92 |
| bitisr /bîti/sl /bìːti/ | to be, to exist | #53 | #84 |
| hvalasr /xʋǎːla/sl /xʋàːla/ | praise | #58 | #50 |
| vamsr /ˈvam/sl /ˈʋaːm/ | you | #69 | #72 |
| onasr /ǒna/sl /ɔ̀ːna/ | she | #86 | #135 |
| visr /ʋîː/sl /ʋíː/ | you | #97 | #109 |
| kolikosr /kolǐko/sl /kòːlikɔ/ | how much, how many | #111 | #139 |
| onosr /ǒno/sl /ɔ̀ːnɔ/ | it | #127 | #1,524 |
| onisr /ǒni/sl /ɔ̀ːni/ | they | #134 | #246 |
| dansr /dâːn/sl /dáːn/ | day | #154 | #94 |
| dvasr /dʋâː/sl /dʋáː/ | two | #177 | #136 |
| stvarsr /stʋâːr/sl /stʋáːr/ | thing | #179 | #162 |
| evosr /ˈɛvo/sl /éːʋɔ/ | look, see, behold | #183 | #847 |
| trisr /trîː/sl /tríː/ | three | #194 | #149 |
| imesr /îme/sl /iméː/ | name | #198 | #116 |
| svojsr /ˈsvoj/sl /sʋòːj/ | one's own | #208 | #205 |
| prvisr /př̩ʋiː/sl /pə́rʋi/ | first | #234 | #200 |
| drugisr /drûɡiː/sl /drùːɡi/ | second | #242 | #187 |
| našsr /nâʃ/sl /náʃ/ | our, ours | #282 | #228 |
| vašsr /ʋâʃ/sl /ʋáʃ/ | your, yours | #288 | #192 |
| minutasr /minǔːta/sl /minúːta/ | minute | #307 | #1,426 |
| stosr /stôː/sl /stóː/ | hundred | #311 | #461 |
| dvesr /dʋêː/sl /dʋéː/ | two | #321 | #160 |
| njegovsr /ɲěɡoʋ/sl /njɛɡɔ̀ːʋ/ | his | #336 | #207 |
| petsr /pêːt/sl /péːt/ | five | #359 | #216 |
| barsr /bâːr/sl /báːr/ | at least | #371 | #666 |
| tipsr /tîːp/sl /tíːp/ | type | #375 | #223 |
| prijateljsr /prîjateʎ/sl /prijáːtɛl/ | friend | #377 | #178 |
| sinsr /sîːn/sl /síːn/ | son | #387 | #199 |
| jutrosr /jûtro/sl /jùːtrɔ/ | morning | #402 | #236 |
| dobitisr /dǒbiti/sl /dɔbìːti/ | to receive, get, obtain, acquire | #417 | #333 |
| znatisr /znâti/sl /znàːti/ | to know | #447 | #1,595 |
| videtisr /ʋîdeti/sl /ʋìːdɛti/ | to see | #453 | #113 |
| očisr /ˈotʃɪ/sl /ˈoːtʃi/ | eye | #457 | #179 |
| bratsr /brât/sl /brát/ | brother | #477 | #225 |
| datisr /dâti/sl /dàːti/ | to give | #505 | #346 |
| smrtsr /smr̩̂t/sl /smə́rt/ | death | #508 | #251 |
| policijasr /polǐt͡sija/sl /pɔlit͡síːja/ | police | #514 | #280 |
| ostatisr /ǒstati/sl /ɔstàːti/ | to stay, remain | #527 | #311 |
| oprostitesr /oprǒstite/sl /ɔprɔstíːtɛ/ | sorry! | #530 | #142 |
| njensr /ɲêːn/sl /njèːn/ | her, hers | #543 | #267 |
| šestsr /ʃêːst/sl /ʃéːst/ | six | #545 | #292 |
| telosr /ˈtɛlo/sl /tɛlóː/ | body | #566 | #366 |
| dajtesr /ˈdɑjtɛ/sl /ˈdaːjtɛ/ | to give | #575 | #266 |
| sestrasr /sěstra/sl /sɛ̀ːstra/ | sister | #587 | #270 |
| hasr /xâ/sl /xáː/ | expresses laughter | #590 | #489 |
| desetsr /dêset/sl /dɛséːt/ | ten | #602 | #308 |
| rečisr /ˈrɛtʃi/sl /rɛ̀ːt͡ʃi/ | to say | #604 | #174 |
| istisr /îstiː/sl /íːsti/ | same | #614 | #390 |
| tihsr /tîx/sl /tíːx/ | quiet, silent | #655 | #1,476 |
| odgovorsr /ôdɡoʋoːr/sl /ɔdɡɔ́ːʋɔr/ | answer | #667 | #367 |
| očesr /ˈotʃɛ/sl /ɔ̀ːt͡ʃɛ/ | father | #690 | #102 |
| kraljsr /krâːʎ/sl /kràːl/ | king | #751 | #330 |
| glassr /ɡlâːs/sl /ɡláːs/ | voice | #756 | #379 |
| ustasr /ǔːsta/sl /ùːsta/ | mouth | #767 | #462 |
| sobasr /ˈsobɐ/sl /sɔ̀ːba/ | room | #773 | #437 |
| sekssr /sêks/sl /séːks/ | sex | #777 | #440 |
| častsr /t͡ʃâːst/sl /t͡ʃáːst/ | honour | #799 | #435 |
| prevodsr /prěːʋod/sl /prɛʋɔ́t/ | translation | #806 | #409 |
| slikasr /slîka/sl /slíːka/ | picture, image | #808 | #529 |
| kapetansr /kapětaːn/sl /kapéːtan/ | captain | #822 | #854 |
| umretisr /ǔmreːti/sl /umrèːti/ | to die | #833 | #369 |
| pivosr /pîːʋo/sl /pìːʋɔ/ | beer | #836 | #417 |
| ključsr /kʎûːt͡ʃ/sl /kljùːt͡ʃ/ | key | #844 | #400 |
| vodasr /ʋǒda/sl /ʋɔ̀ːda/ | water | #846 | #445 |
| sistemsr /sǐsteːm/sl /sistéːm/ | system | #848 | #374 |
| zadnjisr /zâdɲiː/sl /záːdnji/ | back, rear, hind | #850 | #297 |
| njihovsr /ɲîxoʋ/sl /njìːxɔʋ/ | their, theirs | #865 | #480 |
| glavasr /ɡlǎːʋa/sl /ɡlàːʋa/ | head | #886 | #553 |
| nadsr /nâd/sl /nat/ | over, above | #896 | #240 |
| čutisr /t͡ʃûti/sl /t͡ʃùːti/ | to hear | #906 | #928 |
| knjigasr /kɲîɡa/sl /knjìːɡa/ | book | #924 | #543 |
| koraksr /kôraːk/sl /kɔráːk/ | step | #931 | #466 |
| nedeljasr /nědeʎa/sl /nɛdèːlja/ | Sunday | #953 | #1,501 |
| pokazatisr /pokǎːzati/sl /pɔkàːzati/ | to show, demonstrate | #980 | #537 |
| sirsr /sîr/sl /sír/ | cheese | #982 | #509 |
| mirsr /mîːr/sl /míːr/ | peace | #991 | #416 |
| čajsr /t͡ʃâj/sl /t͡ʃáːj/ | tea | #1,026 | #514 |
| jeziksr /jězik/sl /jɛ̀ːzik/ | tongue | #1,027 | #481 |
| hranasr /xrǎːna/sl /xràːna/ | food | #1,048 | #504 |
| zabavasr /ˈzabɐvɐ/sl /zabáːʋa/ | fun, amusement | #1,057 | #402 |
| devetsr /dêʋet/sl /dɛʋéːt/ | nine | #1,072 | #519 |
| poslatisr /pǒslati/sl /pɔslàːti/ | to send | #1,076 | #711 |
| vladasr /ˈvladɐ/sl /ʋláːda/ | government | #1,077 | #510 |
| nossr /nôːs/sl /nóːs/ | nose | #1,085 | #521 |
| nožsr /nôːʒ/sl /nɔ́ʃ/ | knife | #1,142 | #507 |
| plessr /plêːs/sl /pléːs/ | dance | #1,145 | #449 |
| damasr /dǎːma/sl /dàːma/ | lady | #1,147 | #602 |
| zlatosr /zlâːto/sl /zlatóː/ | gold | #1,148 | #541 |
| tišinasr /ˈtiʃɪnɐ/sl /tiʃìːna/ | silence | #1,154 | #636 |
| mislitisr /mîsliti/sl /mìːsliti/ | to think | #1,160 | #565 |
| zidsr /zîːd/sl /zíːt/ | wall | #1,171 | #689 |
| igratisr /ǐɡrati/sl /iɡràːti/ | to play | #1,172 | #423 |
| letsr /lêːt/sl /lɛ́t/ | flight | #1,181 | #118 |
| vinosr /ʋǐːno/sl /ʋìːnɔ/ | wine | #1,206 | #584 |
| ulice/ˈulit͡sɛ/ | street | #1,208 | #618 |
| mesosr /mêːso/sl /mɛsóː/ | meat | #1,233 | #599 |
| taksisr /tǎksi/sl /táːksi/ | taxi | #1,260 | #632 |
| ribasr /rîba/sl /rìːba/ | fish | #1,292 | #867 |
| kraljicasr /krǎʎit͡sa/sl /kraljìːt͡sa/ | queen | #1,304 | #499 |
| govorsr /ɡôʋoːr/sl /ɡɔ́ːʋɔr/ | speech | #1,333 | #631 |
| kamensr /kâmeːn/sl /kàːmən/ | stone | #1,346 | #598 |
| zločinsr /zlǒt͡ʃin/sl /zlɔt͡ʃíːn/ | crime | #1,348 | #609 |
| bivšisr /bîːʋʃiː/sl /bíːʋʃi/ | former | #1,350 | #660 |
| čeksr /t͡ʃêk/sl /t͡ʃéːk/ | cheque | #1,362 | #829 |
| sredisr /ˈsrɛdɪ/sl /ˈsreːdi/ | Wednesday | #1,364 | #414 |
| vojskasr /ʋǒːjska/sl /ʋɔ̀ːjska/ | army | #1,380 | #545 |
| generalsr /ɡeněraːl/sl /ɡɛnɛráːl/ | general | #1,406 | #413 |
| vratsr /ʋrâːt/sl /ʋráːt/ | neck | #1,452 | #359 |
| razlikasr /rǎːzlika/sl /razlíːka/ | difference | #1,459 | #704 |
| darsr /dâːr/sl /dáːr/ | gift | #1,460 | #823 |
| borbasr /bǒrba/sl /bóːrba/ | fight | #1,463 | #1,399 |
| člansr /t͡ʃlâːn/sl /t͡ʃláːn/ | member | #1,469 | #658 |
| profesorsr /prǒfesor/sl /prɔféːsɔr/ | professor | #1,490 | #493 |
| boritisr /bǒriti/sl /bɔrìːti/ | to fight, struggle | #1,494 | #610 |
| dušasr /dǔːʃa/sl /dùːʃa/ | soul | #1,496 | #741 |
| državasr /dř̩ʒaʋa/sl /dərʒáːʋa/ | country | #1,508 | #639 |
| nebosr /ˈnêbo/sl /nɛbóː/ | sky | #1,537 | #675 |
| mladsr /mlâːd/sl /mláːt/ | young | #1,543 | #673 |
| pticasr /ptît͡sa/sl /ptìːt͡sa/ | bird | #1,549 | #1,144 |
| konjsr /kôɲ/sl /kɔ́n/ | horse | #1,550 | #687 |
| bombasr /bôːmba/sl /bóːmba/ | bomb | #1,581 | #653 |
| rezultatsr /rezǔltaːt/sl /rɛzultáːt/ | result | #1,591 | #842 |
| prstsr /pr̩̂st/sl /pə́rst/ | finger | #1,627 | #747 |
| večersr /ʋêt͡ʃeːr/sl /ʋɛt͡ʃéːr/ | evening | #1,628 | #274 |
| novsr /nôʋ/sl /nɔ́ʋ/ | new | #1,638 | #340 |
| ulicasr /ûlit͡sa/sl /ùːlit͡sa/ | street | #1,647 | #859 |
| ledsr /lêːd/sl /léːt/ | ice | #1,656 | #734 |
| mostsr /môːst/sl /móːst/ | bridge | #1,668 | #679 |
| željasr /ʒěʎa/sl /ʒɛ̀ːlja/ | wish, desire | #1,682 | #746 |
| papirsr /pǎpiːr/sl /papíːr/ | paper | #1,709 | #792 |
| sladoledsr /slâdoleːd/sl /sladɔléːt/ | ice cream | #1,741 | #783 |
| princsr /prînt͡s/sl /príːnt͡s/ | prince | #1,748 | #652 |
| veliksr /ʋělik/sl /ʋɛ̀ːlik/ | big, large | #1,768 | #281 |
| soksr /sôːk/sl /sóːk/ | juice | #1,785 | #821 |
| poljesr /pôʎe/sl /póːljɛ/ | field | #1,788 | #813 |
| petesr /ˈpɛtɛ/sl /ˈpeːtɛ/ | heel | #1,802 | #582 |
| česr /tʃɛ/sl /t͡ʃɛ/ | if | #1,842 | #21 |
| mačkasr /mât͡ʃka/sl /máːt͡ʃka/ | cat | #1,846 | #657 |
| bogatsr /bǒɡat/sl /bɔɡát/ | rich, wealthy | #1,865 | #797 |
| cenasr /t͡sěːna/sl /t͡sèːna/ | price | #1,870 | #759 |
| mlekosr /mlěːko/sl /mlèːkɔ/ | milk | #1,889 | #761 |
| trenersr /trěːner/sl /trɛnɛ́ːr/ | coach | #1,890 | #630 |
| razumetisr /razǔmeti/sl /razumèːti/ | to understand | #1,905 | #483 |
| semesr /sême/sl /sèːmɛ/ | seed | #1,934 | #1,353 |
| pitisr /pîti/sl /pìːti/ | to drink | #1,941 | #724 |
| teorijasr /teǒːrija/sl /tɛɔríːja/ | theory | #1,960 | #916 |
| dnevniksr /dnêːʋniːk/sl /dnéːʋnik/ | diary | #1,961 | #775 |
| nogasr /nǒɡa/sl /nɔ̀ːɡa/ | leg | #1,993 | #863 |
| požarsr /pôʒaːr/sl /pɔʒáːr/ | fire | #1,995 | #876 |
The speaker plays the voice the LangX app uses for that language — synthesised, not a native speaker, so treat it as a guide. Voices for Slovenian (artur (sl_SI), CC BY 4.0).
The overlap is the easy part.
The rest comes from using it with someone who speaks it.