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Stari Bar, Montenegro — travel photograph, September 2023

Culture & etiquette

What Montenegrin phrases should I learn before visiting Montenegro?

Q: What Montenegrin phrases should I learn before visiting Montenegro?

The official language is Montenegrin (crnogorski), which is essentially the same language as Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian: speakers of all four understand each other without effort, so anything you learn here works across the region. It is written in both Latin and Cyrillic script; this guide uses Latin, which is what you will see on most menus. On the coast English goes a long way, while in the mountains around Žabljak and Gusinje a few words of Montenegrin help much more.

By Clever Tourists · Published October 21, 2026

The official language is Montenegrin (crnogorski), which is essentially the same language as Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian: speakers of all four understand each other without effort, so anything you learn here works across the region. It is written in both Latin and Cyrillic script; this guide uses Latin, which is what you will see on most menus. On the coast English goes a long way, while in the mountains around Žabljak and Gusinje a few words of Montenegrin help much more.

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Greetings and goodbyes

Montenegrin is read exactly as it is written. č and ć are close to ch, š is sh, ž is the s in measure, đ is close to j, j is y and c is ts. In Cyrillic, zdravo is written Здраво and hvala is Хвала, which is all you need to recognise them on a sign.

Like its neighbours, Montenegrin has a polite you. Use ste forms (Kako ste?) with strangers and older people.

English	Montenegrin	Say it like	When to use it
Hello	Zdravo	ZDRAH-voh	Neutral hello for most situations.
Hi / bye (casual)	Ćao	chow	Friends and younger people.
Good day	Dobar dan	DOH-bar dahn	Shops, hotels, anyone older.
Good morning	Dobro jutro	DOH-broh YOO-troh	Until mid-morning.
Good evening	Dobro veče	DOH-broh VEH-cheh	From dusk onwards.
How are you?	Kako ste? / Kako si?	KAH-koh steh / KAH-koh see	Ste with strangers, si with friends.
Nice to meet you	Drago mi je	DRAH-goh mee yeh	When you are introduced.
Goodbye	Doviđenja	doh-vee-JEH-nyah	Leaving a shop, a café or a taxi.
Good night	Laku noć	LAH-koo noch	Last thing at night.

Polite essentials

The main vocabulary difference from Croatian you will hit as a visitor is excuse me: Montenegrins say izvinite, where Croatians say oprostite. Both are understood everywhere.

English	Montenegrin	Say it like	When to use it
Please	Molim	MOH-leem	Ordering and asking for anything.
Thank you	Hvala	HVAH-lah	All the time.
Thank you very much	Hvala puno	HVAH-lah POO-noh	When someone has gone out of their way.
You're welcome	Nema na čemu	NEH-mah nah CHEH-moo	Replying to thanks.
Sorry / excuse me	Izvinite	eez-VEE-nee-teh	Apologising, getting past, getting attention.
I'm sorry (sympathy)	Žao mi je	ZHAH-oh mee yeh	When something bad has happened.
Yes / No	Da / Ne	dah / neh	Everywhere.
No, thank you	Ne, hvala	neh, HVAH-lah	Boat-trip sellers and room touts in Kotor and Budva.

Eating and drinking

Lunch and dinner are long and nobody brings the bill until you ask. Many restaurants on the coast add a cover charge; our kuver guide explains what it is.

A host offering home-made rakija is a sign of welcome. The toast is živjeli, with eye contact as you clink.

English	Montenegrin	Say it like	When to use it
A table for two, please	Sto za dvoje, molim	stoh zah DVOH-yeh, MOH-leem	Arriving at a restaurant. Sto is table here; Croatians say stol.
The menu, please	Jelovnik, molim	yeh-LOHV-neek, MOH-leem	When you sit down.
This one, please	Ovo, molim	OH-voh, MOH-leem	Pointing at a dish or a cake.
It's delicious	Ukusno je	OO-koos-noh yeh	To the waiter or your host.
Cheers!	Živjeli!	ZHEE-vyeh-lee	Every toast, rakija included.
The bill, please	Račun, molim	RAH-choon, MOH-leem	When you are ready to go.
I'm vegetarian	Ja sam vegetarijanac / vegetarijanka	yah sahm veh-geh-tah-ree-YAH-nahts / veh-geh-tah-ree-YAHN-kah	Men say vegetarijanac, women vegetarijanka.
I'm allergic to...	Alergičan sam na... / Alergična sam na...	ah-LEHR-gee-chahn sahm nah / ah-LEHR-geech-nah sahm nah	Men use the first form, women the second.

Shopping and markets

Montenegro uses the euro. Shops have fixed prices; at green markets (pijaca) and for souvenirs you can ask for a little off if you buy several things, but this is not a bargaining culture.

Cards are fine in coastal towns. Take cash for mountain guesthouses, village markets and small cafés inland.

English	Montenegrin	Say it like	When to use it
How much is this?	Koliko košta?	KOH-lee-koh KOHSH-tah	Anything without a price tag.
That's too expensive	Skupo je	SKOO-poh yeh	Politely declining.
Can it be a bit cheaper?	Može malo jeftinije?	MOH-zheh MAH-loh yehf-TEE-nee-yeh	Markets, or when buying several items.
I'll take this	Uzimam ovo	OO-zee-mahm OH-voh	Once you've decided.
Do you take cards?	Primate li kartice?	PREE-mah-teh lee KAR-tee-tseh	Before ordering in small places.
Cash	Gotovina	goh-toh-VEE-nah	Inland villages and guesthouses.

Getting around

Buses link the coast with Podgorica and the mountains; the station is the autobuska stanica. You may hear older locals say đe instead of gdje for where: it is a Montenegrin regional form and means the same thing.

English	Montenegrin	Say it like	When to use it
Where is...?	Gdje je...? (often said đe je)	gdyeh yeh / jeh yeh	Followed by the place you want.
Where is the toilet?	Gdje je WC?	gdyeh yeh VEH-tseh	WC or toalet both work.
Bus station	Autobuska stanica	OW-toh-boos-kah STAH-nee-tsah	Intercity buses.
Train station	Željeznička stanica	ZHEH-lyez-neech-kah STAH-nee-tsah	The Bar to Podgorica and Belgrade line.
Airport	Aerodrom	ah-eh-ROH-drom	Podgorica and Tivat.
Left / right / straight on	Lijevo / desno / pravo	LYEH-voh / DEH-snoh / PRAH-voh	Following directions.
Take me to this address, please	Odvezite me na ovu adresu, molim	ohd-VEH-zee-teh meh nah OH-voo AH-dreh-soo, MOH-leem	Taxis. Show it on your phone too.
Stop here, please	Stanite ovdje, molim	STAH-nee-teh OHV-dyeh, MOH-leem	Taxis and minibuses.

Numbers

The only number that differs from Croatian is a thousand: Montenegrins say hiljadu, Croatians tisuću.

English	Montenegrin	Say it like	When to use it
1	Jedan	YEH-dahn
2	Dva	dvah
3	Tri	tree
4	Četiri	CHEH-tee-ree
5	Pet	peht
6	Šest	shehst
7	Sedam	SEH-dahm
8	Osam	OH-sahm
9	Devet	DEH-veht
10	Deset	DEH-seht
100	Sto	stoh	Same word as table; context makes it clear.
1,000	Hiljadu	HEE-lyah-doo

Help and emergencies

112 is the general emergency number. The direct lines are 122 police, 123 fire and 124 ambulance. Mountain roads and hiking areas such as Durmitor can be out of signal, so tell someone your route.

English	Montenegrin	Say it like	When to use it
Help!	Upomoć!	OO-poh-moch	Shout it.
Call the police!	Zovite policiju!	ZOH-vee-teh poh-LEE-tsee-yoo	Then dial 112 or 122.
I need a doctor	Treba mi doktor	TREH-bah mee DOHK-tor	Pharmacies and reception desks.
I'm lost	Izgubio sam se / Izgubila sam se	eez-GOO-bee-oh sahm seh / eez-GOO-bee-lah sahm seh	Men use the first form, women the second.
I don't understand	Ne razumijem	neh rah-ZOO-mee-yem	Any time.
Do you speak English?	Da li pričate engleski?	dah lee PREE-chah-teh EN-gleh-skee	Ask this first.
Please speak slowly	Molim vas, govorite polako	MOH-leem vahs, goh-VOH-ree-teh poh-LAH-koh	When the answer comes back fast.

Etiquette that matters more than words

Language is political, so follow the speaker. Some Montenegrins call their language Montenegrin, others call it Serbian. Use whatever word the person you are talking to uses, and never correct them.

Albanian is the local language in Ulcinj. In the far south most people speak Albanian at home, so faleminderit (thank you) lands better there than hvala. Our Albanian phrases guide covers it.

Say yes to coffee. Being offered coffee or rakija in a guesthouse or a home is normal hospitality. Accepting at least one is polite; sitting for a while is expected.

Dress for churches and monasteries. Ostrog and the Orthodox churches expect covered shoulders and knees. See Orthodox church dress code in Montenegro.

More practical detail is in things to know before visiting Montenegro.

Frequently asked questions

Is Montenegrin the same as Serbian?

Very close. Montenegrin, Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian are mutually intelligible, with small differences in vocabulary and spelling. Phrases from this guide will be understood across all four countries.

Does Montenegro use the Latin or Cyrillic alphabet?

Both are official. Most menus and tourist signs use Latin script, and you will also see Cyrillic on churches, some signs and newspapers.

How do you say thank you in Montenegrin?

Hvala (HVAH-lah), or hvala puno for thank you very much. The reply is nema na čemu, you're welcome.

Is English widely spoken in Montenegro?

On the coast, in Kotor, Budva and Podgorica, yes, especially among younger people and anyone in tourism. In mountain villages a few words of Montenegrin are much more useful.

What is the emergency number in Montenegro?

112 for any emergency. The direct lines are 122 for police, 123 for fire and 124 for an ambulance.

Check how busy Montenegro hotels are for your dates on Trip.com.