Language/Bosnian/Grammar/Bosnian-Alphabet-and-Pronunciation

Bosnian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Introduction to Bosnian Alphabet → Bosnian Alphabet and Pronunciation

Introduction

Welcome to the "Complete 0 to A1 Bosnian Course". In this lesson, we will introduce you to the Bosnian alphabet and pronunciation. Familiarizing yourself with the Bosnian alphabet is an important first step in learning the language, as it will allow you to recognize and pronounce new words correctly. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read and pronounce all the letters of the Bosnian alphabet.

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: 0 to A1 Course & Adjectives.

Bosnian Alphabet

The Bosnian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet with a few additional letters that are not used in English. It consists of 30 letters:

Letter	Pronunciation	English
A, a	/a/	A-like in "father"
B, b	/be/	B-like in "bat"
C, c	/t͡se/	TS-like in "cats"
Č, č	/t͡ʃ/	CH-like in "chat"
Ć, ć	/t͡ɕ/	CH in "cheese"
D, d	/de/	D-like in "dog"
Dž, dž	/d͡ʒ/	J in "job"
Đ, đ	/d͡ʑ/	DJ in "djam"
E, e	/e̞/	E-like in "pet"
F, f	/ɛf/	F-like in "fun"
G, g	/ge/	G-like in "get"
H, h	/ha/	H-like in "happy"
I, i	/i/	EE-like in "feet"
J, j	/jot/	Y-like in "yarn"
K, k	/ka/	K-like in "kite"
L, l	/ɛl/	L-like in "love"
Lj, lj	/ʎ/	LJ in "million"
M, m	/ɛm/	M-like in "man"
N, n	/ɛn/	N-like in "no"
Nj, nj	/ɲ/	NY in "canyon"
O, o	/o/	O-like in "note"
P, p	/pe/	P-like in "pen"
R, r	/ɛr/	Rolled R in "car"
S, s	/ɛs/	S-like in "so"
Š, š	/ʃ/	SH-like in "shy"
T, t	/te/	T-like in "top"
U, u	/u/	OO-like in "food"
V, v	/ve/	V-like in "van"
Z, z	/d͡ze/	Z-like in "zoo"
Ž, ž	/ʒ/	ZH in "treasure"

Pronunciation can be challenging in some cases, especially for sounds and letters that do not exist in English. However, with practice, you will become more comfortable and proficient in pronouncing Bosnian.

Special Characters and Sounds

The Bosnian alphabet includes special characters and sounds that are unique to the language. These include:

- Č (č): This is pronounced like "ch" in "chat." This letter is used in words such as "čovjek" (man), "čitanje" (reading) and "čaj" (tea). - Ć (ć): This is pronounced like "ch" in "cheese." This letter is used in words such as "ćup" (cup), "ćirilica" (Cyrillic) and "ćao" (bye). - Dž (dž): This is pronounced like "j" in "job." This letter is used in words such as "džemper" (sweater), "džep" (pocket) and "džamija" (mosque). - Đ (đ): This letter is a combination of "d" and "j" sounds. It is pronounced like "dj" in "djam." This letter is used in words such as "đak" (student), "đavo" (devil) and "đakuzi" (jacuzzi). - Lj (lj): This is pronounced like "ll" in "million." This letter is used in words such as "ljubav" (love), "ljeto" (summer) and "ljepota" (beauty). - Nj (nj): This is pronounced like "ny" in "canyon." This letter is used in words such as "njiva" (field), "njegovati" (to take care of) and "manjina" (minority). - Š (š): This is pronounced like "sh" in "shy." This letter is used in words such as "šuma" (forest), "škola" (school) and "šminka" (makeup). - Ž (ž): This is pronounced like "zh" in "treasure." This letter is used in words such as "žena" (woman), "život" (life) and "maženje" (hugging).

It is important to practice pronouncing these special characters and sounds in order to improve your speaking skills.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have learned the Bosnian alphabet and pronunciation, a vital first step in your Bosnian language journey. Continue to practice and study the alphabet and special characters, and soon you will be able to read and pronounce words with ease.

With this lesson finished, you may want to explore these additional pages: Past Tense & Adjectives and Adverbs.

Table of Contents - Bosnian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Bosnian Alphabet

• Bosnian Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Special Characters and Sounds

  ---

Basic Bosnian Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Questions and Negations

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Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Gender and Plurals
• Personal Pronouns

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Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

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Food and Drink

• Common Foods
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

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Bosnian Customs and Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Agreement
• Comparatives and Superlatives

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

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Hobbies and Leisure Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Sports and Fitness

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Bosnian Literature and Cinema

• Famous Writers and Works
• Bosnian Cinema

Other Lessons

• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Give your Opinion
• Articles and Nouns
• Present Tense
• Negation
• Past Tense
• Subject Verb Object
• Nouns
• How to Use Be

Sources

• Bosnian language - Wikipedia
• Bosnian Alphabet and Pronunciation