What do you do in your free time? - Sport phrases in Serbian
Sport and free time are some of the friendliest conversation territory in Serbian. The moment you ask someone what they do when they are not working, faces light up - you are inviting them to talk about something they love. Mastering just a handful of phrases around free time and sport will open warm, natural conversations from day one.
Whether you kick a football, swim laps, or simply enjoy a walk in the park, this post gives you the Serbian words to describe it - and to ask your new Serbian friends about theirs.
Note: A short screen-recording that originally accompanied this lesson is no longer available, but everything you need is right here in the text and tables below. Practise reading the phrases aloud as you go - that is the next best thing.
Asking about free time and sport
These three questions are your Swiss Army knife for friendly small talk. Memorise them and you will never be at a loss for how to start a conversation.
| Serbian | English |
|---|---|
| Šta radiš u slobodno vreme? | What do you do in your free time? |
| Kojim se sportom baviš u slobodno vreme? | What sport do you play in your free time? |
| Šta voliš da radiš u slobodno vreme? | What do you like doing in your free time? |
| Da li se baviš nekim sportom? | Do you play any sport? |
| Koliko često treniras? | How often do you train / practise? |
A quick note on word order: Serbian is flexible. "Šta radiš u slobodno vreme?" and "U slobodno vreme, šta radiš?" are both perfectly natural - the emphasis shifts slightly, but both are correct.
Answering about sport
Now for the answers. Notice the two main verb patterns: igrati (to play - used for ball games) and baviti se (to practise / do - used for sports and activities in general). Both appear constantly, so it is worth getting comfortable with both.
- Igram fudbal. - I play football.
- Ne igram golf vec košarku. - I don't play golf but I play basketball.
- Idem na plivanje. - I go swimming.
- Bavim se tenisom. - I do / play tennis.
- Bavim se dzudom. - I do judo.
- Volim da trcim. - I like running.
- Idem na planinarenje vikendom. - I go hiking at weekends.
- Ne bavim se nikakvim sportom. - I don't do any sport.
Notice that baviti se takes the instrumental case - that is why "tenis" becomes "tenisom" and "dzudo" becomes "dzudom". This is one of Serbian's most elegant patterns and it appears everywhere in sport vocabulary.
A tiny practice - two questions, two answers
Here is a simple self-practice exercise. Say each question aloud, then give your own honest answer in Serbian. Do not worry about perfect grammar - getting the words out is the goal.
- Ask yourself: "Šta radiš u slobodno vreme?" - then answer with a real activity from your life. For example: "Volim da čitam i idem na plivanje."
- Ask yourself: "Kojim se sportom baviš?" - then answer. Even "Ne bavim se nikakvim sportom, ali volim da sedam!" is a perfectly valid Serbian sentence and a conversation-starter.
Saying it aloud, even alone, builds the neural pathways that help you retrieve the phrase under the mild pressure of a real conversation. Two minutes of speaking practice beats ten minutes of silent reading every time.
Video note
The original version of this lesson included a short screen-recording with audio that walked through the pronunciation of these phrases step by step. That recording is no longer accessible. As a substitute, focus on the following pronunciation pointers when reading the phrases above:
- Šta - the "S" is a plain English "sh" sound; think "shta".
- slobodno - stress on the first syllable: SLO-bod-no.
- baviš se - "ba-VISH se" - the "v" softens before the reflexive particle.
- Idem na plivanje - "EE-dem na plee-VA-nye" - the "lj" in "plivanje" is a soft, palatal "l".
Frequently asked questions
Do I say "baviš se" or "igram" for sport?
Both are correct but they work differently. Use igram (from igrati) specifically for ball games - football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, chess. Use bavim se (from baviti se) for sports and activities in general - swimming, judo, running, cycling. When in doubt, bavim se almost always works and sounds natural.
Is the word "sport" masculine in Serbian?
Yes. Sport is masculine: "ovaj sport" (this sport), "jedan sport" (one sport). The plural is sportovi. So you might say: "Kojim sportovima se baviš?" (What sports do you play?) when asking about more than one.
How do I say "I used to play" in Serbian?
You use the imperfect-style past: "Igrao sam fudbal" (I played / used to play football - masculine speaker) or "Igrala sam fudbal" (feminine speaker). Adding "ranije" (before / in the past) makes it even clearer: "Ranije sam igrao fudbal."
What is "slobodno vreme" literally?
"Slobodan" means free (in the sense of unoccupied, at liberty) and "vreme" means time (and also weather - context tells you which). So "slobodno vreme" is literally "free time" - a transparent and easy phrase to remember.
Can I use these phrases with strangers?
Absolutely. Asking about free time is considered friendly and warm in Serbian culture, not intrusive. It is a natural step after the initial greetings and a great bridge into a longer conversation.
I hope this lesson makes your next Serbian conversation a little easier and a lot more fun. Sport vocabulary is wonderfully international - so many words are borrowed straight from English - which means you already know more than you think. The tricky but satisfying part is bending those words into Serbian grammar, and that comes with practice.
Want to keep building your conversational toolkit? Head over to the Serbian phrases hub where you will find dozens of topics covered in the same friendly style. See you there!
- Marina Petrovic