About the language in Montenegro: history, popular phrases and words

In the entire history of Montenegro, it has never used the original language. Therefore, it is now a mixture of Serbian and other dialects of the Balkan Peninsula. Many words are understandable to a Russian person, but may have a completely different meaning. Therefore, tourists and independent travelers need to know what language in Montenegro, which means common phrases and words.

History of the formation of the Montenegrin language

For most of its history, the country has been under the protectorate of other states. The exception is the reign of Nicholas in the 19th century. Then the foundation of independence and the definition of the people as independent was laid. Although the country still has supporters of joining Serbia, which indicates the kinship and historical ties between the two countries.

Interesting facts about the Montenegrin language:

• It has two alphabets – Latin and Cyrillic. But the first is more popular.
• Many words are borrowed from Old Slavonic, but their meaning has changed.
• The dialect was influenced by the Turkish conquest, the proximity of Greece, Italy and Albania.
• Up to 200 g, the language of Montenegro was not enshrined in the constitution. These norms appeared 10 years ago.

Linguistic norms and rules have changed in different historical epochs. During the period of good relations with Russia, the Cyrillic alphabet was chosen as the alphabet. The desire to become a member of the European Union has changed priorities, now a greater bias towards Latin.

Features

The advantage of the state Montenegrin language is the status of the speaker. There is a small set of rules that are needed to form the basis. There are many borrowed words in the dictionary of Montenegro. The sound form uje is traditionally used . It is an analogue of the Russian “yat”. Therefore, the language in Montenegro belongs to the Yekavian dialect. Speaker status allows wedding writers and other creative people to use this feature to better reveal the work. The Jekavian dialect is a feature of the country.

Features:

• Montenegrin is understood by Serbs, Bosnians and Croats;
• proper names are written and sound phonetically;
• many borrowings from the Italian language;
• morphology is partly archaic, often used in literary works.

There are disputes about the removal of the Cyrillic alphabet from use. This is due to the official direction of the country’s development to the European Union. But some of the signs are still preserved, although all official documentation is kept according to the new rules.

Montenegrin and Russian language

Knowing which language in Montenegro, we can conclude that it belongs to the Slavic group. There are a number of words and whole phrases that are understandable to a Russian-speaking person. It is enough to live 2-3 months in the country to understand the speech of the locals. Pronunciation skills are also quickly developed, and the rules for constructing sentences are learned. Therefore, Montenegro is a convenient country for recreation and independent travel.

Here are some examples of words that will come in handy during the holidays:

• Good morning. You could say good morning .
• Good afternoon. It does not differ much from Russian – it is good .
• Good evening. Close in sound – good evening .
• Good bye. Very similar to the Polish version – goodbye .
• Hello / So far. Borrowed from Italian – bye / hello.
• Thank you. It looks like Old Slavonic – praise.
• Thank you very much. A little added – praise liepo .

However, tourists visiting Montenegro for the first time may not worry about not knowing the local language. Most of the staff know English and a little Russian. There are no language problems. However, it is necessary to study words that are in use in Russian, but have a completely different meaning in Montenegrin. These include “chicken” and “match” (these words are not pronounced in normal communication).

Tips for tourists

Before starting a trip to Montenegro, it is recommended to learn a few popular phrases. They will come in handy when talking to waiters, salespeople and other staff. This will help avoid language problems by knowing which language is in Montenegro. It is easy to get used to the local dialect, but it differs from the region. On the coast there are many words taken from the Italian language. On the plain part – from Serbian. Mountain villages use their own dialect.

Tips:

• It is not customary to bargain in the market. By doing so, you are showing disrespect to the seller.
• You can buy a travel phrasebook. It is suitable if you need to learn Croatian.
• The waiters understand Russian and are lenient with attempts to speak Montenegrin. This is not recommended in remote areas.
• Order only a licensed taxi.

Holidays in Montenegro will be easy and pleasant if you do the preparatory work. Learn more about the country, its language and traditions.