ovdje tamo tu

Here and There

Level 1

Ovdje means here, tamo means there and tu means right here or right there by you: Ja sam ovdje, a ti si tamo.

How It Works

The three words work like a distance scale.

WordMeaningWhere
ovdjehereclose to me
tuthere, right hereclose to you or in view
tamoover therefar from us both

Tu is flexible. A shop worker can use Tu sam! (I am right here), and a friend can use Kafa je tu (the coffee is right there). For movement toward the speaker the careful word is ovamo, and tamo also works for movement away. In speech people often use dođi ovdje as well.

These words answer the question Gdje? (Where?). The next levels add words for where someone is going.

Examples (5)

  1. Ja sam ovdje, a ti si tamo.

    I am here, and you are there.

    Ovdje is close to me, and tamo is far.

  2. Kafa je tu, na stolu.

    The coffee is right there, on the table.

    Tu points to something within sight.

  3. Tamo je Stari most.

    The Old Bridge is over there.

    Tamo points to something far away.

  4. Tu sam!

    I am right here!

    Tu can mean right where you can find me.

  5. Ajla je ovdje u Sarajevu.

    Ajla is here in Sarajevo.

    Ovdje says she is where the speaker is.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ovdje tamo tuLevel 1Here and There

Words in This Pattern

ovdjetutamo