gospodin / gospođa

Mr and Mrs

Level 2

Gospodin and gospođa are polite titles used with a surname: gospodin Hodžić, gospođa Hodžić.

How It Works

The titles come before the surname and are written with a small letter inside a sentence.

Talking aboutCalling
mangospodin Hodžićgospodine Hodžiću
womangospođa Hodžićgospođo Hodžić

A man's surname in -ić takes the vocative ending -u when you call him. A woman's surname in -ić stays the same. The short forms g. and gđa appear in writing.

The word gospođica for a young unmarried woman now sounds old-fashioned to many people, so most speakers use gospođa. With people you know well, use the first name and ti. With a stranger, use the title and vi.

Examples (5)

  1. Dobar dan, gospodine Hodžiću.

    Good afternoon, Mr Hodžić.

    The man is called with gospodine and a vocative surname.

  2. Gospođa Hodžić radi u školi.

    Mrs Hodžić works at a school.

    Gospođa is used with the surname in the nominative.

  3. Izvolite, gospođo Delić.

    Here you are, Mrs Delić.

    Gospođo is the vocative for a woman.

  4. Gospodin Hodžić je naš komšija.

    Mr Hodžić is our neighbour.

    Gospodin goes before the surname.

  5. Poznajete li gospodina Begića?

    Do you know Mr Begić?

    After a verb the title takes the accusative: gospodina.

Common Mistakes

  • The title stays in the nominative when you call the person.

    Gospodin Hodžić, dobar dan!
    Gospodine Hodžiću, dobar dan!

    When you speak to someone, the vocative is the usual form.

How It Connects

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

gospodin / gospođaLevel 2Mr and Mrs

Learn This First

Titles are masculine and feminine nouns.

Words in This Pattern

gospodingospođavokativ