од ... до + Genitive

From One Point to Another

Level 2Sounds Like od ... do + genitiv

The correlative pair од … до means 'from … to / until …'. Both од and до strictly require the Genitive case. It describes spatial routes, time spans, numerical ranges, or idiomatic limits.

How It Works

The paired construction од … до functions as an essential boundary marker across all registers of Serbian.

1. Strict Case Government
Both prepositions independently govern the Genitive case:

2. Primary Domains

  • Space: Marks a trajectory along a path: Возом путујемо од Београда до Новог Сада. (We are travelling by train from Belgrade to Novi Sad.)
  • Time: Marks duration, business hours, and schedules: Радимо од девет до пет. (We work from nine to five.)
  • Quantities and Measures: Expresses numerical brackets and prices: од десет до двадесет минута (from ten to twenty minutes).
  • Abstract / Metaphorical: Denotes an entire range: од почетка до краја (from start to finish).

3. Crucial Contrast: до vs. у
A common learner error is using the Accusative case after до because of destination. Remember that до is exclusively a Genitive preposition. Furthermore, до signifies reaching the threshold or perimeter ('as far as the building/stop'), whereas у + акузатив indicates actually entering inside.

Examples (4)

  1. Возом се од Београда до Новог Сада путује око пола сата.

    It takes about half an hour by train from Belgrade to Novi Sad.

    Word by Word: By-train itself from Belgrade to Novi Sad travels about half hour.

    Both proper nouns decline in the Genitive: 'Београд' becomes 'Београда' and 'Нови Сад' becomes 'Новог Сада'.

  2. Наша канцеларија ради сваког дана од девет до седамнаест часова.

    Our office works every day from nine to seventeen hours (5 PM).

    Word by Word: Our office works every day from nine to seventeen hours.

    Cardinal numerals remain invariable, while the counted noun 'часова' appears in the Genitive plural.

  3. Остаћемо на мору од понедељка до петка.

    We will stay at the seaside from Monday to Friday.

    Word by Word: We-will-stay on sea from Monday to Friday.

    The masculine days of the week take the standard masculine Genitive singular ending '-а'.

  4. Пажљиво сам прочитао цео уговор од почетка до краја.

    I read the whole contract carefully from beginning to end.

    Word by Word: Carefully am I-read entire contract from beginning to end.

    An abstract, idiomatic continuum using Genitive singular forms 'почетка' and 'краја'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Accusative case after 'до' as if it were a motion preposition like 'у'.

    Ишао сам пешке од куће до посао.
    Ишао сам пешке од куће до посла.

    Unlike 'у' or 'на' which take Accusative for motion, 'до' exclusively governs the Genitive. The masculine noun 'посао' must become 'посла'.

  • Pairing 'од' with 'у' instead of 'до' when describing a continuous route.

    Путовао је од Београда у Ниш.
    Путовао је од Београда до Ниша.

    The correlative pair describing a path between two boundaries is 'од … до'. Use 'из … у' only if you are explicitly stressing leaving an interior enclosure and entering inside another (e.g. emigrating between countries).

  • Using 'од' instead of 'из' to state provenance or home country.

    Ја сам од Србије.
    Ја сам из Србије.

    'Од' marks an origin point on a track or distance away from a reference point. For origin or citizenship indicating what enclosed territory you come out of, use 'из + генитив'.

How It Connects

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од ... до + GenitiveLevel 2From One Point to Another

Learn This First

The pattern 'од ... до + генитив' marks starting and endpoints in time or space. To use it correctly, learners must be familiar with genitive singular endings and the general rule that prepositions like 'од' and 'до' require their noun complements to be in the genitive case.

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Words in This Pattern

оддо