зовем се

Saying Your Name

Level 1Sounds Like zvati se: zovem se

Say Зовем се [Name] to introduce yourself. It literally means "I call myself..." and is the most natural, everyday way to say "My name is..." in Serbian.

How It Works

Introducing yourself with зовем се is one of the very first communicative tools in Serbian.

1. Structure and Conjugation
The infinitive is звати се. In the present tense, the stem changes from зва- to зов-:

  • ја се зовем (usually just зовем се) — I am called / my name is
  • ти се зовеш (or зовеш се) — you are called
  • он/она се зове — he/she is called
  • ми се зовемо — we are called
  • ви се зовете — you (formal/plural) are called
  • они се зову — they are called

2. Word Order and the Particle "се"
The word се is an enclitic—a light, unstressed particle that requires a host word before it:

  • When omitting "I" (pro-drop), the verb comes first: Зовем се Никола.
  • If you state ја for contrast or emphasis, се must attach to the first word: Ја се зовем Никола. (Saying *Ја зовем се... is a common mistake).
  • In questions with question words: Како се зовеш? ("How are you called?").

3. Case of the Name
Because this pattern describes the subject, the name remains in the nominative case. Do not decline it into an object case: Зовем се Марија (not *Марију).

4. Cultural Usage
While an English calque like Моје име је... exists, it sounds rigid and foreign. Serbian speakers naturally use Зовем се... or simply Ја сам... across all social registers.

Examples (4)

  1. Зовем се Никола.

    My name is Nikola.

    Word by Word: I-call self Nikola.

    The standard neutral introduction. The subject pronoun 'ја' is dropped, and the name stays in the nominative case.

  2. Како се зовеш?

    What is your name? (informal)

    Word by Word: How self you-call?

    The standard informal question used with peers or children. The clitic 'се' comes right after 'како'.

  3. Ја се зовем Петар, а како се ви зовете?

    My name is Petar, and what is your name? (polite/formal)

    Word by Word: I self call Petar, and how self you call?

    Illustrates the contrastive pronoun 'ја' causing 'се' to move before the verb, as well as polite address with 'ви'.

  4. Она се зове Ана.

    Her name is Ana.

    Word by Word: She self calls Ana.

    Third-person singular form. Note that 'се' sits right after the overt subject pronoun 'она'.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 'се' after the verb when an overt pronoun is used (English SVO order).

    Ја зовем се Марко.
    Ја се зовем Марко.

    Enclitics like 'се' follow the first stressed element in the clause. If you include 'ја', 'се' must follow 'ја', not the verb.

  • Omitting the particle 'се' entirely.

    Зовем Ана.
    Зовем се Ана.

    Without 'се', the verb 'звати' means 'to summon' or 'to call on the phone'. 'Зовем Ану' would mean 'I am phoning Ana'.

  • Putting the name in the accusative case.

    Зовем се Милицу.
    Зовем се Милица.

    The name functions as a predicate identifying the subject, so it stays in the nominative case.

How It Connects

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зовем сеLevel 1Saying Your Name

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звати