Your task
Saturday, November 7 · Third floor
Your task
Saturday, 11 a.m. The elevator is broken again, so you carry your shopping up the stairs. On the third floor, the door of apartment 6 opens. It's Mrs. Ruža Nikolić, 74, and she has never met you. Your task: introduce yourself to Mrs. Ruža, explain who you are and why you're here, and swap phone numbers in case either of you needs something. In this conversation your name is Alex, you're from Canada, and your new number is 065 914 0638.
Before you knock
Look at the time, and think about who she is. Which greeting, and ti or Vi?
Get ready
Before you go up, two things: your details in Serbian, and a text message from Jelena.
Jelena texts you while you're at the shop. Read it first, then open the translation if you need it.
- Jelena:Ćao! Gospođa Ruža iz šestice te je videla na stepenicama.
- Jelena:Malo je sumnjičava prema novim ljudima, ali je stvarno dobra žena.
- Jelena:Javi mi kako je prošlo!
Ko je to?
Who's that?
Ja Vas ne poznajem.
I don't know you. (Vi)
Ovde sam od ponedeljka.
I've been here since Monday.
Za svaki slučaj.
Just in case.
Koji je Vaš broj?
What's your number? (Vi)
Lift opet ne radi!
The elevator is broken again!
The conversation
Knock, and talk to Mrs. Ruža. Choose what you say. You'll see right away how she takes it. If the conversation goes wrong, it isn't over: keep going. At the end you can try again with different choices.
- Gospođa RužaKo je to? Šta tražite ovde?
It's 11 a.m. Mrs. Ruža opens her door and looks at you. Greet her and say where you live.
How did it go?
If Mrs. Ruža invited you for coffee and pie, you got everything right that matters to her: Vi all the way, and you saved the conversation when she talked too fast. If she just said Prijatno, she's polite but not won over yet: look for a ti or a Ćao, or a moment when you said yes without understanding. If she closed the door on you, Jelena told you why. Try again: there's an invitation waiting. And check that she repeated your number right: nula šest pet. If she said nula šest devet, she wrote down the wrong number.
Two details from the conversation
One more text
On your way out, you see this notice on the front door. Read it first, then open the translation if you need it.
- Gospođa Ruža:Poštovani stanari,
- Gospođa Ruža:u ponedeljak, od 9 do 12 h, nema vode.
- Gospođa Ruža:Molimo vas, ne ostavljajte kese ispred vrata.
- Gospođa Ruža:Hvala! Ruža Nikolić, stan 6, kućni savet
Culture note
Culture note
In older Belgrade buildings, neighbors know each other, and older neighbors like Mrs. Ruža keep an eye on who comes and goes. Start with Dobar dan and Vi; if she wants ti, she'll tell you (Možemo na ti). An invitation for coffee is meant seriously: go, and bring something small, like cookies or flowers. And a fixed line (fiksni telefon) is still common in Serbia, especially with older people.
Your turn
A note on Mrs. Ruža's door
Mrs. Ruža isn't home. Write a short note in Serbian to leave on her door, using Vi: greet her, say your name, where you're from and where you live in the building (Živim u stanu sedam means I live in apartment 7), and leave your phone number in case she needs anything. Sign with Pozdrav and your name. Use your own name and details, or Alex's. At least 15 words. Your note goes to your instructor. Open the example only after you try.
Write it in your own words. Without an account, you can save your answer in this tab. Closing the tab deletes it.
Main writing task · at least 15 words. Submitting it is part of finishing this activity.
Example answer
Dobar dan, gospođo Ružo! Zovem se Alex. Ja sam iz Kanade i živim u stanu sedam. Radim od kuće. Ako Vam nešto treba, moj broj je 065 914 0638. Pozdrav, Alex
Compare the information and how it's phrased. Your answer doesn't need to use the same words.
Check yourself
Quiz
Check yourself
4 questions · pass mark 75%
- 1.
It's 11 a.m. You meet an older neighbor for the first time. What do you say?
- 2.
You ask an older neighbor: Kako se ti zoveš? She frowns: Polako. Mi se ne poznajemo. What does she want?
- 3.
Mrs. Ruža talks very fast. What do you say?
- 4.
Mrs. Ruža says: Dođite na kafu i pitu! You want to say yes, thank you.
Answer every question before you submit.
What you can do now
What you can do now
You met a neighbor and handled the whole conversation in Serbian: a polite greeting, Vi all the way, your name, where you're from and where you live, a rescue phrase when she talked too fast, and your phone numbers. That's Module 1. Next: More Practice, then the Module Test.
More practice
Extra practice. Nothing here goes to your instructor.
Ti or Vi
Match each ti question with its Vi version, the one for Mrs. Ruža.
Fix the note
Jelena's number
A new neighbor
A new neighbor meets Mrs. Ruža. Put the conversation in order.
Grab a card and drag it to the right spot.