People learn Serbian as a foreign language for various reasons, including family, work, or simply love for Serbia and Serbian culture. In this article, we will discuss those three reasons individually, explaining how each of them influences the learning process, as well as introducing you to our vision, approach, and lessons we offer. If you are ready to uncover what proper learning motivation does, dive right in!
1. Family
For many learners, Serbian is the language of their ancestors. By learning Serbian, they are strengthening their ties to their heritage. The most common factors include:
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- Children of Serbian immigrants – Second- or third-generation immigrants are brought up hearing the language but never learning it. Some, as they grow up, feel the need to properly and formally learn Serbian in order to communicate better with their relatives or reconnect with their roots.
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- In-laws and extended family – Another common reason for learning Serbian as a foreigner is to connect with the spouse’s relatives. Serbia is all about big family gatherings, and learning an expression or two can make you the life of the party!
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- Identity – It’s one thing to learn the language because you want to communicate with your Serbian family or in-laws, and it’s a completely other thing to learn it because you feel like you identify with it on a deeper level. The language makes you feel like you belong.
2. Work
With the rising number of expats in cities like Belgrade and Novi Sad, Serbia is becoming an attractive destination for businesses. It has a good location in Europe and a growing tech industry, followed by an affordable cost of living. Learning Serbian as a foreigner can work wonders when networking, having negotiations, and during productive interactions.
Some common work and development ventures foreigners learning Serbian are involved in include:
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- Expatriates and entrepreneurs – tech startups and international companies.
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- Diplomats and international organizations – embassies, NGOs, or international institutions.
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- Academic and research interests – scholars in fields like history, Balkan studies, linguistics, and anthropology.
3. Love for Serbia and Serbian Culture
Falling in love with Serbia and its culture is a piece of cake. To some, that is a good enough reason to start learning Serbian. Here are some of the most common things people adore:
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- Traveling around Serbia – Serbia is a country rich in nature and wildlife. It has beautiful forests, mountains, lakes and rivers. The views range from gorgeous to breathtaking! Many tourists and travelers are captivated by Serbian hospitality, landscapes, and energy. Learning Serbian as a foreigner gives a deeper insight into the culture.
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- Music, literature, and history – Serbian music (both folk and ex-yu rock) draws in fans from all around the world. Whether you listen to it because you truly enjoy it or because you are curious and want to expand your horizons, one thing is for certain: Serbian music is hard to ignore! Other important elements include literature and history, both rich and diverse.
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- Passion for Slavic languages – Serbian is a Slavic language, and as such a gateway to other Slavic languages. This makes it an exciting choice for those who love a good challenge.
Our Vision
Now that you know some of the top reasons people learn Serbian, we want to introduce you to our vision at AboutSerbian! We would love to tell you more about our approach to learning, as well as the content we offer in our classes.
Approach
At AboutSerbian we offer two different approaches to your Serbian language learning process. The methods we stand by are individual lessons and group lessons as the main ways of learning.
Individual Lessons
Our individual lessons are excellent for you if you:
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- Prefer one-on-one attention
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- Want lessons tailored specifically to your needs and learning speed
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- Have specific goals (traveling to Serbia, communicating with friends, family, or in-laws, etc.)
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- You need a schedule that works for your lifestyle
Group Lessons
When it comes to group lessons, you should opt for this because:
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- You love learning with others in smaller groups
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- Are leaning towards a more affordable option
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- Want to practice conversational skills
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- Thrive in social and interactive learning setting
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- You can dedicate to learning for a short period and have summers free of learning
Lesson Content
When it comes to the content we teach and offer in our lessons, it ranges from grammar to culture with a lot of visuals and extra materials! We are working on building and maintaining a comforting and peaceful atmosphere ideal for anyone who wants to learn the Serbian language and feel good doing it. Our philosophy is: Serbian Made Simple, Learning Made Enjoyable! – and we firmly stand by it!
So, What Are Your Next Steps?
By giving you more information as to why people embark on this Serbian language learning journey and breaking down our vision, approach, and lesson content, we wanted you to get a clearer picture of your motivations. What are your next steps going to be? We can help with that, too!
Contact us to book your first lesson today!
