07 December 2018 - The Montenegrin language is the official language in Montenegro since 2007. The Montenegrin language is an integral part of the Štokavian language system. Except in the country, the language is also used by Montenegrins who live abroad, especially in Peroj (Croatia), in Shkodra and Vraka (Albania), and Lovćenac and Feketić (Serbia).
Montenegrin is a Slavic language that belongs to the Indo-European family and can be written in either Latin or Cyrillic alphabets (the Latin alphabet is used more often. There are 32 letters (graphemes), including five vowels. Each letter has only one sound, and every letter is pronounced. It is also important to highlight that special diacritical marks exist, which an individual needs to know to understand pronunciation. In the absence of such marks, one must already be aware of how to pronounce a word correctly—something that, for foreigners at least, only comes with time and experience.
Language learning is a very subjective process and mostly depends on the talent or will of the beginner. When compared to languages of the world, Montenegrin can be categorised as a language which takes more time and effort to learn. Still, if you want to learn Montenegrin, do not get discouraged by the expert opinions on language learning. Getting acquainted with locals and their culture in their native language certainly has charms that you do not want to miss. Here are some tips if you're going to master the Montenegrin language!
- Start with learning basic phrases
As with any language learning process, start with what you really need right now. Are you planning to live in Montenegro? Take notes on conversation starters to use in everyday life. Going to study in Montenegro? Then, focus on expressions related to your field of study. Start slowly and but keep a fundamental goal in mind, that way you won’t get confused and overwhelmed with too much information. Make sure to remain focused on your primary motivation, since it will help get you through the times when learning seems hard.
- Focus on listening and reading for the majority of the learning process
If you make an effort to listen to Montenegrin music, watch films, plays, videos, practice vocabulary, take comprehension quizzes or read the newspapers, it will help you to improve your vocabulary quickly. You can always adjust different recordings to play at a very slow speed to start distinguishing different sounds of Montenegrin phrases.
- Talk with natives
To learn a new language, communication is the key! Talks with native speakers with an informal language exchange can go a long way for your vocabulary. Also, you can always enroll in a course or take classes online.
- Ask away
Each language learning process comes with a lot of questions that need to be answered to make progress. If you haven’t enrolled in a course and don’t have a teacher to answer your questions, you can always find the answers in forums or ask other learners.
- Hard work pays off
Obviously, there is no magic way to learn the Montenegrin language instantly. You’ll have to work at it a lot. If you have signed up for classes, do not skip lessons. Do your homework and practice as much as you can. Fortunately, if you want to study by yourself, given the possibilities of the Internet, you still have many different options.
- Take notes along the way
By taking notes during the learning process, you can practice your vocabulary and write in the Montenegrin language. Add new expressions and words to your notebook, so you can memorize it and use it in the future.
- Be realistic
Every learning process takes time, so don’t get discouraged. Take notes of your progress, and remind yourself of the main reason you started learning Montenegrin in the first place.
You can find a lot of free options for learning Montenegrin language. Our recommendation is the official dictionary in Montenegrin. Even though the newest changes have not been updated on their website, My Languages can help you in the learning process as well.
