Welcome back to Vukova crtanka! If you joined us for Part One, you have already met proverbs from A through to Dj - and I hope at least one or two of them have found a permanent home in your memory. Today we continue the journey from the letter E all the way to Z, and I will tell you honestly: some of my absolute favourites are in this second half of the alphabet.
Pour yourself a coffee, settle in, and let's see what Vuk's little booklet has left for us. As always, take your time with each saying - they are short, but they are not in a hurry.
The sayings (E to Z)
Below is a faithful selection from the second half of the booklet, each with an English gloss and a brief note. Some of these will feel immediately familiar; others will surprise you.
E
E, darovnome konju zubi se ne gledaju.
- Do not look a gift horse in the mouth.
(The classic! Note the emphatic "E" at the start - a conversational particle that signals something wise is coming. "Darovnom konju" = to a gifted/given horse; "zubi" = teeth)E, da sam juče umro ne bih to danas cuo.
- If I had died yesterday I would not hear this today.
(Said when you hear something shocking or outrageous - a very Serbian way of expressing disbelief, with a wry edge)E, dok jednom ne smrkne, drugom ne svane.
- While it grows dark for one, it grows bright for another.
("Smrknuti" = to grow dark/gloomy; "svanuti" = to dawn, to grow light - a profound observation about the balance of fortune)Z
Zivot je kratak, a umetnost duga.
- Life is short, but art is long.
(The Serbian version of the ancient "Ars longa, vita brevis" - it appears in various folk forms across Balkan cultures)Zlo ne cini, zla se ne boj.
- Do no evil, fear no evil.
(Clean imperative structure: "ne cini" = do not do; "ne boj se" = do not fear - a moral compass in six words)Z (Zivot and Žena)
Žena kucu ne gradi, ali je razgraduje.
- A woman does not build a house, but she can tear it down.
(A proverb that reflects an older world view - worth knowing as a cultural artifact, even if we read it critically today. "Razgraduje" = tears down, dismantles)Žena i mac - cuvaj ih od dece.
- A woman and a sword - keep them from children.
(Another older saying, included here because it appears in the booklet - fascinating as a window into historical attitudes)I
I vuk sit i ovce na broju.
- Both the wolf is full and the sheep are accounted for.
(Meaning: a solution that satisfies everyone - the Serbian equivalent of "have your cake and eat it too." Very commonly used)Istina je gorka, ali je lekovita.
- Truth is bitter, but it heals.
("Gorka" = bitter; "lekovita" = medicinal, healing - a beautifully balanced sentence)K
Ko drugome jamu kopa, sam u nju upada.
- He who digs a pit for another falls into it himself.
(One of the most universally known Serbian proverbs - you will hear this one often)Kakav otac, takav sin.
- Like father, like son.
(Simple, clean, and still completely in use - a good sentence to practise the "kakav...takav" structure)N
Navika je druga priroda.
- Habit is a second nature.
("Navika" = habit; "priroda" = nature - a comforting proverb for language learners, actually)Nije zlato sve sto sija.
- Not all that glitters is gold.
(The Serbian version - "sijati" = to shine/glitter - elegant and economical)P
Poklonu se u zube ne gleda.
- You do not look a gift horse in the mouth.
(The modern, streamlined version of the "E, darovnome konju..." saying from earlier - see the note below on how proverbs evolve)T
Tiha voda breg roni.
- Still waters run deep (literally: a quiet river erodes the bank).
("Tiha" = quiet/still; "breg" = bank, hill; "roniti" here in the sense of eroding - a wonderfully visual image)
A note on change
One of the most interesting things about comparing the old booklet form of a proverb with its modern equivalent is watching how the language breathes and shifts over time. "E, darovnome konju zubi se ne gledaju" - with its emphatic "E" particle, its archaic dative form "darovnom konju," and its more elaborate structure - gradually became the leaner, more direct "Poklonu se u zube ne gleda." The meaning is identical, but the modern version drops the horse metaphor entirely and condenses to a single noun ("poklon" = gift). Neither version is wrong - they are simply the same thought in different registers, different eras. Knowing both makes you a richer reader of Serbian.
This kind of drift happens in every living language, and Serbian is wonderfully alive. The proverbs in Vukova crtanka sit at the border between the archaic and the current, which is exactly what makes them so valuable for learners: you see the older forms that explain the modern ones.
Why they matter
Proverbs are the folk philosophy of a culture, and Serbian folk philosophy is remarkable for its directness, its dark humour, and its fundamental pragmatism. "Gladnog ne tesi, vec nahrani" from Part One and "Zlo ne cini, zla se ne boj" from today share the same quality: they cut straight to what matters, without sentimentality and without padding. Spending time with these sayings does not just teach you vocabulary - it gives you a sense of how Serbian speakers think, what they value, and how they handle the hard parts of life.
That cultural understanding is, in my view, the deepest form of language learning. Grammar and vocabulary open doors; proverbs show you what is inside the rooms.
Frequently asked questions
Why does so many proverbs start with the particle "E"?
In Serbian, "e" (and the longer "eh") is a discourse particle that signals a pause before wisdom, resignation, or emphasis. It is not directly translatable - the closest English equivalents might be "well," "ah," or "now" at the start of a sentence. In proverbs, it gives the saying a conversational, slightly weary quality, as if an elder is offering hard-won advice. You will hear it constantly in everyday Serbian speech too.
Is "tiha voda breg roni" the same as "still waters run deep"?
Almost, but with a subtly different image. The English version emphasises depth - what lies beneath a calm surface. The Serbian version emphasises power and gradual, quiet force - still water that slowly erodes a riverbank. Both warn against underestimating the quiet person, but the Serbian image is more dynamic and perhaps more ominous. It is a good example of how culturally parallel proverbs can carry slightly different emotional weights.
How should I respond if a Serbian person uses a proverb in conversation?
If you recognise it, the best response is a knowing nod or a quiet "tacno" (exactly) - native speakers use proverbs as shared reference points, not as displays of cleverness. If you know the proverb, responding with it shows cultural fluency rather than bookishness. If you do not recognise it, it is completely fine to say "lepa poslovica" (lovely proverb) and ask what it means - most people are delighted to explain.
Are the proverbs about women still used today?
They are known, but they are used with more awareness than they once were - often ironically, or as illustrations of how far thinking has shifted. Younger generations tend to cite them as historical artifacts or use them in joking contexts where the irony is clear. It is worth knowing them for cultural literacy, but worth also knowing that the worldview behind them is contested and evolving.
Where can I find the full text of Vukova crtanka?
The booklet is available through Serbian booksellers and cultural institutions. Because it is produced as an educational resource for children, it tends to show up at childrens' fairs, school book sales, and cultural events in Serbia. Some copies make their way into diaspora communities abroad through cultural associations. If you cannot find the physical booklet, the proverbs themselves are well documented in Serbian folklore collections - the Serbian proverbs category on this blog is a good starting point.
That brings us to the end of Vuk's alphabet - at least in this booklet. I hope you have found a few sayings that feel worth keeping. If one in particular struck you, write it in the comments - I would love to know which ones land hardest for learners coming to Serbian from the outside. Sometimes the ones that surprise me most are the ones that resonate most deeply with fresh eyes.
Do slijedeceg puta,
Marina Petrovic
The collection continues - explore the full archive at the More Serbian proverbs hub, where all the proverb posts live together in one place.