Serbians are a people with a long history full of events. Their mentality has been formed by these events and it differs from the mentality of other European nations in certain respects. Below we briefly discuss the main traits of the national Serbian character. Our goal is to help you, dear readers, understand Serbians better.
Serbian hospitality
Hospitality is one of the defining characteristics of the national character of Serbians. Serbs are well known for their friendliness and openness especially to those who visit their houses as guests. Guests are greeted wholeheartedly in Serbia and taken good care of.
Guests are honored not only in the house but also at social events such as weddings, celebrations, religious holidays, etc. Guests are seated at the best places, they are the first to be served, and the hosts try to do everything they can to make their guests feel at home.
If you visit a family home in Serbia as a guest, you will find a large number of various dishes on the table including desserts and different drinks. Please don’t miss an opportunity to try some national Serbian dishes: some of them taste very good!
However, Serbian hospitality is not only about feeding the guests. Friendly talks also play an important role. Serbians are prepared to discuss any topics and they spend a lot of time chatting with their family members and their friends. They love good company!
Some visitors from Western Europe note that Serbians can be too friendly and too hospitable sometimes. They get a feeling that Serbians impose their friendliness and hospitality on them. Well, it is a trait of the national character and this is something you should be prepared for when visiting Serbia.
Serbian collectivism
Collectivism is another important trait of the national character in Serbia. Family, community, friends, and colleagues play an important role in the life of any Serbian. They do things together and they care for the interests of other people. This shows not only in everyday life but in work environments too.
The latter fact is of especial importance to those who plan to start a company or find a job in Serbia (you can find information about these opportunities on our website). When adjusting to a new work environment you have to bear Serbian collectivism in mind.
Serbians often make practical decisions based on the interests of the group that they belong to rather than on their personal interests. For example, a Serb can decline a well-paid job if he or she would have to sacrifice his/ her family interest by accepting the offer.
It is also important for Serbians to realize that they are members of a community that speaks a common language. The Serbian language is an important element of the overall national identity in Serbia. It’s a symbol of unity and common culture.
The tradition of communal land use is not legacy of Yugoslavia’s socialist past: it goes back centuries in Serbia. The land was owned and worked by communes in the country rather than private individuals. In some regions of Serbia, the tradition is still preserved.
Collectivism shows in Serbian entertainments as well. National dances, for example, are performed by large groups of dancers holding each other by the hand and forming various figures.
Serbian religiosity
Serbians believe in God and go to church. Most of them identify themselves as orthodox Christians. Orthodoxy was adopted in the 9th century in Serbia and it has become an inalienable part of the national culture.
Serbians celebrate religious holidays and they pay respect to religious symbols and traditions. They wear crucifixes and have icons in their houses.
In addition to orthodoxy, Serbians practice other religions too such as Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Pluralism is a natural phenomenon in Serbia and each confession respects the rules and practices of other confessions.
We have to note, however, that some young people in Serbia identify themselves as atheists. Even though some of them practice skepticism as a ‘religion’, traditional religions still play an important role in the lives of Serbians. They are at the basis of the system of moral values and worldviews for Serbian people.
Serbian skepticism
Many Serbians are highly skeptical even if they believe in god. They often have a critical attitude to new ideas, new technologies, and new political leaders. They are not inclined to take statements at face value and they always look for facts that can confirm the truthfulness of a certain statement.
Skepticism may be partially rooted in the history of Serbians. They had to go through some hard times in the past. The country was occupied, divided, and exploited by foreign rulers.
This trait of national character can have serious implications for a foreigner who wants to interact with Serbians. If you are such a person, you have to realize that it’s going to take you more time and effort to persuade a Serb to do something. You will have to supply conclusive evidence to convince him or her that the proposed action will be beneficial for him/ her and the community – remember about Serbian collectivism.
Serbian skepticism and the habit to doubt everything that they hear helps Serbs avoid jumping to conclusions and making the wrong practical decisions. This is a self-protection instrument for them.
Serbian perseverance
Serbians have strong characters and they are prepared to fight to achieve their goals. Perseverance is a positive trait of character in Serbian culture. It helps overcome obstacles in different spheres of life and achieve success.
On the other hand, foreign nationals sometimes find Serbs quite stubborn. Admittedly, they can be too perseverant at times.
Serbian sense of humor
Serbians have a good sense of humor and they exchange jokes in a habitual manner. All Serbians love a good laugh.
They often rely on irony and sarcasm in their jokes so jokes in Serbia are not always kind and friendly. However, humor helps Serbians see a silver lining in any cloud, feel more relaxed, and overcome stress. They are not too shy to make jokes about their political leaders and celebrities. They often talk about certain social issues in a humorous tone too.
Please note, however, that jokes are tabooed in certain spheres of life in Serbia. In particular, you should not joke about issues related to faith and national identity when talking with Serbians.
Generally speaking, Serbians are pretty nice people and they are friendly to all foreigners no matter what country they come from. At the same time, you have to take some traits of their national character into account if you want your life in Serbia to run smoothly and you want your communication in the country to be fruitful.
