Epistemic adverbs and hedging
In short
| Adverb | Meaning | Sureness |
|---|---|---|
| sigurno / svakako | surely / definitely | high |
| verovatno | probably | fairly high |
| izgleda da + clause | it seems that (my evidence) | medium-high |
| valjda | I suppose (confirm?) | leaning yes |
| možda | maybe | open |
| navodno | supposedly (someone else's claim) | not vouched |
valjda in a question = tag question ("…, did you?"). izgleda umorno = looks tired; izgleda da je umoran = it seems he is tired.
B2 · Lesson 41 · Izražavanje stepena sigurnosti: možda, navodno, valjda
The full explanation, from the lesson that teaches this rule
When you pass on news you are not sure about, two things matter to the listener: how sure you are, and where you got it. In lesson 21 you used mora da to say you were drawing a conclusion. Serbian also has a small set of adverbs that do this job in one word. They do not change anything else in the sentence: you simply add them, usually at the very beginning.
From certain to doubtful
| Word | How sure the speaker is | English |
|---|---|---|
| sigurno, svakako | very sure | surely, certainly, definitely |
| verovatno | fairly sure | probably |
| izgleda da | sure enough, because of something I can see or know | it seems that, it looks like |
| valjda | leaning towards yes, but hoping to be confirmed | I suppose, I guess, presumably |
| možda | no idea either way | maybe, perhaps |
| navodno | not my claim at all: I heard it | supposedly, allegedly, apparently |
Možda će direktor dati ostavku. says you simply don't know. Verovatno je samo glasina. says you would bet on it. Sigurno je čuo tu priču. says you are as good as certain. Notice that none of these words changes the verb: the tense and the word order are the ones you already know.
navodno: the source, not the certainty
Navodno is different from the others. It does not say how sure you are; it says the information is someone else's. Navodno se komšinica razvodi. means "people say the neighbour is getting divorced" and you are not vouching for it. It is the one-word version of kažu da… from reported speech, and it is perfect for rumours and news reports.
Don't use navodno when you yourself believe something on good evidence. For that, say izgleda da: Izgleda da firma ima problema s novcem. means you have seen signs of it yourself.
izgleda da: evidence you can point to
Izgleda da is followed by a full clause, exactly like mislim da. It is the word for a conclusion drawn from what you have seen or heard first-hand, and it is softer than mora da.
Keep izgleda da + clause apart from izgleda + a description: Izgleda umorno. is "He looks tired", about appearance. Izgleda da je umoran. is "It seems he is tired", a guess about a fact.
valjda: I think so, tell me I'm right
Valjda leans towards yes but invites the listener to confirm. Valjda nije istina. is "I suppose it isn't true" with a note of hope. In a question it works like an English tag question: Valjda nisi poverovao u to? = "You didn't believe that, did you?" On its own as a reply, Valjda. is "I guess so."
sigurno and svakako
Sigurno is the strongest guess: Sigurno je čuo tu priču. (He has surely heard that story.) Svakako is about intention or advice rather than a guess: Svakako ću ti javiti. (I'll definitely let you know.) As a one-word answer, Svakako! means "Of course!"
Beware English surely: in a question ("Surely you didn't believe it?") the Serbian is valjda, not sigurno.
Check what you read
3 of the 15 questions this lesson asks in the app. Type the form or pick the answer.
Which word says the information is someone else's claim, not yours?
___ se komšija seli u Nemačku, ali to sam čula od drugih, ne znam da li je istina.
What does *Navodno je dobio otkaz.* tell the listener?
Examples from the course
The marked word is where the rule applies. Press play to hear the sentence.
Valjda nije istina.
I suppose it isn't true.
Navodno se komšinica razvodi.
Supposedly the neighbour is getting divorced.
Verovatno je samo glasina.
It's probably just a rumour.
Svakako ću ti javiti.
I'll definitely let you know.
Sigurno postoji neko logično objašnjenje.
There is surely some logical explanation.
Možda će direktor dati ostavku.
Maybe the director will resign.
Sigurno je čuo tu priču.
He has surely heard that story.
Valjda nisi poverovao u tu glasinu?
You didn't believe that rumour, did you?
Valjda će uprava uskoro demantovati te tvrdnje.
I suppose the management will deny those claims soon.
Navodno je Marko dobio otkaz zbog kašnjenja.
Supposedly Marko got fired for being late.
Sentences in the course that use this rule: 26
Try it yourself
Translate a sentence that uses this rule. The check marks the word that went wrong and names the rule behind it, as in the app.
Sentences
Write it in Serbian
I suppose it isn't true.