odvajati

1. (+ acc., od + gen.) to separate; to set apart
   Uvek odvajam belance od žumanceta. — I always separate the egg white from the yolk.
   Kod kuće odvajamo plastiku od ostalog smeća. — At home we separate plastic from the rest of the rubbish.
2. (of money, time) to set aside; to put aside
   Svakog meseca odvajam novac za letovanje. — Every month I put money aside for the summer holiday.
   Država odvaja sve manje za kulturu. — The state is allocating less and less to culture.
3. (odvajati se od + gen.) to separate; to part; to come off
   Ne odvaja se od telefona ni za trenutak. — He doesn't part with his phone for a second.
   Tapeta se odvaja od zida zbog vlage. — The wallpaper is coming off the wall because of the damp.

Used with od + gen.: odvajati nešto od nečega; the perfective is "odvojiti".