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7 Essential Croatian Vocabulary Topics For Beginners

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Sara

By Sara
Last updated August 16, 2024
Published on August 14, 2024

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Heading to Croatia? If you’re about to be strolling around Dubrovnik, Split, or Zagreb, learning some basic Croatian like zdravo (hello) or kako ste (how are you) will make your trip even more awesome!

So, in this blog post, I’ve gathered some key words and phrases of Croatian vocabulary. Read on so that you can get around more easily and connect with your new Croatian friends whenever you visit the Croatian speaking regions of the globe.

Croatian Vocabulary For Everyday Situations

Learning basic Croatian vocabulary is important because it gives you the building blocks you need to start speaking. When you know essential words, you can handle everyday situations, like ordering food or asking for directions. It’s like having a toolkit—you start with the basics and build up your skills from there. Plus, knowing these basics makes you feel more confident and helps you understand more complex stuff later on.

Basic Croatian Words And Phrases

Let’s start with the simple ones. Here are some basic Croatian phrases for you to learn.

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
HelloZdravo zdravo
How are you? (formal)Kako ste? kako ste?
How are you? (informal)Kako si? kako si?
I am fine, thank youDobro sam, hvala dobro sam, hvala
What’s your name? (formal)Kako se zovete? kako se zovete?
What’s your name? (informal)Kako se zoveš? kako se zoveš?
My name is…Zovem se… zovem se…
Nice to meet youDrago mi je drago mi je
PleaseMolim molim
Thank youHvala hvala
I don’t understandNe razumijem ne razumijem
Do you speak English?Govorite li engleski? govorite li engleski?

Basic Croatian Greetings

Knowing how to greet people in their native language can make a huge difference on your trip. Here are the most common Croatian greetings:

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
Good morningDobro jutro dobro jutro
Good afternoonDobar dan dobar dan
Good nightLaku noć laku noć
HelloAlo alo
HiBok bok
Hićao ćao
Good eveningDobra večer dobra večer
HeyEj ej
RegardsPozdrav pozdrav
HelloZdravo zdravo
GoodbyeAdijo adijo
GoodbyeDoviđenja doviđenja
ByeBok bok
Byećao ćao
See youVidimo se vidimo se

Basic Croatian Travel Phrases And Asking For Directions

As a tourist in Croatia, having a few key phrases at your fingertips will score you major points with the locals. Here’s a list of useful Croatian phrases for traveling to help you get where you need to go:

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
Where is…?Gdje je…? gdje je…?
How do I get to…?Kako doći do…? kako doći do…?
Bus stationAutobusna stanica autobusna stanica
How far is it?Koliko je udaljeno? koliko je udaljeno?
Where is the restroom?Gdje je WC? gdje je WC?
Can you help me?Možete li mi pomoći? možete li mi pomoći?
RightDesno desno
LeftLijevo lijevo
Where can I find a taxi?Gdje mogu naći taksi? gdje mogu naći taksi?
How much does it cost?Koliko košta? koliko košta?
I’m lostIzgubljen sam (males) / Izgubljena sam (females) izgubljen sam / izgubljena sam
Is it near?Je li blizu? je li blizu?
I need a mapTrebam kartu trebam kartu
What time does it start?U koliko sati počinje? u koliko sati počinje?

Common Croatian Expressions For Dining Out

When you’re out and about in Croatia, trying local food can be a lot of fun. In this part, we’ll go over some useful Croatian expressions to help you read menus, order food in Croatian, and chat with servers like a local.

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
MenuJelovnik jelovnik
Table for twoStol za dvoje stol za dvoje
Can I see the menu?Mogu li vidjeti jelovnik? mogu li vidjeti jelovnik?
I’d like to orderželio/željela bih naručiti želio bih naručiti/ željela bih naručiti
WaterVoda voda
WineVino vino
BeerPivo pivo
AppetizerPredjelo predjelo
Main courseGlavno jelo glavno jelo
DessertDesert desert
Check/ BillRačun račun
How much does it cost?Koliko košta? koliko košta?
DeliciousUkusno ukusno
I’m a vegetarianVegetarijanac sam vegetarijanac sam
I’m allergic to…Imam alergiju na… imam alergiju na…
Could you recommend something?Možete li preporučiti nešto? možete li preporučiti nešto?
Could we have the bill, please?Možemo li dobiti račun, molim vas? možemo li dobiti račun, molim vas?
A Girl Holding The Croatian Flag

Everyday Croatian Phrases For Shopping

Heading out to shop in Croatia can be a great experience, especially if you’re equipped with a few useful phrases. Knowing how to ask about prices, sizes, and payment options can make a big difference. With these essential Croatian expressions, you’ll navigate stores with ease and confidence.

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
PriceCijena cijena
How much is this?Koliko ovo košta? koliko ovo košta?
I’d like to buyželio/željela bih kupiti želio bih kupiti/ željela bih kupiti
Do you have this in a different size?Imate li ovo u drugačijoj veličini? imate li ovo u drugačijoj veličini?
Where is the fitting room?Gdje je kabina za isprobavanje? gdje je kabina za isprobavanje?
I’m just lookingSamo gledam samo gledam
Can I pay by card?Mogu li platiti karticom? mogu li platiti karticom?
CashGotovina gotovina
ReceiptRačun račun
I’d like to return thisželio/željela bih vratiti ovo želio bih vratiti ovo/ željela bih vratiti ovo
Is this on sale?Je li ovo na sniženju? je li ovo na sniženju?
Can you help me?Možete li mi pomoći? možete li mi pomoći?
I’m looking for…Tražim… tražim…
Where can I find…?Gdje mogu naći…? gdje mogu naći…?

Basic Croatian Numbers

Learning numbers early on in a new language can be helpful because you’ll use them all the time. Maybe when chatting about age or time, numbers come up in conversations more than you might think.

Plus, getting a handle on them early boosts your confidence and makes learning the rest of the language a lot easier. It’s like setting a solid foundation for everything else you’ll learn!

So, since we’re learning basics today, here’s a list of Croatian numbers up to 10.

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
OneJedan jedan
TwoDva dva
ThreeTri tri
Fourčetiri četiri
FivePet pet
Sixšest šest
SevenSedam sedam
EightOsam osam
NineDevet devet
TenDeset deset

Basic Croatian Colors

Knowing colors in a new language is pretty handy, too! It helps you describe things, like when you’re talking about what you’re wearing, choosing a product, or discussing art and nature. Plus, learning colors is a fun way to expand your vocabulary and make your conversations more vivid and engaging.

Here’s a list of the basic names for colors in Croatian:

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
RedCrvena crvena
BluePlava plava
GreenZelena zelena
Yellowžuta žuta
BlackCrna crna
WhiteBijela bijela
GraySiva siva
BrownSmeđa smeđa
OrangeNarančasta narančasta
PurpleLjubičasta ljubičasta
A Woman Traveling In Croatia

How Do You Say ‘Vocabulary’ In Croatian?

In Croatian, vocabulary is vokabular. vokabular

Another common word for vocabulary in Croatian is riječnik. While riječnik generally means dictionary, it can also refer to the vocabulary of a language.

riječnik

Practice Everyday Phrases In Croatian

Want to start having casual conversations right away? Why not try to memorize these sentences that can be used in everyday conversations in Croatian.

EnglishCroatianPronunciation
How was your day?Kako je prošao tvoj dan? kako je prošao tvoj dan?
What are your hobbies?Koji su tvoji hobiji? koji su tvoji hobiji?
I like it hereSviđa mi se ovdje sviđa mi se ovdje
It’s nice weather todayDanas je lijepo vrijeme danas je lijepo vrijeme
Do you have any plans for the weekend?Imaš li kakve planove za vikend? imaš li kakve planove za vikend?
I’m having a great timeOdlično se zabavljam odlično se zabavljam
Can I join you?Mogu li se pridružiti? mogu li se pridružiti?
That sounds interestingZvuči zanimljivo zvuči zanimljivo
I agreeSlažem se slažem se
What do you recommend?što preporučuješ? što preporučuješ?
How’s it going?Kako ide? kako ide?
What’s up?što ima? što ima?
Long time no see!Dugo se nismo vidjeli! dugo se nismo vidjeli!
Have you been here before?Jesi li ovdje bio/la prije? jesi li ovdje bio/la prije?
What’s new?što ima novoga? što ima novoga?
Let’s hang out sometime!Idemo se negdje vidjeti! idemo se negdje vidjeti!
Do you want to grab a coffee?želiš li na kavu? želiš li na kavu?
That’s awesome!To je sjajno! to je sjajno!
I’m glad to hear thatDrago mi je to čuti drago mi je to čuti

Got a little time before your trip? Try the Ling app for a quick language boost. Plus, check out our other blogs written for Croatian learners for extra practice!

Frequently Asked Questions About The Croatian Language

How Do You Say Cheers In Croatia?

To say cheers in Croatian, you’d say živjeli.

živjeli

Do Croatians Say “Ciao”?

Yes. The word ciao, or ćao, can be used both to say hello in Croatian, and to say goodbye as well! Same goes for the word bok.

How Do You Learn The Croatian Language Fast?

To speed up your process when learning Croatian, try sticking only to that language, starting with basic vocabulary, and focusing on pronunciation from the beginning. Here are more details:

  • Just stick to Croatian for now. Juggling multiple languages can slow you down. Get comfy with Croatian first before picking up another language.
  • Start off with basic words and phrases. These easy sentences will help you pick up common words and build your confidence.
  • Focus on getting the pronunciation right from the start. Listen to native speakers and try to imitate their sounds. It’ll help you avoid bad habits and make speaking easier.

Other than that, I believe that consistency is key! Practice every single day. It doesn’t have to be more than a few minutes, as even that can be a big achievement and help you grow over time. Keep at it and soon you’ll speak Croatian very well!

Starting Strong With Croatian Vocabulary

And there you have it—your essential Croatian vocabulary to kick off your adventures. With these basics, you’ll be ready to jump into conversations, navigate your way around, and truly enjoy your time in the beautiful country of Croatia. Keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to use these phrases whenever you can. The more you use them, the more confident you’ll become. Have fun learning, and safe travels!