Planning for a quick vacay in Croatia? Before you pack and set your itineraries, one of the things you need to be aware of is the Croatian calendar.
Unlike the standard Gregorian calendars we use in the US, Croatia’s calendar system has centuries of history behind it, influenced by Catholicism and Mediterranean culture. That means it’s filled with quirky vocabulary terms and colorful celebrations you won’t find anywhere else!
As a tourist, getting familiar with the unique calendar words in the Croatian language is a must if you want to fully experience the festivals, saints days, and harvest parties that dot the year. So, in this post, I’ll fill you in on all the can’t-miss parties and community harvest merriments that let you dive headfirst into that famous Mediterranean country. Let’s begin!
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Croatian Calendar Vocabulary
Alright, time for a crash course in some key Croatian calendar terms you should add to your vocabulary! I promise memorizing a few month names and days of the week is waaaay easier than trying to pronounce that insanely long prijestolonasljednikovičičinima!
Months In The Croatian Calendar
I don’t know about you, but January and February just sound boring to me. The Croatian calendar months, though? Now those have some serious pizazz! Their months trace back to old Slavic words that paint a picture of what’s happening during each season.
Siječanj (January) – Timber Time
Break out the axes cause January is the prime tree-chopping season! Siječanj comes from sijeci, meaning “to cut wood.” So, while we’re shoveling snow, Croatians are gearing up for a month of lumberjacking.
Veljača (February) – Mystical Month
February’s a little mysterious in Croatia. Veljača likely comes from an old pagan festival called “Velja noć,” full of fortune-telling and rituals to predict the new year’s harvest. Spooky! But a nice break from cutting trees, I suppose.
Ožujak (March) – The Lying Month
With crazy, unpredictable March weather, I can see why Ožujak means “lying month”! Expect surprise snowstorms one day and sunny beaches the next here. Keep that swimsuit and parka handy!
Travanj (April) – Grass Growing Season
By April, temperatures rise, and Croatia’s calendar shifts to Travanj or “growing grass” as fields turn green. Perfect timing for Easter eggs and springtime frolics!
Svibanj (May) – Budding Plants & Trees
Blossoms explode in May, aka Svibanj, fitting its name meaning “the time of budding trees and plants”. Grab an al fresco table at a cafe and watch Zagreb bloom before your eyes!
Lipanj (June) – Linden Flower Season
June brings a bounty of aromatic yellow linden flowers, known in Croatia as lipa. The sweet scent infuses Zagreb during Lipanj as locals harvest linden to drink their traditional calming herbal tea.
Srpanj (July) – Prime Harvest Time
Croatians hustle hard during Srpanj, which aptly means “harvest time”. Vineyards and farms overflow with fruits and veggies ripe for picking and celebration under the July sun!
Kolovoz (August) – Wagon Driving Season
After reaping grains and produce comes Kolovoz, named for transporting harvests by wagon or kolo. Let those horses rest post-haul with some beach time because you’ve earned it!
Rujan (September) – Animal Mating Season
The changing autumn light apparently awakens more than leaf-peeping. Rujan marks the mating season for livestock and wildlife, so don’t be surprised by some interesting sights in nature!
Listopad (October) – Falling Leaves
Listopad rings in autumn foliage, with its name translating to “falling leaves”, offering perfect photo backdrops. Just watch your step for slippery surfaces as Croatia transitions seasons.
Studeni (November) – The Cold Month
The name says it all – Studeni signals cold kicking into high gear. Locals brace for winter’s arrival during the “month of cold” before the Croatian holidays hit. For tourists, that means discounted hotel rates!
Prosinac (December) – Month of Begging
Historically, peasants begged local nobles for food to survive dwindling winter supplies, naming the last month Prosinac for the “begging” season. Thankfully, now it’s devoted to Christmas markets and holiday cheer instead!
Do Croatians Use These Terms?
I don’t know about you, but trying to pronounce Ožujak and Studeni after a few shots of rakija seems downright dangerous! Luckily, Croats have a handy shortcut – they often count off months numerically instead. Yep, just slap the correct Croatian number in front and say “mjesec” for a month. So prvi mjesec means January or the “first month.”
Days In The Croatian Calendar
I hope you brushed up on those numbers for counting months because you’ll need them again for days of the week! Similar to other Slavic languages, Croatia’s weekdays trace their names back to numbers and positions on the calendar.
Ponedjeljak (Monday) – The Day After Sunday
Instead of boring old “Monday,” ponedjeljak literally translates to “the day which follows nedjelja (Sunday).” I love how it implies weekends should be so epic they influence the name of the next day!
Utorak (Tuesday) – The Second Day
Staying true to Slavic roots, utorak comes from the word meaning “second” in line. So if you start with Sunday as day 1, utorak fits as number 2!
Srijeda (Wednesday) – Middle Day
As the halfway point in the work week, srijeda fittingly means “middle day” in Croatian. Power through because Friday’s coming!
Četvrtak (Thursday) – The Fourth
Can you guess Thursday’s name with četiri meaning “four” in Croatian? Četvrtak translates perfectly to the “fourth day,” landing it squarely where expected midweek.
Petak (Friday) – The Fifth
Thank goodness pet translates to “five,” landing Petak as Friday in position number five. The weekend countdown is on!
Subota (Saturday) – Shabbat Tribute
Saturday’s Subota originates from Šabat, the Jewish word for their Sabbath tradition. Many Slavic languages adopted Shabbat’s name. Almost to freedom!
Nedjelja (Sunday) – Day of Rest
What better way to end than with Nedjelja, literally meaning “day with no work” or rest. Even the word itself seems peaceful and relaxing!
Important Dates In The Croatian Calendar
Alright, you know the funky month names, counted off the days of the week, and even impressed that cutie at the bar with your calendar vocab. Now it’s time for the best part – the holidays and celebrations!
Most tourist who visit Croatia often learn a few words before their trip. If you’re planning to pack a few phrases, then why not check out the Ling app? It’s handy, easy, and fun! It’s available on the Play Store or App Store if you want to try it out.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 Jan | New Year’s Day |
| 6 Jan | Epiphany |
| 31 Mar | Easter Sunday |
| 1 Apr | Easter Monday |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 30 May | Corpus Christi |
| 30 May | Statehood Day |
| 22 Jun | Anti-Fascist Resistance Day |
| 5 Aug | Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day |
| 15 Aug | Assumption Day |
| 1 Nov | All Saints’ Day |
| 18 Nov | Remembrance Day |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day |
| 26 Dec | St Stephen’s Day |
Ready To Visit Croatia?
Well, there you have it – a crash course in deciphering Croatia’s crazy cool calendar system! By now, those vocabulary words should be sounding less bonkers. And I hope all the wild celebrations have you itching to experience them firsthand this year!
If you want to dive deeper into understanding and speaking the language in Croatia, I highly recommend downloading the Ling app. Ling has tons of great lessons covering vocabulary, sentence structure, pronunciation help, and more for mastering Croatian. That way, you can chat confidently with new friends and really immerse yourself when you visit!
Give Ling a try now!
