Language in Croatia

Glossary of Croatian-Language Terms

Most of the natives you’ll encounter in Croatia will be fluent in at least one other language besides Croatian, usually English, or German or Italian. However, if you try to learn at least a few rudimentary words and phrases in this Slavic variant, you will be richly rewarded for your efforts. Pronunciation is not as difficult as it looks when you’re staring at a word that appears to be devoid of vowels. With a few guidelines and a little practice, you should be able to make yourself understood.

Ordering a meal (& paying for it)

English                                          Croatian                                           Pronunciation

menu                                            jelovnik                                         yay-lohv-neek

order                                            naručiti                                         nah-roo-chee-tee

waiter                                          konobar                                        koe-noe-bar

I am hungry.                               Ja sam gladan.                          Ya sahm glah-dahn.

Do you serve food here?        Da li poslužujete hranu ovdje?            Dah lee poe-sloozh-oo-yay-tay ha-ra-noo ohv-day?

What would you like to order?                                                   Što bi ste željeli naručiti?  Shtoe bee stay zjehl-yay-lee nah-roo-chee-tee?

We would like to order . . .    Željeli bi smo naručiti . . .       Zjehl-yay-lee bee smaw nah-roo-chee-tee . . .

Table for two (three, four)      Stol za dvoje (troje, četvoro)  Stall za dvo-ye (troe-ye, chet-voe-roe)

We would like to pay.            Željeli bi smo platiti.               Zjehl-yay-lee bee some plah-tee-tee.

Basics

English                        Croatian                                  Pronunciation

breakfast                   doručak                               doe-roo-chahk

lunch                         ručak                                    roo-chahk

dinner                        večera                                   veh-chair-ah

knife                           nož                                         noezh

fork                             viljuka                                  vee-loosh-kah

spoon                        žlica                                       zhlee-tsa

plate                           tanjur                                   tah-nyoor

cold                            hladno                                  hah-lahd-noe

hot                              vruće                                     vrooch-eh

warm                          toplo                                     toe-ploe

sugar                          ećer                                        shay-chair

without sugar         bez ećera                              bayz shay-chair

salt                             sol                                          soal

pepper                       papar                                    pah-pahr

bread                          kruh                                      crew

pastry                        pecivo                                   pay-tsee-voe

meat                            meso                                     may-soe

I am a vegetarian.    Ja sam vegetarijanac.    Yah sahm vay-gay-tahr-ee-yah-nahts.

Beverages

English                                          Croatian                                  Pronunciation

white wine                                 bijelo vino                           bee-yeh-lo vee-noe

red wine                                      crno vino                             tser-noe vee-noe

(fruit) juice                                 sok                                         sock

tea                                                 čaj                                          chai

coffee                                            kava                                      kah-vah

coffee with milk/cream            kava sa mlijekom/vrhnjem                   kah-vah sah ml-yay-kum/ver-nyem

ice                                                 led                                          layd

lemonade                                    limunada                            lee-moo-nah-dah

milk                                              mlijeko                                ml-yay-koe

beer (cold)                                  pivo                                       pee-voe

brandy (usually homemade)  rakija                                   rah-kee-yah

water                                            voda                                      voe-dah

Soups & Starters                

English                                                        Croatian                                    Pronunciation

Swiss chard boiled with potatoes    blitva sa krumpirom        bleet-vah sa kroom-peer-om

sausage                                                     kobasica                                koe-bah-see-tsa

goat cheese                                              kozji sir                                  koezh-yee seer

Zagorje potato soup                             juha od krumpira na zagorski način     yoo-ha ode kroom-peer-ah nah zah-gore-ski na-cheen

spicy sausage from Slavonia              kulen                                       koo-len

bean and veggie soup from Istria      manetra                                 mah-nay-strah

mixed salad                                              mijeana salata                    mee-yeh-shah-na sa-lah-tah

hard sheep’s cheese with olive oil from Pag                                  paki sir            pahsh-kee seer

smoked ham                                             prut                                         per-shoot

stuffed red peppers                                punjene paprika                 poon-yen-ay pah-pre-kah

shish kabob                                            ražnijiči                                 rahz-nyee-chee

spicy seafood/fish stew with paprika                                               riblji paprika/fis paprika            reeb-lyee pah-pre-kash/fish pah-pre-kash

hams                                                          unka                                        shoon-kah

Fish/Pasta        

English                                                                 Croatian                      Pronunciation

fish stew                                                            brodet/brodetto     bro-debt/bro-debt-toe

black risotto made with squid ink, olive oil, onion, and garlic         crni rižot                  tser-nee ree-zhote

Istrian egg pasta in a special twisted shape                               fuži      foo-zhee

Pronunciation Guide

All letters are pronounced.

c                sounds like “ts” in cats

č                sounds like “ch” in chew

ć                sounds like “tu” in picture

đ                sounds like “dj” in adjunct

g                sounds like “g” in god

j                 sounds like “y” in your

                  sounds like “sh” in shut

ž                 sounds like “z” in azure

e                sounds like “e” in bet

i                 sounds like “ee” in meet

o                sounds like “o” in dog

u                sounds like “oo” in loot

r                is trilled

Basic Vocabulary

English                                          Croatian                                        Pronunciation

yes                                                da                                                 dah

no                                                 ne                                                  nay

good                                            dobro                                          doe-broe

bad                                               loe                                                losh-eh

I don’t know.                            Ne znam.                                    Nay znahm.

I don’t understand.                 Ne razumijem.                         Nay ra-zoo-mee-yem.

to                                                  do                                                 doh

from                                              od                                                 ode

day                                               dan                                               dahn

week                                            tjedan                                          tyay-dahn

month                                          mjesec                                         myes-ets

year                                              godina                                        goe-dee-nah

why                                              zato                                              zah-shtoe

where                                           gdje                                              gd-yay

when                                            kada                                            kah-dah

how                                              kako                                            kah-koe

early                                             rano                                             rah-noe

late                                               kasno                                          kahz-noe

behind                                         iza                                                 ee-zah

in front of                                    ispred                                          ee-spread

turn/go . . .                                  vratite se/okrenite/idite        vrah-tee-tay say/oh-kray-nee/ee-dee-tay . . .

left                                                 lijevo                                           lee-yay-voe

right                                              desno                                           days-noe

straight ahead                            ravno                                           rahv-noe

street                                             ulica                                            oo-lee-tsah

square                                           trg                                                tur-ig-ah

next to                                          pored                                           poe-red

there                                              tamo                                            tah-moe

map                                               karta                                           kar-tah

I would like to buy a ticket. Želio/Željela bih kupiti kartu?            Zhel-ee-ol/Zhel-yay-lah bee koo-pee-tee kar-too?

ticket                                           (putna) karta                            (poot-nah) kar-tah

one-way ticket                          jednosmjema karta               yed-nose-myair-na kar-tah

round-trip ticket                      povratna karta                        poe-vraht-nah kar-tah

ticket                                           ulaznica (for movies, museum)               oo-lahz-neetsa

Where is the . . . ?                     Gdje se nalazi . . . ?                 Ga dyay say nah-lah-zee . . .

bank                                              banka                                            ban-ka

beach                                            plaža                                              plah-zha

church                                          crkva                                             tserk-vah

drugstore                                     ljekarna                                       lee-yay-car-nah

market                                           tržnica                                           terzh-nee-tsa

museum                                        muzej                                             moo-zay

park                                               park                                               park

police station                             policijska postaja                    poe-leets-ee-ska poe-shta-ya

post office                                    potanski ured, pota                  poe-stan-skee oo-raid, poe-shtah

tourist office                               turistički ured

                                                       too-ree-steech-kee oo-raid

train station                                željeznička stanica/postaja centra (if central station in town, then željeznički kolodvor)     zhel-yay-zneech-kee stah-nee-tsa/poe-stah-ya tsen-trah (zhel-yay-zneech koe-loe-dvoar)

bus station                                  autobusna (if central station in town, then autobusni kolodvor)               ow-toe-boos-nah (ow-toe-boos-nee koe-loe-dvoar)

airport                                          zračna luka                                 zrach-na loo-kah

taxi stand                                     taksi stajalite                             tahk-see stye-ya-lees-tay

exchange office                          mjenjačnica                              myay-nyats-nee-tsa

exchange rate                             tečajna lista                              tay-chai-nyah leest-ah

Where can I find a (good) . . . ?                                                   Gdje mogu naći (dobrog) . . . ?            Gd-yay moe-goo nah-chee (doe-broeg) . . . ?

dentist                                          zubara                                           zoo-bah-rah

doctor                                           liječnika                                       lee-yaych-nee-kah

hospital                                       bolnicu                                         bole-nee-tsu

Signs        

English                                          Croatian                                        Pronunciation

entry                                            ulaz                                              oo-lahz

exit                                               izlaz                                              eez-lahz

toilets (men)                              toilets/WC (muskarci)         moosh-kar-tsi

toilets (women)                        toilets/WC (žene)                    zhe-neh

police                                          policija                                       poe-lee-tsee-yah

prohibited                                  zabranjeno                                zah-brah-nyay-noe

Health               

English                                                 Croatian                                      Pronunciation

I am sick.                                            Bolestan sam/bolesna sam.          Boe-less-than sahm/boe-less-nah sahm.

I need a doctor.                                Potreban mi je liječnik.      Poe-tray-bahn mee yay lee-yaych-neek.

fever                                                    groznica                                   growz-nee-tsa

headache                                            glavobolja                              glah-voe-bowl-yay

stomachache                                     bol u trbuhu                           bowl oo ter-boo

dentist                                                zubar                                         zoo-bar

I have a headache.                           Imam glavobolju.                Eee-mom glah-voe-bowl-yoo.

I am allergic to . . .                           Alcrgičan/allergična . . .    Ah-lure-gee-chan/ah-lure-geech-nah . . .

antibiotics                                       sam na antibiotike                   sam ahn-tee-bee-oh-teek

antibiotic                                         antibiotic                                     ahn-tee-bee-oh-teek

penicillin                                         penicillin                                     peh-nee-tsee-leen

aspirin                                              aspirin                                          ah-spee-reen

I am on medications for (asthma/diabetes/epilepsy).                Pijem lijekove protiv (astme, dijabetesa, epilepsije).  Pee-yem lee-yay-koe-vay pro-teev (ast-may, dee-yah-bay-tay-sah, ep-ee-lep-see-yeh).

virus                                                   virus                                          vee-roos

Attractions               

English                                    Croatian                        Pronunciation

bridge                                   most                            most

church                                   crkva                           tserk-vah

island                                    otok                             oh-toke

lake                                        jezero                           yeh-zeh-roe

old town                              stari grad                  star-ee grahd

ruins                                      rue vine                       roo-sheh vee-neh

sea                                          more                            moe-reh

Shopping          

English                                    Croatian                        Pronunciation

How much/ How many?  Koliko?                      Koe-lee-koe?

a little                                   malo                            mah-loe

a lot                                       puno                            poo-noe

enough                                 dosta                           doe-stah

(too) expensive                  (pre) skupo                (pray) scoo-poe

Getting a Room           

English                                    Croatian                        Pronunciation

room                                      soba                             soe-bah

Excuse me, is there a hotel nearby?  Oprostite, da li postoji hotel u blizini? Oh-proe-stee-tay, dah lee poe-stoy-ee hoe-tel oo blee-zee-nee?

We would like a double room.               Željeli bi smo jednu dvokrevetnu sobu.               Zhel-yay-lee bee some yay-dnoo dvoe-kray-vayt-noo soe-boo.

I would like a room           Želio/željela (she) bih        Zhel-ee-oh/zhel-yay-lah bee

with a:                                   sobu sa:                                 soe-boo sah:

Shower                                  tuem                                        toosh-em

Bathtub                                 kadom                                    kah-dome

Balcony                                balkonom                             bal-koe-nome

air-conditioning                klimom                                  klee-mome

telephone                             telefonom                             teh-leh-phone-ohm

How much is the room per night?                                                             Koliko kota soba za jednu noć?            Koe-lee-koe koe-shtah soe-bah zah yayd-noo noech?

per person                                   po osobi                                                poe oh-soe-bee

per week                                      za tjedan dana                                     zah tyay-dahn dah-nah

Okay, I will take the room.                                               Uredu, uzet ću sobu.        Oo-ray-doo, oo-zayt choo soe-boo.

I will stay for 2 nights.    Ostat ću dvije noći.            Oh-staht choo dvee-yay noe-chee.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.