Croatian is spoken by around 5.5 million people in Croatia and neighbouring countries. A South Slavic language written in a Latin alphabet enhanced with diacritics, it shares high mutual intelligibility with Serbian and Bosnian. From Zagreb to the Dalmatian islands, this kit gives you the bare minimum to find your way along the Adriatic coast.
Croatian (hrvatski) is the official language of the Republic of Croatia, spoken by around 5.5 million people in Croatia itself and in Croatian communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vojvodina and the diaspora. Linguistically, Croatian belongs to the Western South Slavic group, alongside Serbian, Bosnian and Montenegrin. These four languages, once grouped under the term Serbo-Croatian, share an almost identical core grammar and vocabulary and remain perfectly mutually intelligible. But they differ in their alphabets, specialized vocabulary and cultural identities: Croatian is always written in the Latin alphabet, while Serbian officially uses both Cyrillic and Latin. This Croatian Latin alphabet has 30 letters, including the distinctive č, ć, dž, đ, š and ž which mark specific sounds. Croatian grammar uses seven cases and three genders, which makes it a demanding but logical language. For travellers, the essentials come down to a few polite formulas, some culinary vocabulary and a clear distinction between formal ('vi') and informal ('ti'). Croatian culture combines Mediterranean influences on the Dalmatian coast, Austro-Hungarian traditions in Zagreb and continental Slavic heritage in the hinterland. The cities of Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb and Pula attract millions of travellers every year, alongside the islands, Plitvice National Park and the Istrian peninsula. This kit gathers the bare essentials to handle an arrival in Zagreb, a bus ride, an order in a konoba, a medical emergency and a departure to the islands. Memorize these expressions before leaving and you will gain confidence from the very first hours on site.
Here is how these phrases play out in real life. Each scene sets the stage and gathers the useful expressions.
You land at Zagreb Franjo Tudjman airport in the early morning. At the immigration counter, the officer greets you with 'Dobro jutro'. You return his greeting, then say 'Bok' as you pass another traveller, with the relaxed air of a morning that is starting well.
You take a taxi to the center. You give the street of your guesthouse (kuca), ask if you pass near a school (skola) that you recognize, and show the exact address of the restaurant (restoran) where you plan to drop off your bags before check-in.
You sit on the terrace of a konoba near the Dolac market. The waitress hands you the menu and you order bread (kruh) with local cheese, a glass of milk (mlijeko) and a plate of grilled meat (meso) with water (voda).
You wake up with a migraine after a long day of walking in Dubrovnik. At the pharmacy (ljekarna), you point to your head (glava), touch your tired eyes (oko) and painful ear (uho), then hold out your hand (ruka) to receive the medicine.
The evening before departure, you greet your hosts with 'Dobra vecer' at the final dinner. In the morning, you wish them 'Laku noc' with humour for the journey, take leave with 'Dovidjenja' and warmly thank them with 'Hvala' before getting on the shuttle to the airport.
What you need to know before travelling to a croate-speaking country.
Croatian is always written in the Latin alphabet, unlike Serbian which officially uses both alphabets (Cyrillic and Latin). Confusing the two languages or talking about 'Serbo-Croatian' can offend, as linguistic identity remains a sensitive issue since independence.
Greeting when entering a shop, cafe or waiting room is expected: 'Dobar dan' is enough. On the Dalmatian coast, the informal 'Bok' is very frequent and warm between neighbors.
Coffee is an institution. Having a kava does not mean downing an espresso while standing, but sitting for an hour or two to chat. Accept the pace and enjoy the moment.
On the coast, people often speak a Chakavian dialect very different from standard Zagreb Croatian. Do not be surprised to hear words borrowed from Italian or Venetian.
Restaurant tipping is around 10 percent and is given by rounding up. Announce the total amount to the waiter when they come to collect, rather than leaving coins on the table.
Family and neighborhood are at the heart of social life. Refusing a coffee, a glass of rakija or a plate in a Croatian home can seem cold. Accept at least a sip, even symbolic.
The euro replaced the kuna in January 2023. Merchants sometimes still accept old commemorative coins, but prefer paying in euros or by contactless card, available everywhere.
Avoid sensitive political topics: the 1990s war, relations with Serbia or Bosnia, Slavonia's status. Listen before offering your opinion on topics you do not master.
Preview. The full glossary (30 words) and all the phrases are in the PDF.
Molim
please / you're welcome
Oprostite
excuse me / sorry
Da
yes
Ne
no
Kako si?
how are you? (informal)
Kako ste?
how are you? (formal/plural)
Dobrodošli
welcome
Ja
I
Ti
you (singular informal)
On
he
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Every translation is cross-checked against at least two concordant sources among the references below.
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