Croatian Language
Useful tips and phrases to help you get by
Many of the Croatian people that you will come across will have a reasonable understanding of English, particularly in shops and restaurants, learning a few phrases will be courteous if not necessary and very much appreciated and considered good manners.
Helpful phrases
English | Croatian | Pronunciation |
Hello (Informal) |
Bok |
bohk |
Good Morning |
Dobro
jutro |
DOH-broh YOO-troh |
Good Evening |
Dobar dan |
DOH-bahr dahn |
How are you? (Informal) |
Kako si? |
KAH-koh see? |
Good night |
Laku noć |
LAH-koo notch |
Goodbye (Informal) |
Doviđenja or Bok |
doh-vee-JEH-nyah or bok |
Yes |
da |
da |
No |
Ne |
ne |
What? |
Što> |
SH-toh |
How? |
Kako |
KAH-koh |
Who? |
tko |
T'koh |
Please |
Molim |
MOH-leem |
I'm sorry |
Žao mi je |
>szhow mee yeh |
Thank you |
Hvala |
HVAH-lah |
You're welcome |
Nema na čemu |
NEH-mah na CHEH-moo |
I want a beer please |
Želim pivo molim |
ZHEH-leem PEE-vah Moh-leem |
Tea |
Čaja |
chaia |
Coffee |
Kave |
KAH-veh |
Red/White Wine |
Crnog/Bijelog vina |
TSER-nohg/BYEH-lohg VEE-nah |
Water |
Vode |
VOH-deh |
Bus |
Autobus |
OW-toh-boos |
Taxi |
Taksi |
TAHK-see |
Croatian Alphabet and Numbers |
Vowels; |
A - like 'u' in "sun" |
E - like 'e' in "their" |
İ - like 'ee' in "free" |
O - like 'o' in "orb" |
U - approximately like 'oo' in "soon" |
Consonants; |
B - like 'b' in "bed" |
C - like 'ts' in "bets" |
Č - like 'ch' in "child" |
Ć - like 't' in "mature" |
D - like 'd' in "dog" |
ĐŽ - like 'dg' in "fudge" |
Đ - like 'd' in American English "schedule" |
F - like 'f' in "for" |
G - like 'g' in "go |
H - like 'h' in "help" [usually aspirated] |
J - like 'y' in "yell" |
K - like 'k' in "king" [unaspirated] |
L - like 'l' in "love" |
LJ - like 'li' in "million" |
M - like 'm' in "mother" |
NJ - like 'ñ' in Spanish "señor" or 'ny' in "canyon" |
N - like 'n' in "nice" |
P - like 'p' in "pig" [unaspirated] |
Q - like 'q' in "quest" (only in foreign words) |
R - trilled 'r' as in the Spanish "roca" |
S - like 's' in "sock" |
Š - like 'sh' in "cash" |
T - like 't' in "top" [unaspirated] |
V - like 'v' in "victory" |
W - like 'v' in "victor" (only in foreign words) |
X - like 'cks' in "kicks" or 'gs' in "legs"(only in foreign words) |
Z - like 'z' in "zebra" |
Ž - like 'su' in "measure" |
Number | Greek | Pronunciation |
1 |
Jedan |
YEH-dahn |
2 |
DVA |
dvah |
3 |
Tri |
tree |
4 |
Četiri |
CHEH-tee-ree |
5 |
Pet |
peht |
6 |
Šest |
shehst |
7 |
Sedam |
SEH-dahm |
8 |
Osam |
OH-sahm |
9 |
Devet |
DEH-veht |
10 |
Deset |
DEH-seht |
When ordering food it is helpful to know what your options are on the menu! Some menus outside may be purely in Greek, and the following words can be very useful;
English | Greek | Pronunciation |
Chicken |
Piletina |
PEE-leh-tee-nah |
Fish |
Riba |
REE-bah |
Egg |
Jaja |
YAH-yah |
Beef |
Govedina |
GOH-veh-dee-nah |
Ham |
Šunka |
SHOON-kah |
Sugar |
Šećer |
SHEH-tcher |
Salt |
Soli |
SOH-lee |
Bread |
Kruh |
krooh |
Hot |
Vruće |
Veh-ru-TCHEH |
Cold |
Hladno |
Ha-Lad-no |
Ice cream |
Sladoled |
SLAD-oh-led |
Traditional Dalmatian dish of slow-cooked beef prepared in a rich red sweet and sour plum sauce. |
Pašticada |
PASH-tee-cah-dah |