# What Croatian phrases should I learn before visiting Croatia?

> Basic Croatian phrases for tourists with easy pronunciation: hello, thank you, the bill please, how much, numbers, directions and emergency numbers.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/basic-croatian-phrases-for-tourists
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-10-19

Croatians speak **Croatian** (*hrvatski*), and in Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik and the islands you can get through almost everything in English, especially with anyone under 50. The words still matter: **dobar dan** when you walk into a shop and **hvala** for every small favour are what people notice. The other thing worth knowing is that Croatian has a polite *you*: use the **Vi** forms (*Kako ste?*) with strangers and older people.

## Greetings and goodbyes

Croatian spelling is phonetic, so once you know a handful of letters you can read anything: **č** and **ć** are both close to *ch*, **š** is *sh*, **ž** is the *s* in *measure*, **đ** is close to *j*, **j** is *y*, and **c** is *ts*.

Small shops and bakeries expect a greeting when you come in and a goodbye when you leave. **Dobar dan** works for almost any situation from late morning onwards; **bok** is for friends and relaxed settings, and doubles as *bye*.

| English | Croatian | Say it like | When to use it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Hello (casual) | Bok | bohk | Friends, younger people, beach bars. Also means bye. |
| Hello / good day | Dobar dan | DOH-bar dahn | The safe greeting for shops, hotels and anyone older. |
| Good morning | Dobro jutro | DOH-broh YOO-troh | Until mid-morning. |
| Good evening | Dobra večer | DOH-brah VEH-chair | From dusk onwards. |
| How are you? | Kako ste? / Kako si? | KAH-koh steh / KAH-koh see | Ste with strangers and elders, si with friends and children. |
| Nice to meet you | Drago mi je | DRAH-goh mee yeh | When someone tells you their name. |
| Goodbye | Doviđenja | doh-vee-JEH-nyah | Leaving a shop, a restaurant or a taxi. |
| Good night | Laku noć | LAH-koo noch | Last thing at night, not as a greeting. |

## Polite essentials

**Molim** does a lot of work: it means *please*, it can answer *thank you*, and said with a rising tone it means *sorry, what?* Add **vas** (*molim vas*) when you want to sound more polite.

On the coast in summer you will be approached about boat trips, rooms and restaurant menus. A friendly **ne, hvala** and walking on is all it takes; nobody is pushy for long.

| English | Croatian | Say it like | When to use it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Please | Molim / Molim vas | MOH-leem / MOH-leem vahs | Ordering, asking for anything. |
| Thank you | Hvala | HVAH-lah | All the time. |
| Thank you very much | Hvala lijepa | HVAH-lah LYEH-pah | Literally *beautiful thanks*. Warm and very common. |
| You're welcome | Nema na čemu | NEH-mah nah CHEH-moo | Replying to thanks. A short *molim* also works. |
| Sorry / excuse me | Oprostite | oh-PROH-stee-teh | Apologising, or getting someone's attention. |
| Excuse me (to get past) | Pardon | par-DOHN | Squeezing past on a bus or in a crowd. |
| I'm sorry (sympathy) | Žao mi je | ZHAH-oh mee yeh | When something bad has happened, not for a bump. |
| Yes / No | Da / Ne | dah / neh | Everywhere. |
| No, thank you | Ne, hvala | neh, HVAH-lah | Turning down touts, flyers and boat-trip sellers. |

## Eating and drinking

In a *konoba* (a traditional tavern) or a café, waiters will not bring the bill until you ask for it. Lingering over one coffee for an hour is normal, so ask when you are ready to go.

Toasts are taken seriously. Everyone says **živjeli** and you look each person in the eye as you clink, whether it is beer, wine or a glass of *rakija* (fruit brandy) offered by a host.

| English | Croatian | Say it like | When to use it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A table for two, please | Stol za dvije osobe, molim | stohl zah DVEE-yeh OH-soh-beh, MOH-leem | Arriving at a restaurant. |
| Can I see the menu? | Mogu li pogledati jelovnik? | MOH-goo lee poh-GLEH-dah-tee yeh-LOHV-neek | Jelovnik is the menu. |
| This one, please | Ovo, molim | OH-voh, MOH-leem | Pointing at a dish, a pastry or a bottle. |
| It was delicious | Bilo je ukusno | BEE-loh yeh OO-koos-noh | To the waiter or your host at the end. |
| Cheers! | Živjeli! | ZHEE-vyeh-lee | Every toast. Keep eye contact while you clink. |
| The bill, please | Račun, molim | RAH-choon, MOH-leem | When you are ready to leave. |
| I'm vegetarian | Ja sam vegetarijanac / vegetarijanka | yah sahm veh-geh-tah-ree-YAH-nahts / veh-geh-tah-ree-YAHN-kah | Men say vegetarijanac, women vegetarijanka. |
| I'm allergic to... | Alergičan sam na... / Alergična sam na... | ah-LEHR-gee-chahn sahm nah / ah-LEHR-geech-nah sahm nah | Men use the first form, women the second. Show it written down too. |

## Shopping and markets

Croatia uses the euro and shop prices are fixed. Haggling is not part of normal shopping. At open-air markets such as Dolac in Zagreb or the green market in Split, you can ask for a little off when you buy several things, but expect a smile rather than a big discount.

Cards are accepted almost everywhere in towns, but small market stalls and bakeries are easier with cash.

| English | Croatian | Say it like | When to use it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| How much is this? | Koliko košta ovo? | KOH-lee-koh KOHSH-tah OH-voh | Anything without a price tag. |
| That's too expensive | To je preskupo | toh yeh PREH-skoo-poh | Politely declining. |
| Can it be a bit cheaper? | Može malo jeftinije? | MOH-zheh MAH-loh yehf-TEE-nee-yeh | Markets only, ideally when buying several items. |
| I'll take it | Uzet ću | OO-zet choo | Once you've decided. |
| Do you take cards? | Primate li kartice? | PREE-mah-teh lee KAR-tee-tseh | Small shops, markets, private rooms. |
| Cash | Gotovina | goh-toh-VEE-nah | Market stalls and small bakeries. |

## Getting around

Intercity buses are the main way to travel along the coast, and the station is the *autobusni kolodvor*. *Kolodvor* covers both bus and train stations in Croatia; Serbian and Bosnian speakers say *stanica* instead.

Taxi and ride-hailing drivers in the cities usually speak English. Showing the address on your phone while you say it saves confusion on both sides.

| English | Croatian | Say it like | When to use it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Where is...? | Gdje je...? | gdyeh yeh | Followed by the place, e.g. *gdje je plaža?* (the beach). |
| Where is the toilet? | Gdje je WC? | gdyeh yeh VEH-tseh | WC is what the signs say. *Toalet* also works. |
| Bus station | Autobusni kolodvor | OW-toh-boos-nee KOH-loh-dvor | Intercity buses. |
| Train station | Željeznički kolodvor | ZHEH-lyez-neech-kee KOH-loh-dvor | Zagreb, Split, Osijek and inland routes. |
| Airport | Zračna luka / aerodrom | ZRAHCH-nah LOO-kah / ah-eh-ROH-drom | Signs say zračna luka; people often say aerodrom. |
| Left / right / straight on | Lijevo / desno / ravno | LYEH-voh / DEH-snoh / RAHV-noh | Following directions. |
| Take me to this address, please | Odvezite me na ovu adresu, molim | ohd-VEH-zee-teh meh nah OH-voo AH-dreh-soo, MOH-leem | Taxis. Show the address at the same time. |
| Stop here, please | Stanite ovdje, molim | STAH-nee-teh OHV-dyeh, MOH-leem | Taxis and local buses. |

## Numbers

Prices are almost always written down, so numbers matter most for bus platforms, room numbers and ordering more than one of something. *Jedno pivo* is one beer, *dva piva* two.

| English | Croatian | Say it like | When to use it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Jedan | YEH-dahn | Jedno pivo: one beer. |
| 2 | Dva | dvah | Dva piva: two beers. |
| 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 |  |
| 100 | Sto | stoh |  |
| 1,000 | Tisuću | TEE-soo-choo | Croatian form; Serbian and Bosnian speakers say *hiljadu*. |

## Help and emergencies

**112** is the single emergency number in Croatia, free from any phone, and operators speak English. The older direct lines still work: **192** police, **193** fire, **194** ambulance, and **195** for search and rescue at sea.

| English | Croatian | Say it like | When to use it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Help! | Upomoć! | OO-poh-moch | Shout it. |
| Call the police! | Zovite policiju! | ZOH-vee-teh poh-LEE-tsee-yoo | Emergencies, then dial 112 or 192. |
| I need a doctor | Treba mi liječnik | TREH-bah mee LYECH-neek | *Doktor* is understood too. |
| I'm lost | Izgubio sam se / Izgubila sam se | eez-GOO-bee-oh sahm seh / eez-GOO-bee-lah sahm seh | Men use the first form, women the second. |
| I don't understand | Ne razumijem | neh rah-ZOO-mee-yem | Any time. |
| Do you speak English? | Govorite li engleski? | goh-VOH-ree-teh lee EN-gleh-skee | Ask this first. Most people will switch. |
| Please speak slowly | Molim vas, govorite polako | MOH-leem vahs, goh-VOH-ree-teh poh-LAH-koh | When someone answers in fast Croatian. |

## Etiquette that matters more than words

**Greet before you ask.** Walking into a bakery and pointing without a *dobar dan* reads as rude, even if you then speak English. One word fixes it.

**Use the formal you with strangers.** *Kako ste?* rather than *Kako si?*, *hvala vam* rather than *hvala ti*. Croatians switch to the informal quickly once you are introduced, and they will lead.

**Coffee is a sitting activity.** A coffee in a café is an hour, not five minutes. Nobody will rush you, and waving for the bill is normal.

**Accept a drink at someone's home.** If a host offers *rakija* or coffee, taking at least one is the polite move.

**Be careful with the 1990s.** Calling the language Serbo-Croatian or Croatia part of Yugoslavia touches on a war many people lived through. Call it Croatian.

More practical detail is in [things to know before visiting Croatia](https://clevertourists.com/resources/things-to-know-before-visiting-croatia).

## Frequently asked questions

### How do you say thank you in Croatian?

Hvala (HVAH-lah). For thank you very much, say hvala lijepa (HVAH-lah LYEH-pah). The usual reply is nema na čemu, you're welcome.

### How do you say hello in Croatian?

Dobar dan (DOH-bar dahn) is the safe hello for shops and strangers. Bok is the casual version used with friends, and it also means bye.

### Is English widely spoken in Croatia?

Yes, in the cities, on the coast and on the islands, especially among anyone working in tourism and younger people. A few Croatian words for greetings and thanks still go a long way.

### What do Croatians say when they toast?

Živjeli (ZHEE-vyeh-lee). Look each person in the eye as you clink glasses.

### What is the emergency number in Croatia?

112 for any emergency. The direct lines are 192 for police, 193 for fire, 194 for an ambulance and 195 for rescue at sea.