Learning some Croatian phrases before traveling to Croatia will not only make a good impression on local people, but can also be of great help to make your stay trouble-free and more pleasant.

Phrases in Croatian

At the restaurant

English Croatian
Please, may I/we get a menu? Da li mogu/možemo dobiti jelovnik?
What do you recommend? Što biste nam preporučili?
Do you have fresh fish on the menu? Da li imate svježe ribe na jelovniku?
Do you have squid risotto? Da li imate rižot od lignji?
What do you have as the main course? Što imate za glavno jelo?
What wine do you recommend? Koje vino preporučate?
What is the best beer? Koje je najbolje pivo?
What is this dish made of? Od čega je ovo jelo?

Croatian uses the Latin alphabet. The spelling of Croatian is largely phonetic so most words are written exactly as they are pronounced. Just make sure to learn how to pronounce Croatian letters – read my Croatian language guide!

Essential Terms

English Croatian
appetizer predjelo
food for babies hrana za bebe
bottle boca
dinner večera
food hrana
bowl zdjela
knife nož
spoon žlica
fork vilica
menu jelovnik
plate tanjur
vegetarian meal vegetarijansko jelo
spicy ljuto, pikantno
main course glavno jelo
breakfast doručak
lamb janjetina
pork svinjetina
beef govedina
chicken piletina
fish riba
fruit voće
vegetables povrće
lettuce zelena salata
apple jabuka
cherry trešnja
strawberry jagoda
ice cream sladoled

Accommodation Croatian phrases

If you read my budget tips page you’ll notice I recommend staying in private accommodation, rooms or apartments, as Croatia has a long and reliable tradition in this tourist offer.

If you are traveling to Split and you miss booking your accommodation in advance (not recommended particularly in July and August), you will be obliged to search accommodation by yourself.

In this situation you will probably hear the common phrase ‘nema problema’ (“no problem” or “there’s no problem”). Don’t take it for granted and just learn some terms to avoid real problems.

Consider staying at least three nights, with four or five being the best as prices are more convenient. Don’t hesitate bargaining for the best deal and ask for cheaper offers if you are staying longer. Don’t be shy, it’s your money on the table!

Here are some expressions and phrases you can find useful:

English Croatian
Do you have vacancies? Imate li slobodnih soba?
Is breakfast included? Da li je doručak uključen?
How much for night, per person? Koliko za noćenje, po osobi?
How much is for staying three/four nights? Koliko stoji za tri/četiri noćenja?
Is there any discount for more than three nights? Ima li popusta ako za više od tri noći?
Do you have a single room/double room? Imate li jednokrevetnu/dvokrevetnu sobu?
Do you have a two-bedroom apartment? Imate li dvosobni apartman?
How far is it to Split city center? Koliko je daleko do centra Splita?

Essential accommodation terms

English Croatian
hotel hotel
room soba
camp kamp
private accommodation privatni smještaj
flats for young people prenočište za mlade
air conditioning klima
bathroom kupaonica
kinder-bed dječji krevet
window prozor
bed krevet
wireless internet bezicni internet (or just say wifi)

Don’t miss my Croatian language guide for travelers with basic words, language difficulties and small talk expressions.

More about:
Share and help:

If you like this travel guide about Useful Croatian Phrases You Must Know and found it useful, consider supporting the author with a coffee or share it with your friends:


Compare deals:MY PARTNERED SITES

Compare deals from multiple websites to find your hotel, hostel, or private apartment for the best price! You can also check for flights and ferries to Croatia, book airport transfers in advance, or find most popular tours and cruises, all thanks to my partners!

This flight search form enables you to search and compare 1000+ airlines, travel agents and travel sites to get the cheapest flights and best dates. Try it out!


Search not displaying correctly? Search directly on any of the following sites:

Use the following search to book and purchase ferry tickets to and in Croatia. Find info about times, prices, tickets, routes, ports and availability for all companies operating ferries between Italy and Croatia.

If the form above is not loading you can search directly on DirectFerries.

Below are my recommended sailing trips in Croatia from trusted companies and tour operators. Feel free to check the offers and links to find additional information and more related cruises!

From Split:

Top rated: Southern Explorer

Split Cruises

Starting and ending in Split, this cruise will take you to Makarska, Mljet, Dubrovnik, Trstenik, Korcula, Hvar and Brac!

Dates & pricing »

From Dubrovnik:

Top rated: Dubrovnik Discovery

 Dubrovnik Cruises

Depart from Dubrovnik on a week long cruise and explore Mljet, Hvar, Korcula, Trstenik, and Sipan.

Dates & pricing »

More departure ports:

Organized tours are excellent ways to explore my beautiful country, and I highly recommend taking at least one trip during your visit. There are limitless fascinating places to see, and you can easily book a tour or day trip from my trusted partners below.

Below are five top rated tours from Split!

from 212h30m
Join a top-rated walking tour of Split's famous monuments and landmarks with a professional tour guide and learn more about our history and heritage.
from 11012h
Visit Komiza village, Blue cave on Bisevo island, Stiniva bay on island Vis, Green cave, Budikovac island, Pakleni islands, and Hvar island and town.
from 373h
Paddle around Split and Marjan Hill, discover and snorkel in secluded beaches and enjoy magnificent views.
from 5410h
Take a break from Split enjoy your coastline drive to Krka National Park and see what it's like to swim in pristine nature, with a visit to old town of Sibenik.
from 554h
Swim and snorkel in breathtaking blue lagoon, see small but beautiful Ciovo island, and grab a free lunch in memorable Trogir town.

Discover more trip ideas:

Find transfers and compare prices on:

From Dubrovnik:

From Any Location:

More options:


Consider cruise holidays!

Cruises are fantastic and inexpensive way to discover multiple destinations in Croatia.

Young & Fun Party Cruise

8 days, 8 destinations

From Split to Makarska, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Mljet, Hvar, Brac (Bol), Omis

€ 370 - 700

(€ 46 - 87 per day)

Learn more »

Split to Dubrovnik Luxury Cruise

8 days, 9 destinations

From Split to Bol (Brač island), Hvar, Vis, Korčula, Mljet, Slano and Ston, Dubrovnik

€ 1260 - 1360

(€ 157 - 170 per day)

Learn more »

Split to Dubrovnik Cruise

8 days, 9 destinations

From Split to Omis and Makarska, Bol (Brac island), Stari Grad (Hvar island), Vis, Korcula, Mljet, Sipan or Slano, Dubrovnik

€ 480 - 890

(€ 60 - 111 per day)

Learn more »
About me:

Pero

Pero is Splitgg's founder who was born and lived in Split most of his life. His passion for traveling and immense experience from working in tourism industry encouraged him to write many of our expert Split travel guides. More about our authors »

Book hotels on Agoda and save