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.
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.
