How do you say thank you in Croatian?

The standard way to say thank you in Croatian is 'Hvala' (pronounced: xʋǎla). For more emphasis, use 'Hvala lijepa' (thank you very much, formal) or 'Puno hvala' (many thanks, neutral). To respond, say 'Molim' (you're welcome) or 'Nema na čemu' (don't mention it, casual).

How do you say hello in Croatian?

The standard greeting in Croatian is 'Dobar dan' (Good day, formal/neutral). For a casual hello, Croatians use 'Bok' – which works as both hello and goodbye among friends. 'Dobro jutro' means good morning and 'Dobra večer' means good evening.

How do you say goodbye in Croatian?

The formal goodbye in Croatian is 'Doviđenja'. Among friends, 'Bok' is commonly used for both hello and goodbye. Other useful phrases: 'Vidimo se kasnije' (see you later), 'Laku noć' (good night) and 'Pazi na sebe' (take care).

How do you say good morning in Croatian?

Good morning in Croatian is 'Dobro jutro' (pronounced: dǒbrɔ jûtrɔ). It is used in both formal and casual situations. Good evening is 'Dobra večer' and good night is 'Laku noć'.

How do you say yes and no in Croatian?

Yes in Croatian is 'Da' and no is 'Ne'. Other useful answers: 'Možda' (maybe), 'Naravno' (of course), 'U redu' (OK / alright) and 'Ne znam' (I don't know).

How do you say please in Croatian?

'Molim' is the most versatile word in Croatian – it means please, you're welcome, and can also be used like 'pardon?' when you didn't catch something. For a formal request, use 'Molim vas' (please, formal). Excuse me to get someone's attention is 'Oprostite' (formal) or 'Oprosti' (casual).

How do you say how are you in Croatian?

The formal version is 'Kako ste?' and the casual version is 'Kako si?' Among younger people and close friends, 'Što ima?' (what's up?) is also common. A typical reply is 'Hvala, dobro sam' (thanks, I'm fine) or 'Nije loše' (not bad, casual).

100 Croatian Phrases – Greetings, Thanks & Everyday Life

This article was last updated and reviewed in April 2026.

One thing I’ve noticed across every language I’ve learned: the fastest way to feel at home in a new language isn’t grammar – it’s phrases. A handful of the right expressions opens conversations, breaks the ice and builds confidence faster than any textbook exercise.

Croatian is no exception. Whether you’re heading to the Dalmatian coast, connecting with Croatian-speaking family, or just getting started with the language – the phrases on this page will carry you through most everyday situations. I’ve organized them by context, added formal and casual versions where it matters, and included IPA pronunciation for every entry so you know exactly how to say them.

The 5 most essential Croatian phrases

Hvala – Thank you
Molim – Please / You’re welcome
Dobar dan – Good day (standard greeting)
Oprostite – Excuse me / Sorry (formal)
Ne razumijem – I don’t understand

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Croatian Greetings – How to Say Hello in Croatian

Croatian has both formal and casual greetings – and using the right one matters. In Croatia, the formal “Dobar dan” is standard with strangers, shop staff and older people. Among friends and younger people, “Bok” is completely normal and widely used.

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Good day	Dobar dan!	Formal	[dôbar dan]
Good morning	Dobro jutro!	Formal/Neutral	[dǒbrɔ jûtrɔ]
Good evening	Dobra večer!	Formal/Neutral	[dôbra ʋet͡ʃer]
Welcome!	Dobrodošli!	Formal	[dɔbrɔdǒʃli]
Hi! / Bye! (casual)	Bok!	Casual	[bɔk]
Hey!	Hej!	Casual	[hɛj]
Good to see you.	Drago mi je da te vidim.	Neutral	[drâɡɔ mi je da te ʋîdim]
Long time no see!	Nisam te dugo vidio!	Casual	[nîsam te dûɡɔ ʋîdiɔ]

When someone greets you in Croatian, here’s how to respond:

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Have a nice day too!	I tebi želim lijep dan!	Neutral	[i têbi ʒɛlǐm lîjɛp dan]
Nice to see you too.	Hvala, i meni je drago što te vidim.	Neutral	[xʋǎla, i mɛ̂ni je drâɡɔ ʃtɔ te ʋîdim]
Same to you!	I tebi isto!	Casual	[i têbi ǐstɔ]

How to Ask “How Are You?” in Croatian

This is one of the first things people want to know in any language – and Croatian has both a formal and a casual version. The formal “Kako ste?” uses the plural form as a sign of respect; “Kako si?” is for people you know well.

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
How are you?	Kako ste?	Formal	[kâkɔ stɛ]
How are you?	Kako si?	Casual	[kâkɔ si]
How are you doing?	Kako si? / Kako ide?	Casual	[kâkɔ si] / [kâkɔ ǐdɛ]
Are you doing well?	Jesi li dobro?	Casual	[jěsi li dɔ̂brɔ]
What’s up?	Što ima?	Very casual	[ʃtɔ ǐma]

How to answer when someone asks how you are:

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Thank you, I’m fine.	Hvala, dobro sam.	Neutral	[xʋǎla, dɔ̂brɔ sam]
Thank you for asking, I’m fine.	Hvala na pitanju, dobro sam.	Formal	[xʋǎla na pǐt͡ʃan̪u, dɔ̂brɔ sam]
Not so great, to be honest.	Hvala, nisam baš dobro.	Neutral	[xʋǎla, nǐsam baʃ dɔ̂brɔ]
Fine thanks, and you?	Hvala, dobro sam. Kako si ti?	Casual	[xʋǎla, dɔ̂brɔ sam. kâkɔ si ti]
Not bad!	Nije loše!	Casual	[nîjɛ lɔ̂ʃɛ]

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Thank You in Croatian – Formal and Casual

“Hvala” is one of the first words you’ll need – and one of the easiest to remember. It’s used across all situations. For more emphasis or formality, there are several variations worth knowing.

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Thank you	Hvala	Neutral	[xʋǎla]
Thank you very much	Hvala lijepa	Formal/Warm	[xʋǎla lîjɛpa]
Many thanks	Puno hvala	Neutral	[pûnɔ xʋǎla]
Thanks a lot! (casual)	Hvala puno!	Casual	[xʋǎla pûnɔ]
Thank you for your help	Hvala na pomoći	Formal	[xʋǎla na pɔmǒt͡ɕi]
Thanks, that’s very kind	Hvala, to je vrlo ljubazno	Formal	[xʋǎla, tɔ jɛ ʋr̂lɔ ʎǔbaznɔ]
No thanks	Ne, hvala	Neutral	[nɛ xʋǎla]

How to respond when someone thanks you:

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
You’re welcome	Molim	Neutral	[mɔ̂lim]
No problem	Nema problema	Casual	[nɛ̂ma prɔblɛ̂ma]
Don’t mention it	Nema na čemu	Casual/Warm	[nɛ̂ma na t͡ʃɛ̂mu]
My pleasure	Drago mi je	Formal/Warm	[drâɡɔ mi je]

How to Say Goodbye in Croatian

Croatian goodbyes range from the formal “Doviđenja” – which you’ll hear in shops and official settings – to the casual “Bok” which doubles as both hello and goodbye among friends.

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Goodbye	Doviđenja!	Formal	[dɔʋiʒěɲa]
Goodbye (informal)	Zbogom	Neutral	[zbɔ̂ɡɔm]
Bye! (casual)	Bok!	Casual	[bɔk]
See you later	Vidimo se kasnije	Casual	[ʋîdimɔ sɛ kǎsni̯ɛ]
See you tomorrow	Vidimo se sutra	Casual	[ʋîdimɔ sɛ sût̪ra]
See you soon	Vidimo se uskoro	Casual	[ʋîdimɔ sɛ ǔskɔrɔ]
Talk to you later	Čujemo se kasnije	Casual	[t͡ʃǔjɛmɔ sɛ kǎsni̯ɛ]
Take care	Pazi na sebe	Casual/Warm	[pǎzi na sɛ̂bɛ]
Good night	Laku noć	Neutral	[lâku nɔt͡ɕ]
Sleep well	Spavaj dobro	Casual	[spǎʋaj dɔ̂brɔ]
Nice to have met you	Drago mi je da smo se upoznali	Formal/Warm	[drâɡɔ mi je da smɔ sɛ ǔpɔznali]
Until next time!	Do sljedećeg puta!	Neutral	[dɔ slĕdɛt͡ʃɛɡ pûta]

Please and Sorry in Croatian

“Molim” is one of Croatian’s most versatile words – it means please, you’re welcome, and can also be used like “pardon?” when you didn’t hear something. Worth learning early.

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Please	Molim	Neutral	[mɔ̂lim]
Could you please…?	Možete li molim vas…?	Formal	[mɔ̂ʒɛtɛ li mɔ̂lim ʋas]
Excuse me (to get attention)	Oprostite	Formal	[ɔprɔ̂stitɛ]
Excuse me (casual)	Oprosti	Casual	[ɔprɔ̂sti]
Sorry, that wasn’t intentional	Oprosti, to nije bila namjera	Casual	[ɔprɔ̂sti tɔ nǐjɛ bǐla nâmjɛra]
I apologise	Ispričavam se	Formal	[isprǐt͡ʃaʋam sɛ]
Sorry, I didn’t mean to	Oprosti, nisam to namjerno napravio	Casual	[ɔprɔ̂sti nǐsam tɔ nâmjɛrnɔ naprâʋiɔ]
No worries	Nema veze	Casual	[nɛ̂ma ʋɛ̂zɛ]

How to Introduce Yourself in Croatian

When meeting someone in Croatia for the first time, these phrases cover the basics. Note that Croatian uses “ti” (casual) and “Vi” (formal) – similar to French tu/vous.

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
My name is Jonas	Zovem se Jonas	Neutral	[zǒʋem sɛ jônas]
What is your name? (formal)	Kako se zovete?	Formal	[kâkɔ sɛ zɔʋɛtɛ]
What is your name? (casual)	Kako se zoveš?	Casual	[kâkɔ sɛ zɔʋɛʃ]
Nice to meet you (formal)	Drago mi je upoznati Vas	Formal	[drâɡɔ mi je ǔpɔznati ʋas]
Nice to meet you (casual)	Drago mi je	Casual	[drâɡɔ mi je]
Where are you from? (formal)	Odakle ste?	Formal	[ɔdâklɛ stɛ]
Where are you from? (casual)	Odakle si?	Casual	[ɔdâklɛ si]
I’m from London	Ja sam iz Londona	Neutral	[jâ sam iz lɔndɔ̂na]
Where do you live?	Gdje živiš?	Casual	[ɡd̪jɛ ʒǐʋiʃ]
I live in Berlin	Živim u Berlinu	Neutral	[ʒǐʋiːm u bɛrlǐnu]
I’m a tourist	Ja sam turist	Neutral	[jâ sam turǐst]

Do You Speak Croatian? – Language Phrases

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Do you speak English? (formal)	Govorite li engleski?	Formal	[ɡɔʋɔrǐtɛ li ěnɡlɛski]
Do you speak English? (casual)	Govoriš li engleski?	Casual	[ɡɔʋɔrîʃ li ěnɡlɛski]
Yes, I speak English	Da, govorim engleski	Neutral	[da, ɡɔʋɔrǐm ěnɡlɛski]
I speak a little Croatian	Govorim malo hrvatskog	Neutral	[ɡɔʋɔrǐm mâlɔ xrʋǎtskɔɡ]
I don’t understand	Ne razumijem	Neutral	[nɛ razǔmijɛm]
Could you repeat that?	Možete li ponoviti?	Formal	[mɔ̂ʒɛtɛ li pɔnɔʋǐti]
Could you speak more slowly?	Možete li govoriti sporije?	Formal	[mɔ̂ʒɛtɛ li ɡɔʋɔrǐti spɔrǐjɛ]
How do you say … in Croatian?	Kako se kaže … na hrvatskom?	Neutral	[kâkɔ sɛ kâʒɛ … na xrʋǎtskɔm]

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Useful “I am…” Phrases in Croatian

English	Croatian	IPA
I am hungry	Gladan sam (m) / Gladna sam (f)	[ɡlǎdan sam]
I am thirsty	Žedan sam (m) / Žedna sam (f)	[ʒědan sam]
I am tired	Umoran sam (m) / Umorna sam (f)	[ǔmɔran sam]
I am lost	Izgubio sam se (m) / Izgubila sam se (f)	[izɡǔbiɔ sam sɛ]
I need help!	Trebam pomoć!	[trɛ̂bam pǒːmɔt͡ɕ]
I am ill	Bolan sam (m) / Bolna sam (f)	[bɔ̂lan sam]
I am happy	Sretan sam (m) / Sretna sam (f)	[srɛ̂tan sam]
I am in a hurry	Žurim	[ʒǔriːm]
I am late	Kasnim	[kâsniːm]
I am ready	Spreman sam (m) / Spremna sam (f)	[sprɛ̂man sam]
I am allergic to…	Alergičan sam na…	[alɛrɡǐt͡ʃan sam na]
I am 30 years old	Imam trideset godina	[ǐmam trǐdɛsɛt ɡǒdina]

Note: Croatian adjectives change ending based on gender. (m) = masculine, (f) = feminine.

Practical Phrases for Travellers in Croatia

These are the phrases that actually come up – at restaurants, on the street, at the market.

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
How much does this cost?	Koliko košta?	Neutral	[kɔlǐkɔ kɔ̂ʃta]
Could I have the bill, please?	Može li račun, molim?	Neutral	[mɔ̂ʒɛ li rât͡ʃun mɔ̂lim]
Where is…?	Gdje je…?	Neutral	[ɡd̪jɛ jɛ]
I would like…	Želio bih… (m) / Željela bih… (f)	Formal	[ʒɛliɔ bix]
Do you have…?	Imate li…?	Formal	[ǐmatɛ li]
I’ll take this	Uzet ću ovo	Neutral	[ûzɛt t͡ɕu ɔʋɔ]
Can I pay by card?	Mogu li platiti karticom?	Neutral	[mɔ̂ɡu li platǐti kârtit͡sɔm]
Is there a toilet nearby?	Ima li tu negdje toalet?	Neutral	[ǐma li tu nɛ̂ɡd̪jɛ tɔalɛ̂t]
I’m vegetarian	Ja sam vegetarijanac (m) / vegetarijanka (f)	Neutral	[jâ sam ʋɛɡɛtarijânats]
Very delicious!	Jako ukusno!	Casual	[jâkɔ ûkusnɔ]
Cheers!	Živjeli!	Neutral	[ʒîʋjɛli]

Yes, No and Basic Answers in Croatian

English	Croatian	Register	IPA
Yes	Da	Neutral	[da]
No	Ne	Neutral	[nɛ]
Maybe	Možda	Neutral	[mɔ̂ʒda]
Of course!	Naravno!	Neutral	[nǎraʋnɔ]
Exactly!	Točno!	Neutral	[tɔ̂t͡ʃnɔ]
I agree	Slažem se	Neutral	[slǎʒɛm sɛ]
I don’t know	Ne znam	Neutral	[nɛ znâm]
OK / Alright	U redu	Neutral	[u rědu]
No problem	Nema problema	Casual	[nɛ̂ma prɔblɛ̂ma]

Useful Signs and Notices in Croatian

English	Croatian	IPA
Entrance	Ulaz	[ǔlaz]
Exit	Izlaz	[ǐzlaz]
Toilet	Toalet / WC	[tɔalɛ̂t]
Open	Otvoreno	[ɔtʋɔrěnɔ]
Closed	Zatvoreno	[zatʋɔrěnɔ]
Attention!	Pažnja!	[pǎʒɲa]
Caution!	Oprez!	[ɔprɛ̂z]
No entry	Zabranjen ulaz	[zabrǎɲɛn ǔlaz]
Police	Policija	[pɔlǐt͡sija]
Emergency services	Hitna pomoć	[xǐtna pǒːmɔt͡ɕ]
Hospital	Bolnica	[bɔ̂lnit͡sa]
Pharmacy	Ljekarna	[ʎɛkǎrna]

Numbers 1–25 in Croatian

English	Croatian	IPA
One	Jedan	[jědan]
Two	Dva	[d̪ʋâ]
Three	Tri	[trî]
Four	Četiri	[t͡ʃětiri]
Five	Pet	[pêt]
Six	Šest	[ʃêst]
Seven	Sedam	[sědam]
Eight	Osam	[ǒsam]
Nine	Devet	[děʋet]
Ten	Deset	[dêset]
Eleven	Jedanaest	[jɛdanǎɛst]
Twelve	Dvanaest	[d̪ʋǎnaɛst]
Thirteen	Trinaest	[trǐnaɛst]
Fourteen	Četrnaest	[t͡ʃɛtr̩nǎɛst]
Fifteen	Petnaest	[pětnaɛst]
Sixteen	Šesnaest	[ʃěsnaɛst]
Seventeen	Sedamnaest	[sɛdǎmnaɛst]
Eighteen	Osamnaest	[ɔsǎmnaɛst]
Nineteen	Devetnaest	[dɛʋɛtnaɛst]
Twenty	Dvadeset	[d̪ʋǎdɛsɛt]
Twenty-one	Dvadeset jedan	[d̪ʋǎdɛsɛt jědan]
Twenty-two	Dvadeset dva	[d̪ʋǎdɛsɛt d̪ʋâ]
Twenty-three	Dvadeset tri	[d̪ʋǎdɛsɛt trî]
Twenty-four	Dvadeset četiri	[d̪ʋǎdɛsɛt t͡ʃětiri]
Twenty-five	Dvadeset pet	[d̪ʋǎdɛsɛt pêt]

Colours in Croatian

English	Croatian	IPA
Red	Crvena	[tsrʋěna]
Blue	Plava	[plǎːʋa]
Yellow	Žuta	[ʒûːta]
Green	Zelena	[zɛlɛ̌na]
Orange	Narančasta	[nǎrant͡ʃasta]
Purple	Ljubičasta	[ʎubǐ̞t͡ʃasta]
Pink	Ružičasta	[rûʒit͡ʃasta]
Brown	Smeđa	[smɛ̂d͡ʑa]
Black	Crna	[tsr̂na]
White	Bijela	[bîjɛla]
Grey	Siva	[sǐʋa]

Days, Months and Seasons in Croatian

English	Croatian	IPA
Monday	Ponedjeljak	[pɔnɛ̌d͡jɛʎak]
Tuesday	Utorak	[ǔtɔrak]
Wednesday	Srijeda	[srjěda]
Thursday	Četvrtak	[t͡ʃɛ̂tʋrtak]
Friday	Petak	[pětak]
Saturday	Subota	[sǔbɔta]
Sunday	Nedjelja	[nɛ̌d͡jɛʎa]
January	Siječanj	[sîɛt͡ʃaɲ]
February	Veljača	[ʋɛ̂ʎat͡ʃa]
March	Ožujak	[ǒʒujak]
April	Travanj	[trǎʋaɲ]
May	Svibanj	[sʋîbaɲ]
June	Lipanj	[lǐpaɲ]
July	Srpanj	[sr̩̂paɲ]
August	Kolovoz	[kɔ̂lɔʋɔz]
September	Rujan	[rûjan]
October	Listopad	[lǐstɔpad]
November	Studeni	[stǔdɛni]
December	Prosinac	[prǒsinat͡s]
Spring	Proljeće	[prɔʎět͡ʃɛ]
Summer	Ljeto	[ʎětɔ]
Autumn	Jesen	[jɛ̌sɛn]
Winter	Zima	[zǐma]

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About the author: Sven Mancini

Sven is a published language author and the founder of Learn-A-New-Language.eu. He has learned Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and French through self-study and is currently working on Spanish – using the same systematic vocabulary methods he documented in four published books. He has tested more than 30 language courses and apps over the past two decades.

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