12 Croatian phrases you will use this week: shop, work and doctor, with how to say them

You don't need perfect Croatian to get through a day. These 12 short phrases cover greetings, shops, work and the doctor, with a simple pronunciation. Save it, and try one today.

Published 2026-10-17 · Source checked 2026-10-16

A few Croatian phrases open a lot of doors: a smile at the shop, a clear answer at work, a calm message at the doctor. Here are 12, with a simple pronunciation (capital letters are the stressed part).^[1]

1. Good morning: Dobro jutro (DOH-broh YOO-troh). Good afternoon: Dobar dan (DOH-bahr dahn). Use these with colleagues, neighbours and shop staff.^[1]

Also read:Croatia NewsShops shut again: the Sundays and holidays when you can't buy food in Croatia (1 and 18 November are next)

2. Please / you're welcome: Molim (MOH-leem). Thank you: Hvala (HVAH-lah). Thank you very much: Hvala lijepa.^[1]

3. Excuse me: Oprostite (oh-PROHS-tee-teh). Use it to get someone's attention.^[1]

4. I speak a little Croatian: Govorim malo hrvatski (GOH-voh-reem MAH-loh HUHR-vahts-kee).^[1]

5. Do you speak English? Govorite li engleski? (goh-VOH-ree-teh lee EN-gless-kee).^[1]

6. I don't understand: Ne razumijem (neh rah-ZOO-mee-yem). I understand: Razumijem.^[1]

7. Can you repeat, please? Možete li ponoviti, molim? (MOH-zheh-teh lee poh-NOH-vee-tee). And: How much is it? Koliko košta? (KOH-lee-koh KOSH-tah). These two are everyday standard Croatian; they are not in the Wikivoyage list.

8. Doors and signs: Ulaz (entrance), Izlaz (exit), Otvoreno (open), Zatvoreno (closed). Zatvoreno is the word you will see on a Sunday.^[1]

9. At the doctor: Treba mi doktor (TREH-bah mee DOHK-tohr), I need a doctor. Bolestan sam (men) or Bolesna sam (women): I am sick.^[1]

10. Emergency: Hitno je (HEET-noh yeh), it's urgent. Upomoć! (OO-poh-mohch) means Help! Police: Policija.^[1]

11. Numbers 1 to 10: jedan, dva, tri, četiri, pet, šest, sedam, osam, devet, deset. Useful for prices, shifts and addresses.^[1]

12. Goodbye: Do viđenja (doh VEE-jeh-nyah). Among friends, Bok.^[1]

Two tips: the spelling is mostly phonetic, so read the word as written; and stress usually falls on the second-last or third-last syllable. Learning these also helps if you need the A1 language test for permit renewal; see our linked article for the rule.

Which phrase do you want us to explain next, work, rent or the bank? Tell us in the comments.

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