20 Croatian phrases for your Istria holiday

In short

Most people in Istria working with visitors speak English, German or Italian, but a few words of Croatian are always appreciated. Learn dobar dan (good day), hvala (thank you), molim (please) and račun, molim (the bill, please), and remember that Istria is officially bilingual, so you will also see Italian on signs.

You can get through a holiday in Istria without a word of Croatian. Most people in shops, restaurants and tourist services speak English, German or Italian. But greeting people in their own language opens doors, earns smiles and sometimes a free glass of rakija. Here are the phrases our guests find most useful.

How to pronounce Croatian

Croatian is written as it sounds: one letter, one sound. The letters that differ from English:

Letter	Sounds like
c	ts, as in cats
č, ć	ch, as in church
š	sh, as in shop
ž	s in pleasure
j	y, as in yes
dž, đ	j, as in jam
r	rolled, and can act as a vowel (Krk)

Greetings and basics

Dobar dan (DOH-bar dahn) – Good day / hello
Dobro jutro (DOH-broh YOO-troh) – Good morning
Dobra večer (DOH-brah VEH-chehr) – Good evening
Bok (bohk) – Hi / bye (informal)
Doviđenja (doh-vee-JEH-nyah) – Goodbye
Molim (MOH-leem) – Please; also “you’re welcome” and “pardon?”
Hvala (HVAH-lah) – Thank you
Da / Ne (dah / neh) – Yes / No
Oprostite (oh-PROH-stee-teh) – Excuse me / sorry
Govorite li engleski? (GOH-voh-ree-teh lee EN-gleh-skee) – Do you speak English?

At the restaurant

Stol za šest, molim (stohl zah shest) – A table for six, please
Jelovnik, molim (YEH-lohv-neek) – The menu, please
Čaša vina / pivo (CHAH-shah VEE-nah / PEE-voh) – A glass of wine / a beer
Voda (VOH-dah) – Water
Račun, molim (RAH-choon, MOH-leem) – The bill, please
Živjeli! (ZHEE-vyeh-lee) – Cheers!

Shopping and getting around

Koliko košta? (KOH-lee-koh KOH-shtah) – How much is it?
Gdje je…? (gdyeh yeh) – Where is…?
Plaža (PLAH-zhah) – Beach
Ljekarna (LYEH-kar-nah) – Pharmacy

Words you will see on signs

Prodaja – For sale (on farm gates: wine, olive oil, honey)
Otvoreno / Zatvoreno – Open / Closed
Ulaz / Izlaz – Entrance / Exit
Konoba – A traditional tavern (see what is a konoba)
Ribarnica – Fish market
Tržnica – Market

Italian in Istria

Istria has a long Italian heritage, and in many towns along the west coast Italian is an official language alongside Croatian. Road signs and town names often appear in both: Poreč / Parenzo, Novigrad / Cittanova, Rovinj / Rovigno. If you speak Italian, you will often be understood.

A few local words

Istrians speak their own regional dialects, mixing Croatian and Venetian words. You may hear fuži (the local pasta), bukaleta (a ceramic wine jug) and maneštra (a thick vegetable soup) on menus. Our guide to Istrian dishes explains what to order.

Ask us anything

We answer messages in English, German, Italian and Croatian. If you are staying at Villa Duga, Villa Bina or Villa Cvita Domenica, just ask us how to say something. Or try it on us: dobar dan!

Opening times, timetables and prices change from year to year, so check them with the venue before you go.

Questions and answers

Do people speak English in Istria?

Yes, widely in tourism, especially among younger people. German and Italian are also common, and Italian is an official language in parts of Istria.

How do you say thank you in Croatian?

Hvala (HVAH-lah). Hvala lijepa (HVAH-lah LYEH-pah) means thank you very much.

Is Croatian hard to pronounce?

It is spelled phonetically: each letter has one sound. Learn a few special letters, such as č and ć (ch), š (sh), ž (like the s in pleasure) and j (y), and you can read most words aloud.

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