Basic Croatian Greetings and Everyday Phrases

Learn how to greet, introduce yourself, thank, apologize, and say goodbye in Croatian, with easy pronunciation guides.

Bok (bohk) β€” Hi / Bye (casual)

The most common casual greeting, used for both meeting and parting.

Dobar dan (DOH-bar dahn) β€” Hello (formal)

Used at any time of day with strangers or older people, when a bit more formality is called for.

Dobro jutro (DOH-broh YOO-troh) β€” Good morning

Used during the morning hours.

Laku noć (LAH-koo notch) — Good night

Said when parting ways before bed.

Kako si? (KAH-koh see) β€” How are you? (informal)

Used to ask how a friend or peer is doing.

Kako ste? (KAH-koh steh) β€” How are you? (formal)

The polite version, used with strangers or elders.

Dobro, hvala (DOH-broh HVAH-lah) β€” Fine, thanks

The standard reply to either question above.

Hvala (HVAH-lah) β€” Thank you

The most basic way to say thanks.

Molim (MOH-leem) β€” Please / You're welcome / Pardon?

A flexible word used to make a request, to reply to thanks, and even to ask someone to repeat themselves.

Oprostite (oh-PROH-stee-teh) β€” Sorry (formal)

Used to apologize or politely address a stranger; the informal version is "Oprosti" (oh-PROH-stee).

Da / Ne (dah / neh) β€” Yes / No

The most basic response words.

Zovem se ~ (ZOH-vem seh) β€” My name is ~

Literally "I am called ~" β€” fill in the blank with your own name.

DoviΔ‘enja (doh-vee-JEN-yah) β€” Goodbye (formal)

Used for a formal farewell; among friends, "Bok" is far more common.

Croatian Is a South Slavic Language Written in Latin Script

Croatian is closely related to Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin, and speakers of these languages can generally understand each other easily, but Croatian is distinguished by its use of the Latin alphabet rather than Cyrillic.

One Small Word Covers Please, You're Welcome, and Pardon

"Molim" is one of the most useful words to learn first, since it politely fills several roles that would each need a different word in English β€” worth remembering even before longer phrases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use "Bok" with someone I just met?

It is casual and best used with people your own age or people you already know; for strangers, older people, or formal situations, "Dobar dan" is the safer choice.

Is Croatian similar to Serbian?

Yes, the two are very closely related and mutually intelligible for the most part, with the main practical difference for learners being that Croatian uses Latin script while Serbian commonly uses both Cyrillic and Latin.