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Croatian language for beginners
By Bok! · Checked on 30 October 2026
Croatian is the language you hear at work, in shops and at the police office in Croatia. If you are a new worker, you can start with four simple topics: greetings, numbers, work phrases and the words on forms. Bok! lessons 1 to 4 are free, with audio and explanations in your language.
Short answer
- The Croatian language uses the Latin alphabet, with a few extra letters such as č, ć, đ, š and ž.
- You can learn Croatian language basics step by step: first greetings, then numbers and time, then work phrases, then personal details for forms.
- Bok! lessons 1 to 4 are free. Each lesson has audio and is explained in Nepali, Tagalog, Hindi or English.
What is the Croatian language?
Croatian is the official language of Croatia. The Constitution says that Croatian and the Latin script are in official use in Croatia (art. 12 of the Constitution, consolidated text NN 85/2010).
New letters and sounds
Most Croatian letters look like English letters. But there are some new ones: č, ć, dž, đ, lj, nj, š, ž. In the Croatian spelling guide (Hrvatski pravopis), the alphabet has 30 letters: 27 single letters and 3 letters written with two signs, dž, lj and nj. Each of these three counts as one letter. The letters q, w, x and y are not among the 30; the spelling guide uses them when writing foreign names and words.
The spelling guide lists č and ć as two different sounds, and dž and đ as two different sounds. For example, it gives četiri as a word with č and pomoć as a word with ć.
Here are rough English hints from our lesson 4. They are only a help to start. Listen to the audio and copy it.
[UNVERIFIED, checked 30 Oct 2026: the English sound hints below are approximate teaching aids from Bok! lesson 4. We found no official source that compares Croatian sounds with English words. The č/ć and dž/đ hints are simplified. A native-speaker review is still open.]
| Letter | Rough English hint | Example from our lessons |
|---|---|---|
| č | like "ch" in "church" | četiri (4); Smjena počinje u šest sati. (The shift starts at six o'clock.) |
| ć | a softer "ch" | Trebam pomoć. (I need help.) |
| dž | like "j" in "jam" | not in lessons 1 to 4 |
| đ | a softer "dž" | datum rođenja (date of birth) |
| j | like "y" in "yes" | Dobro jutro. (Good morning.) |
| lj | like "lli" in "million" | ponedjeljak (Monday), audio in lesson 2 |
| nj | like "ny" in "canyon" | počinje in the č example above |
| š | like "sh" | Koliko košta? (How much does it cost?) |
| ž | like "s" in "measure" | Možete li ponoviti, molim? (Can you repeat, please?) |
For more on č, š and ž, with words for tools and safety, see Croatian words for work.
Lesson 1: greetings and introductions
Start with the words you need on your first day. Our tip from lesson 1: say Dobar dan to your boss and to people you don't know. Use Bok only with friends and colleagues.
| Croatian | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Dobar dan. | Good day. / Hello. | |
| Dobro jutro. | Good morning. | see the table above |
| Hvala. | Thank you. | in lesson 1 |
| Molim. | Please. / You're welcome. | in lesson 1 |
| Oprostite. | Excuse me. / Sorry. | in lesson 1 |
| Kako se zovete? | What is your name? | |
| Ja sam iz Nepala. | I am from Nepal. | |
| Ja sam iz Indije. Ja sam s Filipina. | I am from India. I am from the Philippines. | in lesson 1 |
Polite questions end in -te or -ste, like Kako se zovete? If you don't understand, ask Možete li ponoviti, molim? (audio in the letters table above).
Lesson 2: numbers, time and dates
You need numbers for your shift, your pay and the shop.
| Croatian | English |
|---|---|
| jedan, dva, tri, četiri, pet | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| šest, sedam, osam, devet, deset | 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Koliko je sati? | What time is it? |
| Sada je osam sati. | It is eight o'clock now. |
| Koliko košta? | How much does it cost? (audio above) |
| Pet eura. | Five euros. |
| ponedjeljak, utorak, srijeda, četvrtak | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday |
| petak, subota, nedjelja | Friday, Saturday, Sunday |
All these words have audio in the lesson.
Lesson 3: work and daily life
A few phrases help a lot at work:
| Croatian | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Gdje radite? | Where do you work? | |
| Radim u hotelu. | I work in a hotel. | in lesson 3 |
| Kada počinje smjena? | When does the shift start? | in lesson 3 |
| Trebam pomoć. | I need help. | see the letters table above |
| Oprez! | Caution! | in lesson 3 |
Need words for tools, safety and your job? See Croatian words for work.
Lesson 4: personal details and forms
At the police office, the bank or the doctor you will fill in forms. These words are on many of them:
| Croatian | English |
|---|---|
| ime | first name |
| prezime | surname / family name |
| Kako se piše vaše prezime? | How do you spell your surname? |
| adresa | address |
| datum rođenja | date of birth (audio above) |
| državljanstvo | citizenship / nationality |
| potpis | signature |
| OIB (osobni identifikacijski broj) | OIB: Croatian personal identification number, 11 digits |
The OIB has 11 digits, according to the Tax Administration. Tip from our lesson 4: write the date of birth as day, month, year, with a dot after each number, for example 4. 6. 1995.
Is Croatian hard to learn?
It depends on you, your time and how often you hear Croatian. We will not give you a number of hours, because there is no fair number for everyone. Here is what new learners often find new:
- New letters and sounds. Learn č, ć, đ, š, ž, lj and nj first. Then reading signs gets easier.
- Polite forms. With your boss and with officials, you use the polite form (-te, -ste).
- Time. In lesson 2 you will see that pola devet means 8:30, not 9:30.
The good news: you do not need long sentences to start. Short phrases like Dobar dan., Hvala. and Trebam pomoć. already help at work. Ten minutes a day with audio is a good habit.
Why many workers learn Croatian now
A new law says that from 4 June 2027, many foreign workers who have lived in Croatia for at least one year on a residence-and-work permit need proof of A1.1 Croatian, a beginner level of Croatian, to renew the permit or to get a new one. Some people do not need it, for example seasonal workers (art. 92.a, added by NN 55/2026; art. 70 sets the date). For the details, see A1.1 Croatian exam for your work permit and A1.1 vs B1 Croatian. Waiting for your permit? See Croatia work permit processing time. Coming from Nepal or India? See Croatia work permit for Nepali citizens or Croatia work permit for Indian citizens. To follow your application, see How to check your Croatia work permit status.
Practise and keep going
When you finish the first lessons, test your listening with our free A1.1 Croatian practice test. It is practice made by Bok!, not the real exam.
Bok! is exam preparation, not an official exam, not a certificate, not a visa agency and not legal advice. Rules can change; check the official sources below.
Learn Croatian language basics with Bok! Lessons 1 to 4 are free, with audio and quizzes, explained in Nepali, Tagalog, Hindi or English.
FAQ
Can I learn Croatian for free?
Yes, you can start for free. Bok! lessons 1 to 4 are free: greetings, numbers and time, work and daily life, and personal details and forms. Start lesson 1.
How do I pronounce č and ć?
They are two different letters and sounds. As a rough hint (a teaching aid from our lesson 4, not an official rule), č is like "ch" in "church", and ć is a softer "ch". Listen to četiri in lesson 2 and Trebam pomoć. above, and copy the audio.
Is Croatian written in the Latin alphabet?
Yes. The Constitution says Croatian and the Latin script are in official use (art. 12). The Croatian spelling guide lists 30 letters, including č, ć, dž, đ, lj, nj, š and ž.
Do I need Croatian for my work permit?
From 4 June 2027, many workers with a residence-and-work permit need proof of A1.1 Croatian after at least one year in Croatia, for a renewal and for a new permit. Some people do not need it, for example seasonal workers. Read our full guide.
Is Bok! the official exam?
No. Bok! is preparation. It is not an official exam and does not give an official certificate.
Sources
- Constitution of the Republic of Croatia (Ustav Republike Hrvatske), consolidated text, NN 85/2010, art. 12 (Croatian language and Latin script in official use): narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2010_07_85_2422.html
- Narodne novine 55/2026, Law amending the Law on Foreigners (art. 19 adding art. 92.a; art. 70 on the start date): narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2026_05_55_692.html
- Institute of Croatian Language (IHJJ), Hrvatski pravopis, letters (27 single letters and 3 two-sign letters dž, lj, nj; q, w, x, y for foreign names and words): pravopis.hr/slova/; sounds: glas č, glas ć, glas dž, glas đ
- Tax Administration (Porezna uprava), what an OIB is (11 digits): porezna-uprava.gov.hr/hr/osnovne-informacije/7832
Checked on 30 October 2026.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change. For your own case, ask your employer, the police administration (MUP) or a lawyer.