Bog! Croats love it when you try to talk in their language. Even if it’s only a few simple phrases or just saying hello as an introduction to the conversation or as a simple greeting. We have already written an article about the most common phrases in Croatian and this one will be all about how to say hello in Croatian language. It won’t be a long article, so stay with us until the end and impress the locals by saying hello in their language.
Everybody says that learning Croatian is hard, but you’ll see that the greetings in this language are very easy to learn and pronounce.
A Quick Intro to the Croatian Language First things first, let us present you with the few facts about the Croatian language. It belongs to a Slavic language , which means it might sound a bit different if you’re used to English or Roman languages. Even though you are not familiar with it, greetings are very simple and easy to learn. Plus, Croatians appreciate the effort, even if you pronounce the words incorrectly (nobody will judge you, we promise). Also, the words in Croatian are pronounced as they are written.
Now, let’s explore some of the many ways you can say hello in Croatian!
1. Bok! Bog! (The Friendly Hello) This is the most common and casual way to say hello in Croatia. It’s short, simple, and easy to learn and pronounce. Bog also means God in Croatian. This might sound strange, but it’s not related to church in any way.
When to use this greeting in Croatia: With people you know, in casual settings, or when greeting people your age.Example: Bok (Bog), kako si? (Hi, how are you?)
2. Dobar dan! (The Formal Hello) If you’re in a more formal situation , such as meeting someone for the first time, speaking to an elder, or entering a shop, you might want to go with a more formal and polite greeting. That’s when we use the word ‘Dobar’ along with the time of the day, so we usually have 3 kinds of this type of hello in Croatian.
Dobar dan = Good day (used mostly in the afternoon)Dobro jutro = Good morning Dobra večer = Good evening Example: Dobar dan, imate li stol za dvoje? (Good day, do you have a table for two?)
3. Zdravo! (The Universal Hello) If you want to sound a bit more Slavic, you can simply say Zdravo , a somewhat universal greeting in all of the former Yugoslavia. It’s friendly and can be used in both casual and semi-formal situations, although not so many people in Croatia use it.
When to use it: Works in almost any situation.Example: Zdravo, drago mi je što te vidim! (Hello, nice to see you!)
4. Ej! Hej! (The Cool, Casual Hello) Just like in English, Croatians say “Hey” or “Hi” when greeting friends or want to get someone’s attention.
Ej, kako ide? (Hey, how’s it going?)Hej, dugo se nismo vidjeli! (Hey, long time no see!)
5. Servus! (The Old-School Hello) This greeting is a bit old-fashioned and you probably won’t hear anyone using it. It’s mostly used in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and northern parts of Croatia . If you say this version of hello in Croatian, locals will know you’ve done your homework!
Example: Servus, prijatelju! (Hello, my friend!)
6. Alo! (The Phone Hello in Croatian) If you’re answering the phone, Alo! (shorter for Halo!) is the most common way to say hello, just like “Hello?” in English.
Example: Alo, tko je na liniji? (Hello, who’s on the line?)
Final Thoughts: How to Pick the Right Hello Either way you choose to say hello in Croatian, you can’t get it wrong and the local person you’re talking to will love it. Here are the greetings we covered in this article, summarized in this table you can save and use any time you visit Croatia .
Croatian Hello When to Use It? Bok! Casual, friendly settings Dobar dan! Formal or polite greetings Dobro jutro! Morning greeting Dobra večer! Evening greeting Zdravo! Neutral, universal greeting Ej! / Hej! Informal, relaxed hello Servus! Traditional greeting in northern Croatia Alo! Halo! Answering the phone
Next time you visit Croatia , give these greetings a try! You might even get a response in Croatian and that’s where the real fun starts. Read our article about the most common phrases in Croatian to learn more about how to continue this conversation and trick a local into thinking you’re a local too.
