Speak Basic Croatian

Have you ever dreamed of speaking Croatian? Well, here are some really easy steps!

Steps

  1. In Croatian there are five or six vowels, depending on what you count, since R can sometimes function as a vowel.[1][2][3]:
    • A, a: [a] Stressed /a/ sounds like the "a" of Spanish or Italian "mano". English-speakers should aim for a sound that is between the "a" of "fat" and the "a" of "father", but somewhat closer to the latter. Unstressed /a/ generally approaches the sound of "u" in English "cup" or, especially when final, the "a" of "sofa".
    • E, e: [e] Stressed /e/ generally comes close to the "e" of English "bed"; in the vicinity of /j/, however, Croatian /e/ sounds more like the "a" of English "make". The unstressed variety sounds like a cross between the "e" of "bed" and the "u" of "bud".
    • I, i: [i] Stressed /i/ is pronounced like the "i" of Spanish or Italian "si". It is similar to the "i" of English "police", but shorter than the diphthong of English "green" or "seed". Unstressed /i/ is more like the "i" of English "sit", or, better, German "mit".
    • O, o: [o] Stressed /o/ is quite close to the "o" of Spanish "bola" or English "port". Unstressed /o/ tends to sound a little more like the "u" of American English "putt".
    • U, u: [u] Stressed /u/ is similar to the "u" of Spanish or Italian "tu" or the "oo" of English "boot". When unstressed, /u/ sounds more like the "u" of English "put".
    • R, r (which isn't always counted as a vowel, depending on its function in the context): [r] Stressed or unstressed syllabic /r/ consists of a short schwa [], like the "a" in English "sofa", followed by a trilled [r], as in Spanish "rojo" or "perro" (see also the "consonantal /r/" below). The initial syllable of "Hrvat", for example, sounds roughly like English "her" pronounced with a trilled /r/.
  2. In Croatian there are 25 consonants:
    • B, b: [b] as the "b" in "bag",
    • C, c: [ts] as the "ts" in "cats". This phoneme can occur word-initially in Croatian, a position it does not occupy in standard English. In vernacular English, however, the sound does occur initially in "'tsup?", an abbreviation of the phrase "What's up?"
    • Č ,č: as the "ch" in "check"
    • Ć ,ć: [t] no English equivalent. Place the tip of the tongue behind the lower front teeth and try to produce a "mixed sound" between the "ch" of "check" and the "t" (actually "ty") of British English "tune"
    • D, d: [d] as the "d" in "dog", except that the tip of the tongue touches the backs of the upper teeth, rather than the gum, as in English
    • Dž, dž as "j" in "jeep" or "jungle", but pronounced harder than in English
    • Đ ,đ: [d] no English equivalent. Place the tip of the tongue behind the lower front teeth and try to produce a "mixed sound" between the "j" of "jar" and the "d" (actually "dy") of British English "duke"
    • F, f: [f] as the "f" in English "fun"
    • G, g: [g] as the "g" in English "get"
    • H, h: [h] as the "j" of Spanish "mujer" or the "ch" of German "ach", but generally softer, less "harsh"-sounding than these. In unstressed syllables, /h/ may approach the [h] of English "hot". Some speakers use [h] in all positions.
    • J, j: [j] as the "y" of English "yes" or the "y" of English "boy", depending on whether it occurs at the beginning or the end of a syllable
    • K, k: [k] as the "c" of Spanish or Italian "caro" or the "unaspirated 'k'" of English "ski"
    • L, l: [l] as the "clear 'l'" of British English "like" or "let"(or that of Spanish or Italian "la"). In American English, these words may be pronounced with a "clear 'l'" or with a much "darker" variety similar to that which occurs at the ends of English words such as "dull" and "call". Croatian /l/ is always "clear". In addition, the tip of the tongue touches the backs of the upper teeth, rather than the gum, as in English.
    • LJ, lj: [lj] as the British English pronunciation of the "lli" in "million", i.e., with a "clear 'l'" followed by a short "y"-sound
    • M, m: [m] as the "m" in "meet"
    • N, n: [n] as the "n" in "note", but with the tip of the tongue touching the backs of the upper teeth, rather than the gum, as in English
    • NJ, nj: [nj] as the "ni" in "onion", i.e., an "n" followed by a short "y"-sound
    • P, p: [p] as the "p" in Spanish or Italian "palma" or the "unaspirated 'p'" of English "spy"
    • R, r: [r] as the "r" of Spanish or Italian "caro", i.e., a single flap of the tongue against the upper gum. This sound occurs in some Britons' pronunciation of the "r" of "very", which Americans hear as "veddy", as well as in most Americans' pronunciation of the "dd" in "ladder" and the "tt" of "latter", when these words are made to rhyme. Note: Croatian "r" may also function as a vowel (see above).
    • S, s: [s] as the "s" in English "six"
    • Š ,š : [] as the "sh" in English "ship"
    • T, t: [t] as the "t" in Spanish or Italian "tu" or the "unaspirated 't'" of English "stop", except that the tip of the tongue touches the backs of the upper teeth, rather than the gum
    • V, v: [v] as the "w" in Dutch "wat". When preceeding /e/ and /i/ in stressed syllables, the Croatian /v/ sounds similar to the English "v" in "vat", but with a "looser", more lax, contact between the lower lip and the upper teeth. When unstressed or preceeding /a/, /o/ and /u/, Croatian /v/ is weaker still, sounding to English-speakers much like the "w" of "war"
    • Z ,z: [z] as the "z" in English "zero"
    • Ž ,ž: [] as the "s" in "measure" or the "zh" in "Zhivago"
  3. After you read the pronunciation, you're probably thinking: "Gosh! I'm never going to learn it all!" But don't worry. It's really quite simple.

Croatian Words

  1. Hello- Bok!
  2. How Are You?- Kako ste? (KAH-ko steh)
  3. I am good- Ja sam dobro (Ya SAM dowbro)
  4. I am not well - Nisam dobro. (NiSAM dowbro)
  5. What is your name?- Kako se zoveš? (KA-ko say zoveish)
  6. How old are you? -Koliko imaš godina? (Koleeko ee-mash go-dee-NA)
  7. Sorry, I do not understand- Oprostite, ne razumijem. (O-pro-stee-te, nay raz-oom-ee-yem)
  8. Do you speak English?- Govorite li engleski? (gowe-vor-ee-TEh lee Ehn-GLEH-skee)
  9. Where is the bathroom?- Gdje je wc?(gdje-j(as y in yawn)-e(as in elephant)-wc-(the ve in very and tse)
  10. Excuse Me- Oprostite (o-pro-STEE-te)
  11. I would like- Želio bih... (Zhay-LEO bee)
  12. Can you help me?- Možete li mi pomoći? (MO-zhay-tay lee me po-MOchy)
  13. Thank You- Hvala (Hiv-AH-la)
  14. Please- molim (Mow-LEEM )
  15. I Love you- Volim te (VO-lim te)

Tips

  • Don't feel as if you can't walk up to a native Croatian speaker and start a conversation! Just go! Croats are generally very nice and will love that you are trying to learn their language!
  • Don't learn curse words first, it is very unpleasant to hear from a foreigner!
  • Try to tune into Croatian radio or Croatian TV just so you can get the accent. It will also help you feel a little less intimidated if someone starts to talk to you in Croatian.
  • Learning the Croatian alphabet you will be able to speak, read and write!

Warnings

  • There are some words that you can learn. But you need to learn MORE to talk to somebody!
  • DO NOT Curse or swear at people in Croatian. That will make them very angry.

Things You'll Need

  • Croatian Dictionary

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://skeravec.chez-alice.fr/Pronounc.html
  2. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbo-Croatian_phonology#Vowels
  3. ↑ http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/sampa/croatian.htm
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