How to Learn Croatian, Step by Step

To learn Croatian, learn its letters first, because each one stands for one sound, then learn the endings by reading Croatian you can follow. About 5.1 million people spoke Croatian as their first language in 2021–2023. Croatia's constitution makes it the official language, and it has been an EU language since 2013.

How to Learn Croatian, Step by Step

Steps 1 to 3 belong in your first weeks. After that, stay with steps 4 to 6.

• 🔤One Letter, One SoundCroatian is written the way it sounds, and lj, nj and dž each count as one letter. Ljubav (love) starts with lj.
• 👂Learn č and ć With Each WordČ and ć are two letters, and many Croatians say them almost the same. Learn the spelling with each word, like čaj (tea) and noć (night).
• 📝Learn the Croatian ije SpellingCroatian writes ije or je in many words where the form used in Serbia has e, so “river” is rijeka in Croatian and reka in Serbia.
• 🎵Listen for Long Vowels and PitchDictionaries mark long vowels and rising or falling pitch, and everyday writing doesn't. The forms of lonac (pot) use all four accents.
• 🧩Watch the Endings ChangeAfter u (in, at), škola (school) becomes školi, as in u školi (at school). Notice forms like this when you read.
• 🗣️Talk With People EarlyOnce you can ask Kako si? (How are you?), find a tutor or exchange partner, and ask which word sounded off.

Wiktionary lets you hear ljubav and many other words, and Tako Lako has free, open textbooks online. SBS's Lagani hrvatski is a podcast in easy Croatian, and italki lists Croatian tutors. The best way to learn Croatian compares how different study methods fit your goal, and the easiest way to learn Croatian explains which parts of Croatian take practice.

Find Where You Are

Bubblegum is a language app with Croatian lessons about topics you pick, and each lesson has audio. Poppy, your AI tutor, matches each lesson to a level from 1 to 6. Choose the line below that fits you, and start with its suggestion.

1. Level 1

   I'm just starting out or know only a few words.

   Play a short lesson, and copy how the speaker says lj and nj.

2. Level 2

   I can handle simple exchanges.

   Work through a Tako Lako textbook chapter, and do its exercises out loud.

3. Level 3

   I follow conversations on familiar topics.

   Listen to Lagani hrvatski, and ask a tutor about any word that sounded different from what you expected.

4. Level 4

   I understand most content but miss some nuance.

   Listen to the news on HRT radio, and ask your tutor about one word a week that you couldn't catch.

5. Level 5

   I read complex topics but rare words slow me down.

   Read Croatian news, and look up rare words in the Hrvatski jezični portal.

6. Level 6

   I can read almost anything.

   Read a Croatian novel, and notice the words that differ from Serbian and Bosnian.

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