So Which Croatian Expressions Have You Learnt on Your Holiday in Zaton

A truly unique souvenir or a memory that never grows old, that’s what a few words of Croatian you learnt on a holiday in Zaton represent. Maybe they were perfect introductions to new friendships, maybe you just found them fun, or simply useful. You also may find the language surprisingly easy or tongue-twisting and difficult, but a few words of Croatian surely have given your holiday interesting new elements.

Here is a reminder of some Croatian basics:

Dobar dan! to everyone

How to hit it off with Croatians from the first second? By wishing them a good day (Cro. dobar dan, pronounced as ‘doh-bar done’), be it at the border crossing, reception desk upon arrival to Zaton Holiday Resort, bakery as you fetched the morning bread or at a pool bar as you went to get an afternoon refreshment.

Accept it with da, refuse it with ne

Black and white, day and night, yes and no or, as Croatians would say, da and ne (pronounced as ‘duh’ and ‘neh’). Surely you had at least some of the following dilemmas to deal with: da to some ice-cream, ne to lemon flavour (or other you are not a fan of); da to the beach and the pool in Zaton, ne to staying indoors all day long; da to mini disco, a musical and live music in the evening, ne to being bored, when there was so much you could do all day long.

Ask for it with molim, thank for it with hvala

Remember the time when you felt like grabbing a bite to eat or something to drink? Can you think of the one word that is enough to say ‘Could I have some…, please?’ It’s molim (pronounced as ‘moh-leem’, which goes hand in hand with hvala (Cro. ‘thank you’, pronounced as ‘hvah-lah’). Whether you were in the traditional Dalmatian tavern, a pizza place or a pool bar, asking for the check couldn’t have been easier with račun, molim (Cro. ‘check, please’, pronounced as ‘rah-choon’).

Find your way with gdje je

Maybe you wanted to buy groceries at the supermarket or you were looking for the Flip-Flop Activity Park for some fun. Maybe you weren’t sure how to get to the Sea Organ in Zadar or where to find the Statue of Gregory of Nin for good luck. For some directions, all you needed were two words: gdje je…? (Cro. ‘where is…’, pronounced as ‘gdyeh yeh’).

Sum up your holiday experience with odlično!

How was your accommodation and the resort? How was the food? How was the entertainment and activities available? In a word, it must have been great, fabulous, perfect, unforgettable, simply odlično! (pronounced as ‘od-leech-noh’).

Saying goodbye with doviđenja!

When it must happen, it’s the best possible farewell! It’s the one expression that implies the hope to see each other again. As you nostalgically wave goodbye to Zaton Holiday Resort, simply say doviđenja! (pronounced as ‘doh-vee-jenny-ah’) and look forward to new adventures in the year to come!