Additional Latin characters
Č, ć, đ, š and ž distinguish words and names and must be preserved in full.
South Slavic language
Have Croatian translated
hrvatski
Croatian documents are often needed for civil-status matters, education, employment and European administrative procedures.
Croatian is spoken by approximately five to six million people in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and diaspora communities.
Geographical distribution of Croatian
- Main areas of use
- Other regional use
- Selected diaspora communities
Croatia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serbia
Germany
Austria
A schematic selection of the main areas where the language is used. Language use does not always follow national borders, and the map does not show complete population statistics.
Language profile
Croatian at a glance
- Native name
- hrvatski
- Language family
- South Slavic language
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Language code
- hr
Documents and areas of use
Common uses for this language combination
It is not just about the language. ABBA-Sprachendienste also takes into account the document type, recipient, subject area, certification requirements and the language combination you need.
Have your document checked- Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Certificates and diplomas
- Employment and pension records
- Contracts and powers of attorney
- Court and official documents
Origin and development
How the language developed
Croatian is a South Slavic language. The modern standard language is based largely on Shtokavian dialects and is written in the Latin script.
Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian and Montenegrin are closely related, but each has its own standard-language tradition and official designation. The specific language used in a document must be respected.
Good to know
What makes this language distinctive
Related, but distinct
Closely related South Slavic standard languages must not be treated as interchangeable in official documents without confirmation.
Historical names of states
Older documents may refer to Yugoslav authorities, registers and document types that must be placed in their historical context.
A glimpse of the language
Three phrases to start with
The transliteration is only a rough guide. Pronunciation and regional forms may differ.
| Original | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dobar dan | — | Good day |
| Hvala | — | Thank you |
| Molim | — | Please |
Sources and classification
Further information
Speaker numbers are rounded guide figures and may vary depending on the definition, the year of the survey and whether second-language speakers are included.
- Croatian language
Wikipedia · language-specific overview
- Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages
Library of Congress / ISO 639-2 Registration Authority · Language codes and standardised language names
- Language and Locale Names
Unicode Common Locale Data Repository · Language, script and territory names and variants
- Glottolog 5.3
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology · Language families, classification and linguistic literature
Editorial sources as of 14 July 2026. The information will be cross-checked by subject experts before the website goes live.
Other related service languages
Croatian FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Croatian
Can I have Croatian translated into German and German into Croatian?
You can request either direction. We give a binding commitment once we have checked the document type, subject area, certification, appointment and intended use.
Which documents are commonly relevant for Croatian?
Birth, marriage and death certificates, certificates and diplomas, employment and pension records, and contracts and powers of attorney are typical examples. Other types of document can also be assessed from a clear photograph or PDF.
What does ABBA-Sprachendienste check in Croatian documents?
We check the language combination, document type, script (Latin alphabet), names, stamps, subject area, intended use and whether certification may be needed.
Do I need a certified translation of my Croatian document?
That is decided by the authority, court or notary receiving the document, or by whichever other office has requested it. Tell ABBA-Sprachendienste where the document will be submitted, so that your requirements can be assessed properly.
Is a photo enough for the initial check?
Yes. A complete, sharp and clearly legible photo or PDF is usually enough for us to check your request and prepare a quote. Depending on the job, the original may also be needed later, when the work is carried out.
Have your specific Croatian ↔ German requirements assessed
Send a clear photo or PDF. ABBA-Sprachendienste will personally check the language combination, document, intended use and whether certification is needed.
