Latin special characters
Č, ć, đ, š and ž distinguish words and names and must be preserved in their entirety.
South Slavic language
Have Croatian translated
hrvatski
Croatian documents are often required for civil status, education, work and European administrative procedures.
Croatian is spoken by approximately five to six million people in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the diaspora.
Geographical distribution of Croatian
- Main distribution
- Other regional use
- Selected Diaspora
Croatia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serbia
Germany
Austria
Schematic selection of important distribution areas. Language usage does not always follow national borders; the map is not complete population statistics.
Language profile
Croatian at a glance
- Proper name
- hrvatski
- language family
- South Slavic language
- font
- Latin alphabet
- Language code
- hr
Documents and deployment
The language direction is often used
It's not just the language that matters. ABBA-Sprachendienste also classifies document type, recipient, subject area, certification requirement and desired language direction.
Have the document checked- Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Certificates and diplomas
- Employment and pension certificates
- Contracts and powers of attorney
- Court and government documents
Origin and development
How language developed
Croatian is a South Slavic language. Today's standard language is largely based on the Stokavian dialect and is written using the Latin script.
Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian and Montenegrin are closely related, but each have their own standard traditions and official names. The specific language version of documents must be respected.
Good to know
What makes this language special
Related but independent
Near South Slavic standard languages may not be equated in official documents without being asked.
Historical state names
Older documents may name Yugoslavian authorities, registers and document types that need to be classified in time.
A little language insight
Three first expressions
The transcription only serves as an initial guide. Pronunciation and regional forms may vary.
| Original | Transcription | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dobar then | — | Good afternoon |
| Hvala | — | Thank you |
| Molim | — | Please |
Sources and classification
Further information
Speaker numbers are rounded guide values and may vary depending on the definition, year of survey and inclusion of second language speakers.
- 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 standardized language names
- Language and Locale Names
Unicode Common Locale Data Repository · Language, script and area names and variants
- Glottolog 5.3
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology · Language families, classification and linguistic literature
Editorial source status: July 14, 2026. Information will be cross-checked before production goes live.
Other related service languages
Croatian FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Croatian
Can I have Croatian translated into German and German translated into Croatian?
Both directions can be requested. A binding commitment is made after checking the type of document, subject area, certification, date and intended use.
Which documents are often relevant in Croatian?
Birth, marriage and death certificates, certificates and diplomas, employment and pension certificates, contracts and powers of attorney are among the typical occasions. Other types of documents can also be checked with an easy-to-read photo or PDF.
What does ABBA-Sprachendienste look for in Croatian?
The language direction, document type, Latin alphabet, names, stamps, subject area, purpose and possible need for certification are checked.
Do I need a certified translation for my Croatian document?
This is decided by the receiving authority, the court, the notary or the other requesting body. Tell ABBA-Sprachendienste where the document will be presented; then the need can be classified appropriately.
Is a photo enough for the first check?
Yes. A complete, sharp and easy-to-read photo or PDF is usually sufficient to check the offer. Depending on the order, the original may also be required for later execution.
Have Croatian ↔ German checked specifically
Send an easy-to-read photo or PDF. ABBA-Sprachendienste personally checks the language direction, document, purpose and certification requirements.
