Language/Croatian/Vocabulary/Eating-Out
As a Croatian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to share my knowledge with you in this lesson about eating out in Croatia. In this lesson, we will cover vocabulary related to ordering food, asking for the bill, and understanding menu items. You will practice using these words in real-life situations to prepare you for your next visit to a restaurant.
Eating out in Croatia is an important part of the culture. Croatians love to socialize and gather with friends and family over a delicious meal. Restaurant dining is common, however, it’s also popular to purchase street food, such as burek or cevapi. Croatians also take pride in consuming locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, which play a large role in their cuisine.
Let’s begin by exploring the vocabulary you will need to order food in a restaurant.
Ordering Food
When you arrive at a restaurant, the waiter or waitress may greet you with "Dobar dan" (Good day) or "Dobro vece" (Good evening) and ask "Zelite li sjesti?" (Would you like to sit?) Here are some phrases to help you order food:
| Croatian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Molim jelovnik. | Moh-leem ye-lov-neek. | Can I have the menu, please? |
| Sto preporucujete? | Stoh pre-poh-roo-tzu-yeh-teh? | What do you recommend? |
| Zelim... | Zeh-leem... | I would like... |
| ...juhu. | ...you-hoo. | ...soup. |
| ...salatu. | ...sah-lah-too. | ...salad. |
| ...glavno jelo. | ...glahv-no yeh-lo. | ...main dish. |
| ...desert. | ...deh-zert. | ...dessert. |
| Hocu to, molim vas. | Hoh-tsoo toh, moh-leem vahs. | I want that, please. |
| Nista, hvala. | Nee-stah, hvah-lah. | Nothing, thanks. |
After you have ordered your food, the waiter or waitress may ask you if you would like something to drink. Here are some helpful phrases:
| Croatian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sto pijete? | Stoh pee-ye-teh? | What would you like to drink? |
| Pivo, molim. | Pee-voh, moh-leem. | Beer, please. |
| Vodu bez plina, molim. | Voh-doo bez plee-nah, moh-leem. | Water without gas, please. |
| Bijelo vino, molim. | Bee-yeh-loh vee-no, moh-leem. | White wine, please. |
| Crveno vino, molim. | Tsr-veh-noh vee-no, moh-leem. | Red wine, please. |
Asking for the Bill
When you have finished your meal, you will need to ask for the bill, or "racun". Here are some phrases that will be useful:
| Croatian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Molim racun. | Moh-leem rah-tsoon. | Can I have the bill, please? |
| Oprostite, racun molim. | Oh-proh-stee-teh, rah-tsoon moh-leem. | Excuse me, can I have the bill, please? |
| Platit cu. | Plah-teet tsoo. | I will pay. |
| Jeste li uzeli karticu? | Yes-teh lee oo-zeh-lee kar-teet-soo? | Did you take the credit card? |
Understanding Menu Items
Understanding the menu is important when dining out. Here are some common menu items and their translations:
| Croatian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Juha | Yu-hah | Soup |
| Hamburger | Ham-bur-ger | Hamburger |
| Strudel | Stroo-del | Strudel |
| Ćevapi | Cheh-vah-pee | Grilled minced meat |
| Škampi | Sh-ka-mpee | Shrimps |
| Salata | Sah-lah-tah | Salad |
| Jastog | Yas-tog | Lobster |
| Janjetina | Yah-nyeh-tee-nah | Lamb |
| Pohanac | Poh-hah-nahts | Potato salad |
| Palačinke | Pah-lah-chin-keh | Pancakes |
Practice Exercise
Now that you've learned some vocabulary for eating out in Croatia, it's time to practice. Imagine you're at a restaurant and the waiter or waitress asks you the following questions. Use your new vocabulary to answer the questions in Croatian:
1. "Zelite li sjesti?" 2. "Sto pijete?" 3. "Molim racun." 4. "Juha ili salata?" 5. "Hamburger ili jastog?"
Conclusion
In conclusion, with the vocabulary provided in this lesson, you will be ready to order food, ask for the bill, and understand menu items when eating out in Croatia. Remember to practice using these words in real-life situations to build your confidence and fluency in the Croatian language. Don't forget to check out the rest of the "Complete 0 to A1 Croatian Course" for more helpful lessons.
Related Lessons
- Introducing Yourself
- Drinks
- Telling Time
- Post office
- Countries
- House
- How to say Good Bye?
- Animals
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
- Etymology and Word Formation