Shopping in Croatian
Croatian grocery shopping happens twice: once at the supermarket, and once — properly — at the open market. Both run on the same handful of phrases and two cases you already own.
Do You Have…?
Imate li…? opens every shop conversation — polite Vi plus the li particle:
| Croatian | English |
|---|---|
| Imate li kruha? | Do you have (any) bread? |
| Imate li svježe ribe? | Do you have fresh fish? |
| Imate li nešto jeftinije? | Do you have something cheaper? |
I Need…
Trebam + accusative states the mission; amounts come in the genitive, as the case lesson promised:
| Croatian | English |
|---|---|
| Trebam mlijeko i jaja. | I need milk and eggs. |
| Kilo sira, molim. | A kilo of cheese, please. |
| Litru mlijeka i malo kruha. | A liter of milk and a little bread. |
| Pola kile rajčica. | Half a kilo of tomatoes. |
The tržnica
Every Croatian town runs on its open market — the tržnica, universally nicknamed the plac. Zagreb's Dolac blazes red umbrellas above the main square; Split's pazar leans on Diocletian's palace wall. Cash helps, a bag helps more, and the vendor's grandmother-level judgment of your tomatoes is free.
Idemo na plac prije posla.
We're going to the market before work.
Note: na plac — accusative, because you're going there. prije posla — before work, genitive.
Sealing the Deal
| Croatian | English |
|---|---|
| Još nešto? | Anything else? |
| To je sve, hvala. | That's all, thanks. |
| Može! | Deal! / sure! |
| Hvala, ne treba. | Thanks, no need. |
💬 Saturday at the plac
Izvolite!
What can I get you?
Kilo jabuka i pola kile sira, molim.
A kilo of apples and half a kilo of cheese, please.
Može. Još nešto? Rajčice su domaće!
Sure. Anything else? The tomatoes are homegrown!
Ajde, pola kile. To je sve, hvala.
Go on then, half a kilo. That's all, thanks.