Numbers in Croatian

Numbers in Croatian

Learning numbers is one of the first steps when picking up a new language. They’re essential for discussing the time, birthdays, phone numbers, prices, and more. In many languages, the plural form is used for anything more than one—whether it’s two, ten, or even sixty-seven apples. However, it’s a bit more complex in Croatian, as most nouns that follow a number expressing quantity use the genitive case.

If you’re not sure what the “genitive” or the “case” is, don’t worry. If you’re interested in learning more about grammar, we offer Croatian courses that dive deeper into this.

For now, focus on getting comfortable with the basics. Don’t worry about making mistakes—what’s most important is being able to communicate. Just concentrate on learning the numbers, and the rest will fall into place with time.

Useful phrases

Conversations about age

There are two ways to ask how old someone is in Croatian, depending on the level of formality. Keep in mind, though, that the question about the age could in some situations be considered as impolite.

• Informal: Koliko imaš godina? → How old are you? (lit. How many years do you have?)
• Formal: Koliko imate godina? → How old are you?

If you’re unsure when to use which, refer to our lesson on greetings.

• Ja imam… četrdeset tri godine. → I’m forty three years old. (lit. I have forty three years.)
• Imam… dvadeset šest godina. → I’m twenty six years old.
• Nije pristojno pitati za godine. → It’s not polite to ask about someone’s age.

Conversations about prices

• Koliko košta…? → How much does… cost?
• pivo → beer
• pizza → pizza
• čaša vina → a glass of wine
• boca vina → a bottle of wine
• boca vode → a bottle of water
• karta za autobus → a bus ticket
• vožnja → a drive
• ovaj suvenir → this souvenir

Conversations about time

• Koliko je sati? → What time is it? (lit. How many hours is it?)
• Sada je… → It is now…
• Devet ujutro → Nine in the morning.
• Deset i trideset → Ten thirty.
• Podne → Noon.
• Četiri i dvadeset poslijepodne → Four twenty in the afternoon.
• Sedam navečer → Seven in the evening.
• Ponoć → Midnight.

And some more numbers to ask & tell 🙂

• Koji je broj tvoje putovnice? → What’s your passport number?
• putovnica → passport
• Koji je broj tvoje hotelske sobe? → What’s your hotel room number?
• (hotelska) soba → (hotel) room
• Koji je tvoj broj telefona? → What’s your phone number?
• telefon → phone
• Moj broj telefona je… nula devet devet sedam šest tri dva osam pet. → My phone number’s 099763285.
• Nemam telefon. → I don’t have a phone.
• Ne želim ti reći (svoj broj telefona). → I don’t want to tell you (my phone number).

Once you get comfortable with Croatian numbers, you’ll be ready to handle everything from telling the time to sharing your age or phone number. With these basics, you’ll find it easier to navigate everyday conversations and build your confidence in the language.