How learning Croatian became an unexpected joy

A bridge between cultures

The decision to learn Croatian came twelve years into Anita’s relationship. Her Austrian upbringing hadn’t previously pushed her toward learning her partner’s native language, but Julian’s arrival changed everything. As her son began to absorb both languages, Anita realised she wanted to understand every word shared between him and his father.

She discovered unexpected linguistic connections—words like “palatschinkje” (pancakes) that echo similar terms in Austrian German. While many learners find Croatian notoriously difficult, Anita shrugs at this suggestion. “I don’t think it’s the hardest language I could imagine. There are certainly more difficult ones.”

Balancing midwifery, motherhood and marathons

Between hospital shifts as a midwife and training for triathlons, Anita’s schedule leaves little room for additional commitments. Swimming remains her favourite discipline, providing a meditative space where Croatian vocabulary occasionally surfaces in her thoughts.

The flexibility of late-afternoon classes and recorded lessons has made language learning surprisingly manageable. When she misses a session, she catches up through videos without feeling left behind—a system that accommodates her unpredictable schedule without sacrificing progress.

Her motivation extends beyond family. At work, Anita encounters about five or six births annually where the mothers speak Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian but little German. “Often we have to wait for partners or translators before we can understand their concerns. Google Translate works, but it’s full of errors. Soon I’ll be able to ask about their problems directly.”

Breaking through the present tense

Every language learner has breakthrough moments. For Anita, mastering verb tenses transformed her experience entirely.

This shift from linguistic limitation to expression feels liberating. Now, instead of constructing awkward workarounds to discuss next week’s plans or yesterday’s events, she can communicate with precision—a development that has dramatically accelerated her confidence.

The linguistic journey has also helped her navigate cultural misunderstandings. She recalls when her partner’s family described her childbirth as “lagano” (light), which initially hurt her feelings until she realised they meant “uncomplicated” rather than “easy”—a subtle distinction only clear to someone learning the language’s nuances.

Finding friendship through grammar exercises

The most surprising element of Anita’s language journey hasn’t been the vocabulary or grammar but the unexpected bonds formed with her classmates. “What shocked me most was how attached I’d become to my learning group. I expected to learn Croatian—but not that I’d enjoy learning it with this particular group so much.”

This connection runs deeper than casual classroom acquaintance. When faced with a scheduling conflict between the group’s week-long immersion trip to Croatia and being on call as a midwife for a close friend’s birth, Anita arranged backup coverage at work. The prospect of missing the linguistic leap forward with her group—and meeting everyone in person after months online—proved too important to sacrifice.

“In our group, making mistakes isn’t a problem. We always have fun, and we’ve gotten to know each other through the exercises we do about our hobbies and preferences. I don’t want to miss anything.”

Taking the leap

Beyond practical applications, learning Croatian has opened cultural windows and strengthened family bonds. Anita wishes she hadn’t waited so long to begin.

Now back from maternity leave, Anita looks forward to using her Croatian skills with patients. Her twelve-year hesitation seems, in retrospect, like wasted opportunity. Yet her journey demonstrates that with the right environment and community, language learning can transform from an intimidating prospect into one of life’s unexpected pleasures.

For anyone considering learning Croatian, her advice is straightforward: “Just start and don’t be so afraid of beginning. I waited so long because of fear—now I realise how much fun it is and how well it’s going. I could have done this much earlier.”