From bakery confusion to fluent Croatian conversations

A wake-up call in Mali Lošinj

Melanie’s Croatian learning journey began with what she calls a “key moment” during a January 2018 holiday in Mali Lošinj. Standing at a bakery counter, she found herself trying to order bread and rolls using only hand gestures and facial expressions. The seasonal workers who usually spoke German or English weren’t there, leaving her completely reliant on Croatian – a language she didn’t yet speak.

That moment of frustration became her motivation. “When I travel to a country, I want to know at least some vocabulary and not assume that people there speak English or German,” she reflects. “I don’t want to be a typical German who always expects that.” The experience prompted her to sign up for Croatian classes at the Frankfurt adult education centre just two months later, marking the beginning of a journey that would transform her relationship with Croatia forever.

Building on childhood memories

Melanie’s connection to Croatia actually stretches back to her childhood in the former Yugoslavia. Growing up near Frankfurt, she spent family holidays in Banjole, Istria, where she first encountered the language through playful interactions with other children. They taught each other numbers, “please” and “thank you” – simple words that planted the first seeds of linguistic curiosity.

After a break from Croatia during her early adult years, Melanie rediscovered her love for the country in 2001. From 2015 onwards, she and her partner Christian began making annual trips to Croatia, exploring the coastline extensively by camper van and motorhome. Their adventures took them all the way down to Mlini, travelling the entire Croatian coast and discovering hidden gems along the way. These regular visits deepened her appreciation for Croatian culture and made her increasingly aware of how much richer her experiences could be if she could communicate properly with locals.

Finding the right teacher makes all the difference

After a disappointing start at the Frankfurt adult education centre with what Melanie describes as an “unmotivated” teacher who was “really bad at explaining,” she nearly gave up on Croatian altogether. Her partner Christian was so put off by the experience that he declared the language “too difficult” and refused to continue. The poor teaching had nearly derailed both their linguistic ambitions.

Everything changed when Melanie discovered Let’s Learn Croatian online in 2019. Her first trial lesson with Barbara revealed what proper Croatian instruction could look like. “The personal connection is so important for learning,” she explains. “We talk about personal things, we’ve even met in person, and the chemistry is right.” This relationship became the cornerstone of her success, proving that finding the right teacher can make the difference between giving up and thriving.

Beyond the classroom adventures

Melanie’s dedication to Croatian extends far beyond formal lessons into her daily life in creative ways. She maintains regular WhatsApp conversations in Croatian with a friend who speaks no German, forcing her to practise written Croatian consistently. Her local Croatian supermarket has become an unofficial language lab where she chats with the emigrant owner, always in Croatian, whilst picking up essentials like Jamnica water, Violetta fabric softener, and Lino Lada spread.

Reading has become another avenue for practice. During holidays in Croatia, she buys local newspapers, proud when she can grasp the overall meaning even without understanding every word. Her love of crime novels, particularly Ostfriesian mysteries by Salim Bühler, has inspired her to consider tackling Croatian literature eventually. These everyday applications keep the language alive between formal lessons and create natural opportunities for improvement.

Real conversations, real progress

The breakthrough Melanie had been working towards finally came during recent holidays when locals began complimenting her pronunciation, saying it was “untypically German” and praising her accent. These moments of recognition from native speakers provided the validation that years of study were paying off. She found herself having lengthy conversations with shopkeepers, including a memorable chat with the butcher’s wife that left her excited to continue learning.

Her progress has even impressed friends. When her Italian friend visited Croatia and needed help during apartment check-in, Melanie stepped in as translator, conducting the entire conversation in Croatian. “My friend stood there with her mouth open saying she didn’t understand a word but it sounded wonderful,” she recalls. The irony isn’t lost on her that Croatian vocabulary now comes to mind more readily than English – a sign of how deeply the language has taken root in her thinking.