Croatian places with the suffix “-ica”

Have you ever noticed there are many words in Croatian that end with the suffix -ica? We certainly did.

The suffix -ica is often used throughout the Croatian language. It is pronounced like “eat-sa“. It can be used to imply that something is diminutive or small. Prijateljica (a female friend) is an example.

However, there is also a seemingly endless list of places (especially shops) that end with -ica as well. In these cases, -ica does not imply a diminutive.

We were so fascinated by this common thread that we made an entire list of the shops, buildings, and locations that end with -ica. If we missed any, be sure to let us know! If you had not noticed this commonality yet, you’ll certainly see it now.

The facts are these…

Croatian places that end with -ica

Place: alatnica
Meaning: toolbox

Place: autobusna stanica
Meaning: bus station

Place: autopraonica
Meaning: car wash

[Read: Guide on driving in Croatia including highways, tolls, gas stations, car washes, and parking]

Place: bolnica
Meaning: hospital

Place: brijačnica
Meaning: barbershop

Place: cvjećarnica
Meaning: flower shop

Place: čitaonica
Meaning: reading room

Place: gostionica
Meaning: pub, tavern

Place: hladionica
Meaning: cold store

Place: igraonica
Meaning: indoor playground

Place: kemijska čistionica
Meaning: dry cleaner

Place: kladionica
Meaning: betting shop

Place: klaonica
Meaning: slaughterhouse

Place: knjižnica
Meaning: library

Place: kockarnica
Meaning: casino

Place: konjušnica, konjušarnica
Meaning: stable

Place: kopirnica
Meaning: copy shop

Place: kotlovnica
Meaning: boiler room

Place: kovačnica
Meaning: forge, blacksmith

Place: kupaonica
Meaning: bathroom

Place: lakirnica
Meaning: paint room

Place: lugarnica
Meaning: forester’s cottage

Place: ljevaonica
Meaning: foundry

Place: mesnica
Meaning: butcher shop

Place: mjenjačnica
Meaning: currency exchange office

Place: mrtvačnica
Meaning: morgue

[Read: How to die in Croatia: Part 2 (What you should do before you die in Croatia)]

Place: papirnica
Meaning: paper shop

Place: pečenjarnica
Meaning: rotisserie

Place: pekarnica
Meaning: bakery

Place: pivnica
Meaning: pub, beerhouse

Place: praonica
Meaning: laundry

Place: pisarnica
Meaning: writing office

Place: poslovnica
Meaning: bureau, business office

Place: predavaonica
Meaning: lecture hall

Place: printaonica
Meaning: printing house

Place: prodavaonica
Meaning: store, shop

Place: promatračnica
Meaning: observatory

Place: pušionica
Meaning: smoking room

Place: radionica
Meaning: workshop, studio

Place: rađaonica
Meaning: birthing room

Place: ribarnica
Meaning: fish market

[Read: A guide to buying Adriatic fish at the market]

Place: rođendaonica
Meaning: birthday house

Place: (s)palionica
Meaning: incinerator

Place: sladoledarnica
Meaning: ice cream shop

Place: slastičarnica
Meaning: pastry shop

Place: slušaonica
Meaning: listening room

Place: smočnica
Meaning: pantry

Place: spavaonica
Meaning: bedroom

Place: stanica
Meaning: station (like a bus station, for example)

Place: sušionica
Meaning: drying room

Place: suvenirnica
Meaning: souvenir shop

Place: svlačionica
Meaning: dressing room, changing room

Place: šivaonica, krojačnica
Meaning: tailor shop

Place: štedionica
Meaning: savings (bank)

Place: talionica
Meaning: smelter

Place: tiskarnica
Meaning: print shop and office supplies

Place: točionica
Meaning: taproom

Place: tržnica
Meaning: market

[Read: A local’s guide to buying food at Croatia’s farmer’s market]

Place: učionica
Meaning: classroom

Place: varionica
Meaning: brewhouse

Place: veterinarska stanica
Meaning: veterinary station

Place: vikendica
Meaning: holiday house

Phrase: vježbaonica
Meaning: exercise room

Place: voćarnica
Meaning: fruit shop

Place: zalagaonica
Meaning: pawnshop

Place: zalogajnica
Meaning: diner, snack bar

Place: zlatarnica
Meaning: jewelry store

Place: željeznička stanica
Meaning: train station

[Read: Train travel in Croatia (including loads of discounts)]

View our other Croatian vocabulary posts

• 14 Croatian words that change around the country
• All the ways to say “Hi” and “Bye“ in Croatian
• Basic Croatian words and phrases to get through life in Croatia
• Croatian vocabulary you might need at a restaurant or cafe in Croatia
• Exclamations for when you need to shout
• Holiday words and phrases
• How to ask how someone is doing
• How to ask where the toilet is in Croatian (and how to find public toilets throughout Croatia)
• How to tell time (in Zagreb, Split, Istria, and Dubrovnik)
• Immigration words and phrases
• Sledding and winter vocabulary