How to tell time in Croatia (Zagreb, Split, Istria, Dubrovnik)
The Croatian language can sometimes be confusing because it consists of three separated dialects, which are then broken down into endless sub-dialects. When expressing time, different expressions are used in different parts of the country.
Terms used on the Adriatic coast vary from those used in the north. In fact, asking someone the time can quickly out which part of the country they hail from.
Croatians often misunderstand each other, so these differences in speech can be even more confusing for those not from Croatia. We have prepared some examples of how to tell the time in the different parts of the country so you can become familiar with the expressions used where you’re living or plan to visit.
Let’s learn how to tell time…
How to tell time in different Croatian cities
| Example: 10:50, in the morning | |
| Dubrovnik | Jedanaest manje deset |
| Istria | Deset i pedeset Deset do jedanajs |
| Split | Jedanaest manje deset Jedanaest uri manje deset |
| Zagreb | Deset sati i pedeset minuta Deset i pedeset Deset do jedanaest |
| Example: 11:30, in the morning | |
| Dubrovnik | Jedanaest i po’ |
| Istria | Jedanaest i pol |
| Split | Jedanaest i po’ Jedanaest i po’ uri |
| Zagreb | Jedanaest sati i trideset minuta Jedanaest i trideset Pola dvanaest |
| Example: 11:45, in the morning | |
| Dubrovnik | Podne manje kvarat |
| Istria | Jedanaest i četrdeset pet Podne manje kvarat Polne manje kvarat Kvarat manje polne Kvarat do polne |
| Split | Podne manje kvarat Podne manje petnaest |
| Zagreb | Jedanaest sati i četrdeset pet minuta Jedanaest i četrdeset pet Trifrtalj(a) dvanaest |
| Example: 12:15, in the afternoon | |
| Dubrovnik | Podne i kvarat |
| Istria | Podne i kvarat Polne i kvarat Dvanaest i kvarat |
| Split | Podne i kvarat Dvanaest i kvarat |
| Zagreb | Dvanaest sati i petnaest minuta Dvanaest i petnaest Dvanaest i četvrt Frtalj jedan |
| Example: 15:00, in the afternoon | |
| Dubrovnik | Tri ure |
| Istria | Tri ure Tri ure za polne |
| Split | Tri uri |
| Zagreb | Tri sata Tri |
| Example: 21:20, in the evening | |
| Dubrovnik | Devet ura i dvadeset |
| Istria | Devet i dvadeset |
| Split | Devet uri i dvadeset minuta Devet i dvadeset |
| Zagreb | Devet sati i dvadeset minuta Devet i dvadeset Dvadeset jedan sat i dvadeset minuta |
| Example: Midnight | |
| Dubrovnik | Ponoć |
| Istria | Ponoć Polnoć |
| Split | Ponoć |
| Zagreb | Ponoć |
View more articles related to learning the Croatian language here.
View our other vocabulary posts
- 10 ways to use “može”
- All the ways to say “Hi” and “Bye“ in Croatian
- Croatian 101: Fruit translation cheat sheet
- Croatian 101: Vegetable translation cheat sheet
- How to learn Croatian by changing how you speak English
- How to use “veze” and express connections in Croatian
- Learn Croatian: Types of roads
- Weekly Croatian lessons
- The 3 Croatian dialects: Što, Kaj, and Ča
Please note: Information provided by Expat in Croatia is only for the purposes of guidance. It does not constitute legal or financial advice in any form. Croatian laws and bureaucratic rules often change, and each personal case is individual, so different rules may apply. For legal advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian lawyer. For financial advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian tax advisor or accountant.
