Croatian Alphabet and Pronunciation Guide for English Speakers

Overview of the Croatian Alphabet

The Croatian alphabet consists of 30 letters and is based on the Latin script. It includes several special characters with diacritics that represent unique sounds not found in English. Understanding these letters and their pronunciation is essential for learning Croatian effectively.

The Letters of the Croatian Alphabet

Here is the full list of Croatian letters:

• A, B, C, Č, Ć, D, Dž, Đ, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, Lj, M, N, Nj, O, P, R, S, Š, T, U, V, Z, Ž

Special Letters and Digraphs

Croatian includes several letters with diacritics and digraphs that represent single sounds:

• Č (pronounced like 'ch' in 'chocolate')
• Ć (a softer 'ch' sound)
• Đ (similar to 'j' in 'juice')
• Š (like 'sh' in 'shoe')
• Ž (like 's' in 'measure')
• Dž (like 'j' in 'jungle')
• Lj (similar to 'lli' in 'million')
• Nj (like 'ny' in 'canyon')

Pronunciation Guide for English Speakers

Croatian pronunciation is largely phonetic, meaning words are pronounced as they are written. Each letter has a consistent sound, which makes learning pronunciation easier for English speakers.

Vowels in Croatian

Croatian has five vowels, each pronounced clearly and distinctly:

• A – pronounced as /a/ like 'a' in 'father'
• E – pronounced as /e/ like 'e' in 'bed'
• I – pronounced as /i/ like 'ee' in 'see'
• O – pronounced as /o/ like 'o' in 'more'
• U – pronounced as /u/ like 'oo' in 'boot'

Consonants and Their Sounds

Most Croatian consonants are pronounced similarly to English, but some require special attention:

• C – pronounced as /ts/ like 'ts' in 'cats'
• Č – pronounced as /tʃ/ like 'ch' in 'chocolate'
• Ć – a softer /tɕ/ sound, similar to 't' in 'tune' (British English)
• Dž – pronounced as /dʒ/ like 'j' in 'jungle'
• Đ – pronounced as /dʑ/, similar to 'j' in 'juice' but softer
• Lj – pronounced as /ʎ/, similar to 'lli' in 'million'
• Nj – pronounced as /ɲ/, like 'ny' in 'canyon'
• Š – pronounced as /ʃ/ like 'sh' in 'shoe'
• Ž – pronounced as /ʒ/ like 's' in 'measure'

Tips for Mastering Croatian Pronunciation

Here are some helpful tips for English speakers learning Croatian pronunciation:

1. Practice the special Croatian sounds regularly to get comfortable with them.
2. Listen to native Croatian speakers to familiarize yourself with the rhythm and intonation.
3. Use audio resources to hear correct pronunciation and repeat aloud.
4. Remember that Croatian is mostly phonetic, so once you learn the sounds, reading becomes easier.
5. Pay attention to digraphs like 'lj', 'nj', and 'dž' as they represent single sounds.

Common Croatian Words with Pronunciation Examples

Pronounce these words by applying the Croatian alphabet rules. For example, 'Zdravo' is pronounced as /zdraʋo/, with a rolled 'r' and clear vowels.