Local Drinks

1. Kava

   Coffee

   Usage

   More than half the population of Croatia drinks coffee regularly. A cafe is a place to stay: one cup can hold a table for hours and nobody hurries you

   Grammar Note

   Feminine; an order takes the accusative "kavu" (Kavu, molim). Note that Croatian says "kava" where Serbian says "kafa". The diminutive "kavica" — a quick little coffee — is very common

2. Bijela kava

   White coffee (coffee with milk)

   Usage

   Coffee with a generous amount of warmed milk. For just a splash of milk, ask for "kava s mlijekom"

   Grammar Note

   Note the ijekavian "bijela" — do not let the Serbian ekavian "bela" creep in. The adjective agrees with the noun, so the feminine "kava" takes the feminine "bijela"

3. Čaj

   Tea

   Usage

   The general word. Which tea is said with "čaj od" plus the genitive: "čaj od kamilice" (camomile), "čaj od šipka" (rosehip)

   Grammar Note

   Masculine; the accusative is identical, so an order is simply "Čaj, molim". The initial letter is "č"

4. Voda

   Water

   Usage

   The general word. Asked for on its own it may arrive bottled; if tap water is what you want, say "voda iz slavine" or "obična voda"

   Grammar Note

   Feminine; an order takes the accusative "vodu"

5. Voda iz slavine

   Tap water

   Usage

   Tap water is drinkable in Croatia, so this is what to say when you would rather not buy a bottle; "obična voda" (plain water) works too

   Grammar Note

   The preposition "iz" governs the genitive, so "slavina" (tap, feminine) becomes "slavine"

6. Negazirana voda

   Still water

   Usage

   In Croatia "mineralna voda" often means the fizzy kind, so add this word if you do not want bubbles. Mineral water may be gazirana or negazirana

   Grammar Note

   The negating prefix "ne-" on "gazirana"; the adjective takes the feminine form to agree with "voda"

7. Gazirana voda

   Sparkling water

   Usage

   Carbonated water, widely drunk with meals in Croatia; mixed with dry white wine it becomes gemišt

8. Sok od naranče

   Orange juice

   Usage

   Juice names are built with "sok od" plus the genitive: "sok od jabuke" (apple), "sok od grožđa" (grape)

   Grammar Note

   "naranča" (orange, feminine) in the genitive is "naranče". Do not drop the "č" and write "naranca"

9. Mlijeko

   Milk

   Usage

   Milk; added to coffee it takes the instrumental — "kava s mlijekom"

   Grammar Note

   Neuter. Croatian uses the ijekavian "mlijeko"; do not let the Serbian ekavian "mleko" creep in

10. Topla čokolada

    Hot chocolate

    Usage

    A winter fixture in cafes; it often arrives thick enough to stand a spoon in

    Grammar Note

    In an order both words take the accusative: "toplu čokoladu"

11. Bezalkoholno piće

    Non-alcoholic drink

    Usage

    The phrase for saying you are not drinking, without having to give a reason such as driving

    Grammar Note

    An adjective built on the preposition "bez" (without); "piće" is neuter, so the adjective takes the neuter "bezalkoholno"

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