hrv ISO 639
Hrvatski Autonyms
Croatian
Visualizations
A language of Croatia
- ISO 639
- hrv
- Alternate Names
- Serbo-Croatian
- Autonym
- Hrvatski
- Population
- 4,100,000 in Croatia (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 6,773,010 (as L1: 5,513,010; as L2: 1,260,000).
- Language Maps
- Albania and Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Southwestern Romania
- Language Status
- 1 (National). Statutory national language (1990, Constitution, Article 12.1).
- Classification
- Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western
- Dialects
- Kaykavski, Shtokavski (Ijekavski). Shtokavski is official dialect, but others recognized as valid, with much literature. Kaykavski in northeastern Croatia and Zagreb; dialects in other countries. A member of macrolanguage Serbo-Croatian [hbs].
- Typology
- SVO; prepositions; noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); no articles; case-marking (7 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense and aspect; causatives; comparatives; 25 consonants, 5 vowels, 2 diphthongs; tonal (4 tones), stress is connected with tone.
- Language Use
- Many also use English [eng]. Some also use Standard German [deu].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 90%. Taught in all primary and secondary schools. Taught in all tertiary schools. Fully developed. Bible: 1831–1999.
- Writing
- Braille script [Brai]. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.
- Other Comments
- Formerly considered part of Serbo-Croatian [hbs]. Christian.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Croatian
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Argentina
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
4,200 in Argentina (2018), based on nationality.
- Location
- Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna states.
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened)
- Language Use
- Rapid assimilation with the German-speaking population. Speakers’ competence varies by area and age group (Salminen 2007). Some young people, all adults. Most also use Standard German [deu], with many young people speaking it as their L1.
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: Low. About 40 primary schools teach bilingually through Croatian and German.
- Other Comments
- Chakavian [ckm], closely related to Croatian, is spoken in Burgenland. Some dialects of Croatian are heavily influenced by German [deu]. Christian. View other languages of Austria
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
109,000 in Austria (2017 World Factbook).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
56,900 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- 1 (National)
- Language Development
- Taught in primary and secondary schools in Croatian-speaking areas.
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
554,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
48,200 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Czechia
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
1,390 in Czechia (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
435,000 in Germany (2021 census), based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Denmark
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
2,380 in Denmark (2020 census), based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Spain
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
2,840 in Spain (2020 census), based on nationality.
- Location
- Bács-Kiskun, Baranya, Pest, Somogy, and Zala counties.
- Language Status
- 4 (Educational)
- Language Development
- Taught as subject in primary and secondary schools.
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Christian. View other languages of Hungary
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
13,700 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 23,600 (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Italy
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
13,300 in Italy (2012 census).
- Location
- Kotor and Tivat municipalities.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed) View other languages of Montenegro
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
3,010 in Montenegro (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of North Macedonia
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
2,700 in North Macedonia (Leclerc 2018b).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Norway
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
6,320 in Norway (2021 census), based on nationality.
- Location
- Caras-Severin and Timis counties: dispersed.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Romania
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
5,170 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 5,410 (2011 census).
- Location
- North Backa district: Bela Crkva municipality.
- Language Status
- 2 (Provincial)
- Language Development
- Taught in primary schools, in minority-language schools.
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Serbia
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
19,200 in Serbia (2013 UNSD).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Sweden
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
10,400 in Sweden (2020 census), based on nationality.
- Location
- Widespread.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Language Use
- Used as L2 by Slovene [slv], Venetian [vec].
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Slovenia
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
1,332,300 in Slovenia, all users. L1 users: 72,300 in Slovenia (2003 UNSD). L2 users: 1,260,000 (European Commission 2012).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Dialects
- Croatian.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Language Use
- Most shifted to English [eng].
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Croatian
User Population
53,000 in United States (2015 census).
