Learn Croatian
with Ling

So you're interested in learning Croatian? That's awesome! Here are some points you can follow that will make your experience learning Croatian easier and more effective: 

• First, find great resources like textbooks, online courses, or a language learning app. 

• One of our biggest pieces of advice is to allow yourself to immerse yourself in the language completely. Try to listen to Croatian music, watch movies, or even find a language exchange friend. If you want to learn how to speak Croatian, constantly practicing and making mistakes is necessary.

• Start learning the basics of grammar and vocabulary to build a strong foundation in the Croatian language to communicate in everyday situations. You can dedicate time daily to study and review each lesson until you feel more familiar. 

• And most importantly, have fun with it! Learning a new language is an exciting journey, so you should be able to enjoy and celebrate your progress along the way.

Is Croatian worth learning? Absolutely! There are over 6 million Croatian speakers, some of which live in the USA and Canada. Besides that, Croatia is a beautiful country with a diverse history, people, and culture.

Let's see two important benefits of learning Croatian!

• Gives you opportunities to learn other languages.
  Croatian shares similarities with many other languages, so you can easily pick up another one. Bosnian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and Slovenian are just a few!
• Allows you to explore the beautiful culture and history of the Croatian people.
  Learning a language goes way beyond speaking and writing. To fully learn a language, you need to understand its history, including its people and country.
  Croatians are warm and hospitable people that appreciate art, drama, and history. Join in on their interests and learn more along the way! Knowing about a country's history and culture, we can understand its language much better.

First, it is important to point out that whether a language is "hard" or "easy" depends on each person. Like learning any other language, Croatian can present challenges when studying it. It has specific features that may require extra effort when learning. 

Here are some reasons why Croatian might initially seem quite hard:

• Croatian has three dialects: Unlike other languages that stick to one dialect, the Croatian language prides itself on having three dialects. But don't worry; with the right learning app and lots of patience, you'll eventually get the hang of it.

• Croatian has seven case endings: Learning grammar is essential when studying a new language. Unlike English, which has three cases, the Croatian language has seven grammar cases that serve different purposes. Don't let this intimidate you! 

• Croatian is a phonetic language: For phonetic languages, there is a direct relationship between writing and pronunciation. Croatian learners often have difficulty with this; however, once you master pronouncing the Croatian alphabet, the rest should become easy.

Put as much dedication as you can, keep a consistent practice schedule, find the best resources out there, including a Croatian learning app, and see how your efforts result in an achieved goal. 

There is no doubt that Croatian can be difficult to learn due to various factors, but that shouldn't scare you away from learning this beautiful language.

According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Croatian is classified as a category three language. This means it will take the average learner 1100 hours to become proficient in the language.

 Although this is an approximation, that doesn't mean it has to be true for you. At the end of the day, you are the one that's in charge of your language journey and progress.

Here are some quick tips to help you learn the language faster:

• Set aside dedicated study time
  
  The time it takes you to learn Croatian depends on how many hours you spend studying your Croatian language lessons daily.
  
  If you really want to learn the language, set aside time every day to study. Also, be careful about missing/skipping study days. We all know that feeling of "I'll do it tomorrow," but, in reality, the more we think that, the less likely it becomes.
  
  
• Stay motivated
  
  Your motivation and willingness will determine how easy it is to learn the Croatian language. To help keep your motivation up, try using a fun Croatian app like Ling! With the Ling app, you can receive daily study reminders and learn Croatian online in a whole new way!

The closest languages to Croatian are Serbian and Bosnian. These languages are similar because they come from the same Shtokavian dialect.

Although these languages share commonalities, here are just a couple of differences between them:

• Yat Reflexes: Yat is a common Slavic vowel that has been modified throughout the years. Serbian replaced the -e- with -je- or -ije- to shorten the vowel. Meanwhile, Croatian still uses the -ij- reflexes.

• Conjugations and Infinitives: Croatia uses infinitives to complete phrasal verbs, modals, and semi-modals, while Serbian uses double conjugates. Overall, infinitives are easier to use than double conjugates, especially if you’re a beginner.
  
  

If you want help learning, remember that the Ling app has everything you could need in one place!