Warning: Content May Offend
I wrote a piece for an expat blogging writing competition about Croatian swear words back in 2014; well, Croatian phrases, actually. I had some great feedback from it (& it even won a gold medal), so I thought I’d share it with you all.
It seems that (most) Dalmatians love to shorten words, sing, and, as I have come to learn: swear, and swear a lot! Below are a few phrases you’ll find handy here in Dalmatia. Just a word of warning, a few might offend, so apologies upfront if you find yourself blushing at these Croatian swears.
If you want to know some general everyday phrases, we have a learn Croatian guide and language tips that may help you! But, if you want to learn how to swear in Croatian, read on for just a handful of some Croatian swear words translated for your pleasure.
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Nemoj me jebat
Not the most polite of the phrases you’ll hear, but trust me, you will hear it. Maybe not heard in the shopping center or any formal situations, but if someone tells a tale that seems too incredible to believe, you’ll hear the other person say nemoj me jebat. To keep this PG, it’s essential to use your imagination a little. Dalmatians like to swear, so keep that in mind. You should know that you’d use this phrase when you’d want to say, “are you serious?” in English. But it translates to do not f*ck with me. You get the idea. If not, reach out to me, and I’ll explain.
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Čaću ti jarca
Do you have stubborn kids? You may want to keep this one handy, as it’s primarily used when your kids are stubborn mules. Although I still can’t see why, as it’s a terrible phrase. It means f*ck your goat, Father. That’s right, you heard it correctly; he just mentioned your father and a goat in that way. Sometimes it’s best not to say some of these phrases but rather know what they mean when you hear them, which is one of them. Swearing in Croatian could get you some weird looks – so be warned.
Boli me kurac
Oh dear, here we go again. Of all of the Croatian swear words, this is the one that my wonderful Dalmatian husband repeats regularly, and furthermore, it contains words that I cannot type exactly. I told you Dalmatians loved to swear – did I not? You’d say this phrase when you simply do not care about what the person is telling you or what is happening around you. However, the literal translation makes zero sense to that use at all. It means that you have pain in your nether regions of the manly kind. As I said, it makes no sense, but trust me, if you met my husband or his Dalmatian friends, you’d need to know that phrase.
If you like, a slightly more polite version is boli me ona stvar which translates to, that thing hurts me, and once again, makes no sense. However, it’s used for saying, I don’t give a damn.
Kako da ne
The literal translation is how yes no. Which, of course, means nothing obvious. I heard this a few times before I realized that it simply means, of course…NOT.
Katastrofa
Catastrophe. With the same meaning in English, this Croatian swear word is not used for an ACTUAL catastrophe. It’s instead used to exaggerate your point (full explanation here). You’ll hear this in the coffee shop, at your friends’ house, and your 80-year-old Baba (Grandmother) will say it when the wind is blowing, as Croatians have an irrational fear of the wind, like the Bura. DDon’tpanic. IIt’snot actually anything to worry about—nothing of any kind. Ništa (nothing) to see or worry about. Feel free to use it as an exaggeration to highlight how you feel when you arrive at the bakery and you retold that they just sold the last Krafna of the day – katastrofa!
Ne mogu više, hvala
If you plan to visit your Croatian family and friends here in Croatia for a meal, it’s wise to ensure that you do not eat a big meal leading up to your visit. Your Croatian friends and family will throw food at your left, right, and center- especially the older ones. The same goes for drinks. You’ll have to try all of the season’s finest offerings no matter how much you say you’re longer hungry. Hungry or not, the food and drinks will keep on coming. Inevitably you’ll reach the point where you will fear that undoing the button on your pants won’t be enough and that you may actually explode. At this point, you can reach for the phrase Ne mogu više, hvala! Which means you can’t take anymore. Do not overuse this phrase or use it after only one slice of cake and a rakija, as they may not believe you.
Živjeli
This is an essential phrase if you plan to share a drink with a local. Before you take the first sip of your local wine or the heart-stopping Croatian brandy known as rakija, you’ll need to shout ŽIVJELI!!! Which is Croatian for cheers! The pounding of the glass also accompanies it on the table, and THEN you may take your first mouthful.
So there you have a few phrases that you’ll hear in Dalmatia, and if the Dalmatians you meet are like my family, they’ll love you even more if you say one back – be careful who you tell them to!
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I live in Croatia and I have to say that half of these (Živjeli, for instance) aren’t even cuss words at all.
I can enlighten you, if you have the stomack for it.
In short, some new (hardcore) ones:
Kurac – d*ck
Kurva – prostitute/hooker
Drolja – slut
Peder – fa.g
Pička – c*nt
Jebanje – To F*** someone
Jebi se – F*-You
Odjebi – F*-off
Popuši mi – Suck it
Mater ti – Your mother…
Pičkica – same as ‘pička’, only deminutive, mostly associated with cowards
Šupak – a$$ho!e
And some soft(er) ones:
Budala – stupid/fool
Idiot – same as in English
Mutavac – mute/with speech impedament
Glupan / glupača – male and female term for stupid person
Kuja – bitch (as in bad woman)
Gad – bastard (as in bad man)
As I gather, the word “cunt” corresponds to “pizda” while “pička” corresponds to “pussy”. “Pussy” denotes a coward or a pushover while the word “cunt” is more in line with words like “jerk”, “douchebag”, “prick” or even “asshole” – in broad terms, an inconsiderate person.
Other than that, “pička” is a derogatory word for a woman, but not based on any personality trait (like kuja) but gender alone. It may also refer to an attractive woman. Finally, of course, both “pička” and “pizda” denote an actual vagina.
Also “picka” is used for good looking woman.
Dobra picka – good picka
Picka ipo – picka and a half
Cool what’s” devil on ice “my grandma would say it and I can’t remember
I know the word-for-word translation would be vrag na ledu – but what the phrase might be? Not sure.
There are a few curses with devil in it…
for example
vrag te odnija – the devil took you (weird if ur not Croatian.. I know)
vrag ti sriću odnija – the devil took your luck
vrag te jebi – it’s usual in northen Croatia (nearby Zagreb) and it means the devil fucks you
Regarding “boli me kurac”:
In Croatian colloquial vocabulary, the
word “kurac” (a vulgar word for penis) often means “nothing” or denotes
negation, much like the word “fuck” sometimes does in English (as in “I
don’t give a fuck”, which is as close a translation for the phrase as
there is). Example:
“Imaš duvan?” (“Do you have a smoke?”)
“Imam
kurac.” (Literally “I got dick” – incidentally, this sentence would
function in English as well, though probably not everywhere.)
As for
“boli me kurac” (“my dick hurts”), it means figuratively being in no
pain at all, the pain in question not being physical but emotional, i.
e. not caring about something in the slightest.
by a Dalmatian
“Oću kurac” literally “i want the dick” but it means ” hell no”
“Sudac jebem ti mater” literally “Referee id fuck your mother” it means “ref, id fuck your mother” :D ( mostly used at the football stadiums)
LOVE this piece (and the comments)! I hear “Kurva” on a near daily basis in London – usually from the mouths of Polish workmen :-P Ahhh the international swear word!
Kurva in Croatian means whore, bitch etc… I’m not 100% sure but I think it means pretty in Polish.. or it was a different word, can’t really remember :D
Interesting but “Ćaću ti jarca” (never heard for that) means “…your father goat ( fu*k is omitted, like {fuck} your father goat ).
“that thing hurts me, and once again makes no sense. ” It have sense but you must try to think little more apstract.
KAKO DA NE: “The literal translation is how yes no” It can be but also can be translated as “How not to” ( literal: “HOW TO NOT” ).
Like how NOT to DO something, which makes more sense. :)
No, that’s not right. “Kako da ne?” means “Of course” or “Obviously” (literal translation: “How not?”). You might tell someone something, they might express surprise and question the veracity of what you’re saying, and you say: “Kako da ne?”
My qualification: native Croatian speaker.
My Zagreb born husband always talks about a phrase that means “your mother’s vagina” It seems to be a swear word like an exclamation. Seems odd to me! His godfather often starts of sentence with basically “f*ck me…” And has apparently done so for years! It’s weird how swearing is very accepted! And that fear of the wind! Shutting door to stop the lovely draft in 40 degree Zagreb heat makes me want to swear!!
Baaaaahhhahaaa yes, I want to swear about that darn wind also. I love the swearing especially when they say the goat one to my son. I giggle inside every time.
aha! My dad always says that in anger. Don’t know how it’s spelled but it’s along the lines of “Piche ti materina.” It’s the best.
Pička ti materina!
This was the first thing my grandmother taught us as young kids.
We weren’t allowed to learn the language as my mother used it as a way to have private conversations with her mother in our presence.
We grew up calling our grandmother STARA CRAVA which is what our mother called her. I was 15 before she told us it means OLD COW. smh.
Bahahahahahahahha oh many I think that is HILLARIOUS!! THanks for sharing that.
Beware of “propuh” (again not sure of my spelling)
My first visit to the very WARM Adriatic coast, I was desperate for a fan!
Ha ha ha! Fans are so not allowed. When we purchased one we were given ‘that look’!
Ha, ha, ha! So true! According to Croatians propuh (light breeze) is the cause of all disesases known to them, from cold to meningitis… that includes breeze from AC as well. Most of the households actually have ACs, but they are rarely in use because of terrible propuh!
No “k vragu”?
YIKES!
Pushe me Cududts
??? what does that mean?
i think it’s meant to be “Puši mi kurac” or “Popuši mi kurac”
literally translated “Suck my d***”
Mostly used without ANY sexual meaning or context, one of the strongest swear words out there. Often it starts a fight ;-)
Btw, those last phrases are not swear words or curses. You got them right but ….
just saying
hehe,don’t forget…Jebe’mu mater when something goes wrong or Nemoj Jebat (no shit?)….yap too much of swearing and these are just the light versions of it.Better not to hear the real ones :-)
My husband, father-in-law and MOTHER-in-law are always saying “jeban ti miša!” Which I think literally translates to “f*ck your mouse”. They use it when we would typically say “shoot” or “shit.” My mother-in-law is the sweetest lady on the planet and I would never expect her to swear but I’m told it’s a Croatian thing.
Typo – I meant “jebem ti miša”
Does anyone know what
MUSTNAFREZIA means-/
My Mom would say this when us kids would ask what’s for dinner — we always thought it meant NOTHING
But I can’t find anything on it.
Please help
Not a Croatian word, sorry
Just a general comment…The language you talk about is Serbo-Croatian. Serbian and Croatian are just two variants of the same language. Much like British and American English.
Really? That’s your comment?
I don’t get it why so many Serbians have this need to convince all other nations around them that they are actually Serbs, speaking Serbian language and rest of such nonsense?
Never seen any other nation doing something similar…
No, they are not.
Neither are the phrases.
No…Croatian and Serbian are different languages. Kaj ne?
They certainly do not use latin alphabet soo… if u ask aaany Croatian citizen, you’ll get an answer like this : Ne uspoređuj me sa srbinom ni pod razno ( do not compare me with a Serb “neither under different”- again makes no sense)- especially Dalmatian :’D
“Razno” in this context I would translate not as different but rather as miscellaneous. – “Do not compare me with the Serb not even under miscellaneous.” Although the meaning is the same, miscellaneous just points out to this difference we feel a little bit better. :)