Croatian Phrases for the Doctor

Visiting a doctor in Croatia with limited Croatian is manageable when you have a few key phrases ready. This guide gives you exactly what you need to check in, describe your symptoms, and understand what the doctor tells you.

Arriving and checking in

These phrases help you check in at the reception desk and find where you need to go.

Croatian	Pronunciation	Meaning
Imam termin.	(EE-mahm TER-meen)	I have an appointment.
Nemam termin, ali trebam liječnika.	(NEH-mahm TER-meen, AH-lee TREH-bahm lee-YECH-nee-kah)	I don’t have an appointment, but I need a doctor.
Imam zdravstveno osiguranje.	(EE-mahm ZDRAV-stve-no oh-see-goo-RAH-nyeh)	I have health insurance.
Gdje je čekaonica?	(GDYEH yeh cheh-kah-OH-nee-tsah)	Where is the waiting room?

Describing symptoms

Use these to tell the doctor how you feel and where it hurts.

Croatian	Pronunciation	Meaning
Boli me…	(BOH-lee meh)	My … hurts. (add body part)
Boli me glava.	(BOH-lee meh GLAH-vah)	I have a headache. (lit. my head hurts)
Boli me grlo.	(BOH-lee meh GRLOH)	My throat hurts.
Boli me trbuh.	(BOH-lee meh TRBOOKH)	My stomach hurts.
Imam temperaturu.	(EE-mahm tem-peh-rah-TOO-roo)	I have a fever.
Mučnina mi je.	(MOOCH-nee-nah mee yeh)	I feel nauseous.
Osjećam se slabo.	(oh-SYEH-chahm seh SLAH-boh)	I feel weak/unwell.
Imam alergiju na…	(EE-mahm ah-lehr-GEE-yoo nah)	I am allergic to…
Uzimam lijek…	(OO-zee-mahm LEE-yek)	I take the medication…

Asking the doctor questions

These questions help you understand your diagnosis and what you need to do next.

Croatian	Pronunciation	Meaning
Što mi je?	(shtoh mee yeh)	What do I have? / What’s wrong with me?
Trebam li recept?	(TREH-bahm lee REH-tsept)	Do I need a prescription?
Je li ozbiljno?	(yeh lee ohz-BEEL-nyoh)	Is it serious?
Trebam li ići u bolnicu?	(TREH-bahm lee EE-chee oo bol-NEE-tsoo)	Do I need to go to hospital?
Možete li govoriti sporije?	(MOH-zheh-teh lee goh-VOH-ree-tee SPOH-ree-yeh)	Can you speak more slowly?
Možete li to napisati?	(MOH-zheh-teh lee toh nah-PEE-sah-tee)	Can you write that down?

If you want to go deeper into how Croatian sounds, the Croatian Pronunciation Guide gives you a calm, step-by-step overview.

Body parts — quick reference

Here are some useful body words you can plug into Boli me… ("My … hurts").

English	Croatian
head	glava
throat	grlo
chest	prsa
stomach	trbuh
back	leđa
arm	ruka
leg	noga
foot	stopalo
ear	uho
eye	oko

At the pharmacy

After seeing the doctor, you may need to visit a pharmacy to pick up your medication or ask for something over the counter. For calm, ready-to-use phrases in that setting, see Croatian Phrases for the Pharmacy.

A note on Croatian healthcare

Croatia has a public healthcare system, known as HZZO, which covers residents and many services. Citizens of EU countries can usually use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access necessary care. Private clinics are widely available and often have English-speaking staff, especially in larger cities and tourist areas. In smaller towns and local clinics, Croatian is more essential, so having these phrases written down or saved on your phone can make your visit smoother.

If you want to build a wider base of everyday language before you travel, you may find 50 Essential Croatian Phrases a helpful next step.