Prošla baba s kolačima

Literal translation: 

The old lady with cakes has gone away.

The English equivalent is:

To miss the boat.

For example:

Sad se sjetio da želi kupiti jeftine avionske karte, ali prošla baba s kolačima.

Translation: 

He has just decided to buy the cheap airline tickets, but he has missed the boat.

Kao grom iz vedra neba

Literal translation: 

Like a thunderbolt from the clear sky.

The English equivalent is:

Out of the blue.

For example:

Bili smo sretni, a onda mi je, kao grom iz vedra neba, rekla da odlazi.

Translation: 

We were happy and then she, out of the blue, said that she is leaving.

Lijeva kao iz kabla

Literal translation: 

It’s pouring as from the bucket.

The English equivalent is:

It is raining cats and dogs.

For example:

Uzmi kišobran! Lijeva kao iz kabla.

Translation:

Take an umbrella! It’s raining cats and dogs.

Napet k’o puška

Literal translation: 

Tense as a shotgun.

The English equivalent is:

Like a coiled spring.

For example:

Otkad ima novog šefa, napet je k’o puška.

Translation:

Since he has a new boss he is like a coiled spring.

Bilo pa prošlo

Literal translation: 

It was, and then it passed.

The English equivalent is:

That’s all water under the bridge.

For example:

Ana: Nije mi čestitao rođendan!
Ivan: Ne ljuti se, bilo pa prošlo.

 Translation:

Ana: Won’t that be too much?
Ivan: Oh, in for a penny, in for a pound.

Kad je bal, nek je maskenbal

Literal translation: 

When it is a ball, let it be a masked ball.

The English equivalent is:

In for a penny, in for a pound.

For example:

Ana: Neće li to biti previše?
Ivan: Ma, kad je bal, nek je maskenbal.

Translation:

Ana: Won’t that be too much? Ivan: Oh, in for a penny, in for a pound.

drvored: avenue of trees
U ulici imamo divan drvored kestena. = We have a wonderful avenue of chestnut trees in our street.

kositi: to mow
Moram pokositi travu, jako je narasla. = I must mow the grass, it has grown a lot.

bablje ljeto: Indian summer
Iduća dva tjedna čeka nas pravo bablje ljeto, a onda će zahladiti. = We will have a real Indian summer in the next two weeks, and then it will get colder.

In Croatia, bablje ljeto usually lasts for a few weeks at the end of September and the beginning of October.

The photo was taken in Sopot, Zagreb. 
Photo credit: Iva Antoliš

izlazak sunca: sunrise
Izlazak sunca označava početak dana. = Sunrise marks the beginning of the day.

zora: dawn
Budim se u zoru. = I wake up at dawn.

ranoranilac: early bird, morning person
Svakog jutra se budi u 6, pravi je ranoranilac. = He wakes up at six every morning, he really is a morning person.

If you stay at accommodation near Zagreb airport, you might become a ranoranilac too, woken up early every morning by the roosters living nearby.

Photo credit: Iva Antoliš

sumrak: twilight
Sumrak je najljepši dio dana. = Twilight is the most beautiful part of the day.

zalazak sunca: sunset
Volim gledati zalazak sunca na plaži. = I like watching sunset at the beach.

mračan: dark, gloomy
Ne sviđa mi se taj stan, jako je mračan. = I don’t like that apartment, it’s very dark.

This is a photo of Siget, one of the neighborhoods in Novi Zagreb, across the river Sava from the old town. If you are a history buff, the name Siget might be familiar to you. It is also the name of a town and fortress in Hungary (in Hungarian, Szigetvár), where in the 16th century the greatly outnumbered Habsburg soldiers, led by the Croatian ban (a noble title, similar to that of a viceroy) Nikola Šubić Zrinski famously battled with Turkish invaders. Although Zrinski’s men lost the battle, the Turkish army was too weakened to continue with their plan to conquer Vienna. This battle is a significant part of Croatian and European history because it protected the Croatian, Hungarian and Austrian lands from the Turkish invasion. One of the most famous Croatian operas, Nikola Šubić Zrinski, is based on this historical event.

Photo credit: Iva Antoliš

pogled: view
Sa 16. kata imam divan pogled na grad. = I have a wonderful view of the city from the 16th floor.

u daljini: in the distance
U daljini se vidi grad. = The city can be seen in the distance.

planinariti: to hike
Volim planinariti hrvatskim planinama. = I like hiking the Croatian mountains.

In the photo, there are mountains and valleys of Slavonia, a region in the eastern part of Croatia. Slavonia is usually considered to be quite flat: compared with the mountainous regions like Lika or Gorski Kotar, that certainly is true as the highest peak in Slavonia, Brezovo Polje, is only 984 m high. However, although the mountains in Slavonia aren’t especially high, there are quite a lot of them, and they are an excellent choice for hiking if you want to enjoy stunning nature and don’t want a path that is too demanding.

Photo credit: Iva Antoliš 

palača: palace
Kralj je živio u prekrasnoj palači. = The king lived in a magnificent palace.

drevan: ancient
Ljudi imaju slične običaje još od drevnih vremena. = People have had similar customs since ancient times.

povijest: history
Povijest je učiteljica života. = History is the teacher of life. 

In the photo, there is Dioklecijanova palača (Diocletian’s palace) built in the 4th century AD for the Roman emperor Diocletian in the city of Split. It is the heart of the old city, where you can see other remains of Roman times, but also beautiful buildings built during the reign of Venice and later periods of history. 

The photo was taken in Split, Dalmatia.
Photo credit: Iva Antoliš

rezanci: noodles
Volim juhu s puno domaćih rezanaca. = I like soup with lots of homemade noodles.

bistra juha: clear soup, broth
Za predjelo imamo bistru goveđu juhu. = We are having beef broth as a starter.

kokoš: hen
Kokoši nesu jaja. = Hens lay eggs.

In the photo, there is a soup made by my grandmother. It is also known as svatovska juha (wedding soup) because it is traditionally served at weddings in Slavonia. It is made with older chickens or hens and a lot of vegetables and herbs (carrots, celery, onions, parsley, garlic and lovage). It has to be cooked for a few hours. At the end, the bones, meat and vegetables are strained, and the broth is boiled again, this time with noodles. The meat can be used in sos i meso – boiled chicken meat and tomato or dill sauce. 

Photo credit: Iva Antoliš

pustolovina: adventure
Pustolovine čine život uzbudljivim. = Adventures make life exciting.

zračna luka: airport (also used in Croatian: aerodrom)
Dođite u zračnu luku dva sata prije leta. = Arrive at the airport two hours before the flight.

prtljaga: luggage
Prtljaga ne smije biti teža od 30 kg. = The luggage must not weigh more than 30 kilos.

In the photo, there is Zračna luka Franjo Tuđman in Zagreb. It has been recently redesigned and a new passenger terminal was opened in March 2017.

Photo credit: Iva Antoliš

bagatela: dirt cheap
Ove knjige su bagatela na sajmu. = These books are dirt cheap at the fair.

cjenkati se: to haggle
Cjenkala sam se s prodavačem pa sam prošla jeftinije. = I haggled with the salesman so I got it cheaper.

buvljak: flea market
Idem u nedjelju na buvljak kupiti stare knjige i ploče. = I am going to the flea market this Sunday to buy old books and records.

The photo was taken at the biggest flea market in Croatia – Hrelić. It takes place every Sunday on the outskirts of Zagreb as part of a car market. As you can see in the photo, you can find very diverse produce – some new and some second-hand. In case you are looking for something a bit fancier and closer to the city center, go to the flea market at Britanski trg on a Sunday morning.

The photo was taken in Zagreb at the Hrelić flea market.
Photo credit: Iva Antoliš

baština: heritage
Moramo očuvati stara sela, to je naša baština. = We need to preserve our old villages, they are our heritage.

imanje: estate
Moj djed je imao veliko seosko imanje. = My grandfather had a big country estate.

dvorište: yard
Želim kuću s velikim dvorištem. = I want a house with a big yard.

In the photo, there is a traditional old house from the northwestern part of Croatia, Hrvatsko zagorje. Although today the Croatian countryside is mostly filled with modern houses, you can still find some traditional estates. Each region has houses of different styles, due to different climate and cultural influences. In recent years, rural tourism in the continental part of Croatia has developed, so you can visit restored old estates and explore agricultural practices and food that was typical in the past. 

The photo was taken in Desinić, Hrvatsko zagorje.
Photo credit: Mateja Horvat 

kod frizera: at the hairdresser’s
Idem kod frizera jednom mjesečno. = I go to the hairdresser’s once a month.

šišanje: haircut
Šišanje košta 8 eura. = A haircut costs 8 euros.

skratiti vrhove: to trim the ends
Molim vas, samo mi skratite vrhove. = Please, just trim the ends.

As in other countries, in Croatia going to a hairdresser’s is also an opportunity for socializing. Many people tend to go to the same hairdresser for years, so they get to know the staff and other customers very well.

The photo was taken in Buzet (Istria).
Photo credit: Mateja Horvat