You are sitting in a café in Istria when you overhear a conversation at the next table. You know they are speaking Croatian — at least you think they are — but somehow, you understand absolutely nothing.
Welcome to Istria.
Some of the most common local expressions are also the hardest ones to translate. They are short, often spoken quickly and rarely come with one fixed meaning. You may hear them in a café, at the market, in a small local shop or while someone is giving you directions you were already struggling to follow. And even when you decide to look them up, there is another problem: how do you search for a word when you are not sure what you heard or how it is spelled?
Here is a small survival guide to the tiny Istrian words that Google Translate may not fully explain.
Words for Almost Every Reaction
Ajma
If there is one word you should learn before arriving in Istria, it may be ajma. The difficulty is that it can mean almost anything.
“Ajma, how beautiful!”
“Ajma, I’m so sorry.”
“Ajma, I can’t believe it.”
“Ajma, this is driving me crazy.”
It can express excitement, disappointment, sympathy, surprise or frustration. Sometimes several of those at once. The safest way to understand ajma is not to translate it. Look at the person’s face, listen to the tone and trust the context.
Ma
Ma is everywhere. It may mean but, well, come on or no way. Sometimes it simply appears at the beginning of a sentence because the sentence would feel strangely incomplete without it.
You may hear:
Ma ja. — Of course.
Ma niš. — It’s nothing. Don’t worry.
Ma ča? — What do you mean?
Ma daj. — Come on.
It is less of a word and more of a useful little push that gives a sentence personality.
Ala
When you hear ala, something is probably about to happen. It is a small word used to encourage movement or action. Depending on the situation, it may mean come on, let’s go or get moving.
Ala, gremo. — Come on, let’s go.
Of course, in Istria, even a call to action does not necessarily mean anyone is in a hurry.
Small Words You’ll Hear Everywhere
Ja
This one is easy. Ja means yes. It may appear on its own or be tucked into a longer sentence, often spoken so naturally and quickly that you almost miss it.
Ja, ja. — Yes, yes.
Simple, useful and one of the safest words on this list.
Niš
Niš literally means nothing, but that is only the beginning.
Depending on the context, it can also mean:
- no problem
- never mind
- don’t worry
- it’s fine
- nothing serious
When someone says ma niš, they are usually telling you that everything is under control — or at least that there is no point worrying about it.
Ča or Ca
Both ča and ca mean what. Which version you hear may depend on where you are in Istria, the local dialect and the person speaking. To an unfamiliar ear, it may also sound like something in between.
Ča je to? — What is that?
Ca ćeš? — What will you have?
Ma ča govoriš? — What are you talking about?
It is one of those words that seems simple once you know it, but can be surprisingly difficult to identify the first time you hear it.
Kapiš?
Kapiš means do you understand or do you get it? But it is also often used as a conversational habit, similar to you know in English. The speaker may not actually be checking whether you understood every detail.
For example: “There were so many people, kapiš, we couldn’t even get through.” A small nod is usually an acceptable response.
Šu
Šu is a word of movement.
It can mean come on, go, move, get going or even hurry up. The exact meaning depends on who is speaking, who they are speaking to and how urgently they say it. You may hear it directed at a friend, a child, a dog or a group of people who have spent too long deciding where to go next. If someone says šu to you, standing still is probably not the correct response.
Language has a funny way of becoming part of a journey. You may arrive in Istria without knowing a single local word, but leave with a few favourites you’ll never quite forget. Some souvenirs fit in your suitcase, others stay with you forever. A few little Istrian words might just become one of them.
