brat
/brât/Latin, masculine
The English word "brother" is translated into Croatian as brat.
The term brat is the standard masculine noun for a male sibling. If you need to emphasize that someone is a biological or native brother, especially in legal or official contexts, you can use the phrase Rođeni brat.
Meaning: male sibling (noun)
Which one should you use?
To specify the age of a brother, you can use different terms: stariji brat for an older brother and mlađi brat for a younger brother.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on its role in a sentence. The form brata is used when the brother is the direct object of a verb, such as in "I have a brother". The form bratu is used when the brother is the indirect object, for example, when you are giving something to him. For the plural, braće is the genitive plural form, used to indicate "of brothers" or to express quantity and possession.
How do you pronounce it?
/brât/
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'brother-in-law' is a single compound term, Croatian uses šurak, zet or paženjak depending on the specific family connection.
- In some Croatian dialects and informal speech, brate is used as a common filler word or a way to address a friend, similar to how English speakers use 'dude' or 'bro'.
- The Croatian word brat shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root as the English word 'brother' and the Sanskrit 'bhratr'.
Examples in context
- Moj brat i dalje spava.My brother is still sleeping.This sentence shows the use of brat as a subject.Tatoeba #8227053 by marsovka, translation #278549 by CK
- Tom je moj stariji brat.Tom is my oldest brother.This sentence shows the use of brat to specify an older brother.Tatoeba #4700957 by b_ana_na, translation #4700120 by CK
- Imam jednog brata.I have one brother.This sentence shows the use of brat in a context where the grammatical form changes to brata.Tatoeba #6196917 by nevennjovanovic, translation #256071 by CK
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ivan and Ivana are talking about their family members.
- IvanIvana, gdje je tvoj brat?Ivana, where is your brother?
- IvanaMoj brat je na poslu.My brother is at work.
- IvanJe li on mlađi od tebe?Is he younger than you?
- IvanaDa, on je moj mlađi brat.Yes, he is my younger brother.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations and entries brat, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brat, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
