koza
Latin, feminine
The English word goat is translated into Croatian as koza. Wiktionary also lists jarac.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Croatian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| koza | Latin, feminine | |
| jarac | /jârat͡s/ | Latin, masculine |
The term refers to the animal known as a goat.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the gender of the animal: koza specifically refers to a female goat, while jarac specifically refers to a male goat. Additionally, you can use the diminutive form kozica to refer to a young goat or a kid.
Did you know?
- In Croatian folklore, the jarac is often associated with the devil or mischievous spirits, reflecting a common theme in Balkan myths where the male goat symbolizes wild and unpredictable nature.
- In traditional Croatian rural life, the koza was often seen as the 'poor man's cow' because they could survive on the rocky terrain of the Dinaric Alps where cattle could not.
- The English word 'goat' shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Croatian koza through the Proto-Indo-European root *ker-.
Examples in context
- Gospodine, da li imate neku kozu?Sir, do you have a goat?
- Danas smo vidjeli preslatkog kozlića!Today we saw an adorable little goat!
- Ta koza stalno skače po ogradi.That goat is constantly jumping on the fence.
Example conversation
Marko and Ivana are visiting a farm.
- MarkoPogledaj, Ivana, tamo je koza!Look, Ivana, there is a goat!
- IvanaOna je stvarno mala.She is really small.
- MarkoMogu li je nahraniti?Can I feed her?
- IvanaDa, koza voli mrkvu.Yes, the goat likes carrots.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goat” translations and entries jarac, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jarac, koza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
