sretno!
Croatian, Latin
The English phrase "good luck" is expressed in Croatian as sretno! If unsure, use sretno! Wiktionary also lists srećno!
Meaning: used to wish fortune on someone or as encouragement (intj)
Ways to say it
| Croatian | Note |
|---|---|
| sretno! | Croatian, Latin |
| srećno! | Latin |
The phrase is most commonly used as a short, standalone exclamation when someone is about to face a challenge, such as an exam or a job interview.
Which one should you use?
The form sretno! is the standard Croatian version. In contrast, the form srećno! is the standard way to say "good luck" in Serbian, Bosnian or Montenegrin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
sretno! is the standard form used in Croatia.
How does it change in a sentence?
While sretno can function as an adverb meaning "luckily" or "happily", when used as a single-word exclamation, it functions as the wish "good luck".
Did you know?
- While sretno! is the standard exclamation in Croatia, using the version srećno! acts as a linguistic 'flag' that identifies you as coming from Serbia or Bosnia.
- In Croatia, the root of sretno! is shared with the word for 'happiness', meaning a wish for 'good luck' is linguistically identical to wishing someone 'happiness'.
- To wish someone luck on a metaphorical journey, Croatians use sretno putovanje, which literally translates to 'happy travel'.
Examples in context
- Sretno!Good luck!This sentence is useful for practicing the exclamation sretno!Tatoeba #4719293 by hinto4, translation #429220 by Clavain
- Sretno s ispitom!Good luck with your exam!
- Sretno na novom poslu!Good luck on your new job!
- Sretno u budućim pothvatima!Good luck in your future endeavors!
- Sretno! Nadam se da ćeš uspjeti.Good luck! I hope you succeed.
Example conversation
Mateo is leaving for a job interview.
- MateoIdem na razgovor za posao.I'm going to a job interview.
- IvanaSretno! Moći ćeš to.Good luck! You can do it.
- MateoHvala ti, Ivana.Thank you, Ivana.
- IvanaJavi mi kako je prošlo.Let me know how it went.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good luck” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
