Ways to say it
| Croatian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| siječanj | /sjêːt͡ʃaɲ/ | Latin, masculine |
| januar | /jânuaːr/ | Latin, masculine |
| sečanj | Latin, masculine |
siječanj is the standard Croatian name for the first month of the year. Like other month names in Croatian, it is normally written with a small letter inside a sentence, although you will see Siječanj at the start of a sentence or in headings.
What does it mean word for word?
The name siječanj comes from the verb sijeći, to cut, which is linked to the old practice of cutting wood at this time of year.
Which one should you use?
januar is understood, but it is the Latin based form used in Serbian and in more international contexts, while siječanj is the native Slavic name used in standard Croatian. sečanj is another form of the same native name.
How does it change in a sentence?
siječanj is a masculine noun and its form changes with the case. In January is u siječnju, in the locative. For dates you use the genitive siječnja, as in the first of January. Notice that the vowel before the final consonant drops out in these forms.
How do you pronounce it?
siječanj is pronounced /sjêːtʃaɲ/. The first syllable is long and stressed, and the final nj is the sound in the middle of the English word canyon.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not keep siječanj unchanged after a preposition. In January is u siječnju, not the base form.
Did you know?
- While English month names are based on Roman gods and emperors, siječanj is part of a system where months are named after nature and agricultural work.
- Using the Latin-based januar instead of the native siječanj can signal a shift toward an international or Serbian context rather than a standard Croatian one.
- In Croatian, the word siječanj is written with a lowercase letter in the middle of a sentence, unlike the always-capitalized 'January' in English.
Examples in context
- u siječnjuIn Januaryu siječnju is the locative form used to say in January.
- prvog siječnja/siječnja prvogOn the first of Januarysiječnja is the genitive form used in dates, and the word order can be swapped.
- Siječanj je prvi mjesec u godini.January is the first month of the year.
- Siječanj je bio jako hladan.January was very cold.
Example conversation
Ana and Ivan are discussing their vacation plans.
- AnaKada putujemo u Hrvatsku?When are we traveling to Croatia?
- IvanIdemo u siječanj.We are going in January.
- AnaHoće li biti puno snijega?Will there be a lot of snow?
- IvanVjerojatno hoće.Probably.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “January” translations and entries siječanj, januar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
