dušo
The English word sweetheart can be translated into Croatian as dušo.
dušo is used to refer to a person who is very much liked or loved by someone.
Meaning: a person very much liked or loved by someone (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from duša, which means soul.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
dušo is an informal term of endearment used between romantic partners or towards children. Another informal option is Ljubavi moja, which translates to 'my love'.
How does it change in a sentence?
dušo is the vocative case of duša, which is used when addressing the person directly.
Did you know?
- In Croatia, it is common for complete strangers, such as elderly women or shopkeepers, to call a younger customer dušo as a sign of grandmotherly kindness.
- Croatian has a specific grammatical case called the vocative specifically for addressing people, which is why duša changes to dušo the moment you speak to your sweetheart.
- While dušo is a tender term of endearment, it can be used sarcastically in arguments to sound patronizing or condescending, similar to how 'sweetheart' is sometimes used in English.
Examples in context
- Ljubavi moja, kako je lijepo biti s tobom.My love, how wonderful it is to be with you.
- Sve što želim je ti, dušo.All I want is you, sweetheart.
- Ne brini ništa, dušo.Don't worry about anything, sweetheart.
- Hvala ti na svemu, dušo.Thank you for everything, sweetheart.
Example conversation
A couple is relaxing at home in the evening.
- MateoJesi li umorna, dušo?Are you tired, sweetheart?
- IvanaMalo sam umorna, ali sam sretna.I am a little tired, but I am happy.
- MateoOdmori se malo, Ivana.Rest a little, Ivana.
- IvanaHvala ti, Mateo.Thank you, Mateo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dušo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
