Ways to say it
| Croatian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| (Štokavian) što | Latin | |
| šta | /ʃtâ/ | Latin |
| kaj | /ˈkâj/ | Kajkavian, Latin |
| ča | /t͡ʃâ/ | Chakavian, Latin |
The word is an interrogative pronoun used to ask for information about a thing. It can also be used as a relative pronoun meaning "the thing that". Additionally, related forms such as kakav, kakva and kakvo can be used to begin exclamations.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ by dialect and level of formality. (Štokavian) što is the standard form used in formal writing and speech, whereas šta is a colloquial or dialectal variation used in informal speech. The dialect-specific forms include kaj for the Kajkavian dialect and ča for the Chakavian dialect.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In standard or formal situations, use (Štokavian) što. For informal or colloquial speech, you may encounter šta or the dialectal kaj?, which is used informally in Zagreb and the surrounding regions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form ča is characteristic of the Chakavian dialect, which is spoken primarily in coastal and island regions. The form kaj belongs to the Kajkavian dialect, and kaj? is specifically used as an informal way to ask "what?" in Zagreb and nearby areas.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In standard Croatian, (Štokavian) što serves both as an interrogative pronoun and as a relative pronoun, such as when expressing "the thing that".
Did you know?
- The different words for 'what' are so distinct that they gave their names to the three main Croatian dialects: Štokavian, Kajkavian and Čakavian.
- The form kaj has a different linguistic ancestor than što, originating from the Proto-Slavic word *kъjь.
- While što is the standard form, using šta in very formal settings can sometimes be perceived as too colloquial or influenced by neighboring regions.
Examples in context
- Nisem znal kaj si želel.I didn't know what you wanted.This sentence demonstrates the use of kaj.
- Šta je taj zvuk?What is that sound?This sentence demonstrates the use of šta.Tatoeba #12839793 by andrej, translation #2647808 by CK
- Kaj si rekel?What did you say?
- Šta fali?What's wrong?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries šta, kaj, ča, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kaj, ča, šta, što, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
