When talking about your immediate family, you will often use the word sestra, which means 'sister'.
For example, if you want to say 'my sister', you would say moja sestra. If you have more than one sister, you can say moje sestre.
You might also hear the diminutive form, sekica, which is a more affectionate way to refer to a sister, similar to 'sis' in English.
It's a foundational word for describing family relationships.
When talking about family members in Croatian, sestra is the word for 'sister.' It's a feminine noun, so it will always follow feminine grammatical rules.
For example, if you want to say 'my sister,' you would say moja sestra. If you are talking about multiple sisters, you would use the plural form, sestre.
You'll often hear it in common phrases like starija sestra (older sister) or mlađa sestra (younger sister).
Understanding family vocabulary is a great way to start building basic conversations in Croatian.
When using the word sestra, it's important to remember its grammatical gender. As a feminine noun, it will influence the forms of adjectives and other words that modify it in a sentence.
You'll often encounter sestra in various cases. For example, if you're talking about a sister, you might use the genitive form, sestre. If you're talking to your sister, you'd use the vocative form, which for sestra is still sestro. Pay attention to these case endings as they are crucial for fluent and correct Croatian.
sestra in 30 Sekunden
- Female sibling
- Family member
- Common word
§ What Does 'Sestra' Mean?
The Croatian word 'sestra' (pronounced SEH-strah) is a fundamental vocabulary item for anyone learning Croatian. It directly translates to 'sister' in English. This is a crucial word to know when talking about family members, which is often one of the first topics you'll encounter in any language learning journey. You'll use 'sestra' to refer to a female sibling.
- DEFINITION
- Sestra means 'sister'. It's a feminine noun used to refer to a female sibling.
§ When Do People Use 'Sestra'?
You'll primarily use 'sestra' when you're talking about your own sister, someone else's sister, or sisters in general. It's a straightforward word without many complex nuances in its basic meaning. Here are a few common situations:
- Talking about your family: This is the most obvious use. If you have a sister, you'll definitely use 'sestra'.
- Asking about someone's family: When you're getting to know someone, you might ask if they have any siblings, and 'sestra' will come up.
- Describing relationships: You might use it to describe the relationship between two people.
It's important to note that while 'sestra' most commonly refers to a biological sister, in some broader, less formal contexts, it can occasionally be used to refer to a close female friend or a nun, similar to how 'sister' can be used in English. However, for A1 level learners, focus on the primary meaning: female sibling.
§ Examples of 'Sestra' in Use
Moja sestra živi u Zagrebu.
My sister lives in Zagreb. (Here, 'moja' means 'my' and refers to a feminine noun.)
Imate li sestru?
Do you have a sister? (Notice how 'sestra' changes to 'sestru' here. This is due to Croatian case endings, which you'll learn more about as you progress.)
Njezina sestra je studentica.
Her sister is a student. ('Njezina' means 'her', also matching the feminine noun 'sestra'.)
Mastering 'sestra' is a great first step in building your Croatian vocabulary related to family. Keep practicing these basic words, and you'll soon be able to form simple sentences and conversations.
§ Don't Confuse 'Sestra' with 'Brat'
One of the most basic mistakes English speakers make is confusing 'sestra' (sister) with 'brat' (brother). This might seem obvious, but when you're just starting out, it's easy to mix up new vocabulary, especially when the words sound a little similar or you're thinking quickly. Always double-check which gender you're referring to.
§ 'Sestra' and Cases: The Noun Declension Trap
Croatian is a case-based language, which means that the ending of a noun changes depending on its function in a sentence. This is probably the biggest hurdle for English speakers learning Croatian. 'Sestra' is a feminine noun, and it will change its ending in different cases. If you use 'sestra' in the nominative case (the basic form, like 'the sister') when another case is needed, your sentence will sound incorrect to a native speaker.
Let's look at some examples to show you what I mean:
- Nominative (Subject)
- Ovo je moja sestra. (This is my sister.)
Moja sestra voli čitati. (My sister loves to read.)
- Genitive (Possession, from/of)
- Knjiga moje sestre je na stolu. (My sister's book is on the table.)
Dolazim od sestre. (I am coming from my sister.)
- Dative (To/for someone)
- Dajem poklon sestri. (I am giving a gift to my sister.)
Pomoći ću svojoj sestri. (I will help my sister.)
- Accusative (Direct object)
- Vidim sestru u gradu. (I see my sister in the city.)
Čekam sestru. (I am waiting for my sister.)
- Vocative (Addressing someone)
- Hej, sestro! (Hey, sister!)
Dođi ovamo, sestro! (Come here, sister!)
- Locative (About/in/on something)
- Razgovaram o svojoj sestri. (I am talking about my sister.)
Čitam u kuharici o sestri i njenim receptima. (I am reading in a cookbook about my sister and her recipes.)
- Instrumental (With/by means of)
- Idem s sestrom u kino. (I am going with my sister to the cinema.)
Putujem s sestrom vlakom. (I am traveling with my sister by train.)
§ Plural Forms of 'Sestra'
Just like in English, nouns can be singular or plural. The plural of 'sestra' isn't simply adding an 's'. The plural form is 'sestre'. This also changes with cases, but let's stick to the basic plural for now.
- Singular: Sestra (Sister)
- Plural: Sestre (Sisters)
Imam dvije sestre. (I have two sisters.)
Moje sestre su starije od mene. (My sisters are older than me.)
§ Not Using Possessive Adjectives Correctly
In English, you say 'my sister,' 'your sister,' etc. In Croatian, these possessive adjectives ('moja,' 'tvoja,' 'njegova,' etc.) must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. Since 'sestra' is feminine, you'll use 'moja' (my, feminine singular) when 'sestra' is in the nominative case. However, if 'sestra' changes case, the possessive adjective changes too.
- Incorrect
- Idem s moj sestra. (I am going with my sister.) - 'moj' is masculine nominative, and 'sestra' is feminine nominative. Both are wrong here.
- Correct
- Idem s mojom sestrom. (I am going with my sister.) - 'mojom' is feminine instrumental, and 'sestrom' is feminine instrumental. They agree.
§ Overlooking 'Sestra' in Other Contexts
While 'sestra' primarily means 'sister,' it can also be used in some other contexts, much like 'sister' in English can refer to a nun or a nurse (though less common in modern English speech, it's still understood). In Croatian, 'medicinska sestra' specifically means 'nurse'.
Ona je medicinska sestra. (She is a nurse.)
While you're unlikely to confuse your biological sister with a nurse in most conversations, be aware of this extended meaning, especially when you encounter it in texts or hear it in specific contexts.
Wichtige Grammatik
Nouns in Croatian have grammatical gender (masculine, feminine, neuter). 'Sestra' is a feminine noun, ending in -a.
Moja sestra je visoka. (My sister is tall.)
Nouns decline (change endings) based on their grammatical case. The nominative singular of 'sestra' is 'sestra'.
Sestra dolazi. (The sister is coming.)
Possessive adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. For 'sestra' (feminine singular), you'd use feminine singular possessive adjectives like 'moja' (my).
Ovo je moja sestra. (This is my sister.)
When talking about multiple sisters, you'd use the plural form. The nominative plural of 'sestra' is 'sestre'.
Moje sestre su ovdje. (My sisters are here.)
The verb 'biti' (to be) conjugates according to the subject. For 'sestra' (third person singular), you'd use 'je'.
Ona je moja sestra. (She is my sister.)
Beispiele nach Niveau
Moja starija sestra živi u Berlinu i radi kao softverska inženjerka.
My older sister lives in Berlin and works as a software engineer.
starija (older) is a comparative adjective; živi (lives) and radi (works) are present tense verbs.
Sinoć sam razgovarala sa sestrom o našim planovima za ljetovanje.
Last night I talked to my sister about our vacation plans.
sa sestrom (with my sister) uses the instrumental case; našim planovima (our plans) uses the dative case.
Iako smo vrlo različite, moja sestra i ja imamo jaku vezu.
Although we are very different, my sister and I have a strong bond.
vrlo različite (very different) is an adjective phrase; jaku vezu (strong bond) uses the accusative case.
Često posuđujem odjeću od svoje mlađe sestre jer ima odličan stil.
I often borrow clothes from my younger sister because she has great style.
od svoje mlađe sestre (from my younger sister) uses the genitive case; ima (has) is a present tense verb.
Moja sestra je uvijek tu za mene, bez obzira na sve.
My sister is always there for me, no matter what.
uvijek tu (always there) is an adverbial phrase; bez obzira na sve (no matter what) is a common idiom.
Njezina sestra je prava avanturistica i putuje po cijelom svijetu.
Her sister is a true adventurer and travels all over the world.
Njezina sestra (Her sister) uses the nominative case; putuje (travels) is a present tense verb.
Ponekad se svađam sa sestrom oko sitnica, ali brzo se pomirimo.
Sometimes I argue with my sister about small things, but we quickly make up.
svađam se (I argue) is a reflexive verb; pomirimo se (we make up) is also a reflexive verb.
Nikad nisam imala bolju prijateljicu od svoje rođene sestre.
I've never had a better friend than my own sister.
Nikad nisam imala (I have never had) uses the past tense of imati (to have) with negation; od svoje rođene sestre (than my own sister) uses the genitive case for comparison.
Moja sestra, koja živi u Londonu, nedavno je promovirana u višu poziciju unutar svoje tvrtke, što je rezultat dugogodišnjeg predanog rada i usavršavanja.
My sister, who lives in London, was recently promoted to a senior position within her company, which is the result of many years of dedicated work and professional development.
Nakon što je godinama radila kao volonterka u lokalnom azilu za životinje, moja sestra je odlučila potpuno promijeniti karijeru i upisati studij veterine, slijedeći svoju strast.
After years of volunteering at a local animal shelter, my sister decided to completely change careers and enroll in veterinary medicine, following her passion.
Sjećam se kad je moja sestra, usprkos svim preprekama i skepticizmu, uspjela pokrenuti vlastiti posao s organskom hranom, što je bio ogroman podvig u to vrijeme.
I remember when my sister, despite all obstacles and skepticism, managed to start her own organic food business, which was a huge feat at the time.
Uvijek sam se divio sposobnosti moje sestre da ostane smirena i pribrana čak i u najstresnijim situacijama, što je vještina koju je razvila radeći kao medicinska sestra na hitnom prijemu.
I've always admired my sister's ability to remain calm and composed even in the most stressful situations, a skill she developed while working as an emergency room nurse.
Unatoč geografskoj udaljenosti, moja sestra i ja smo uspjeli održati snažnu vezu, redovito se čujući i posjećujući kad god nam to obaveze dopuste.
Despite the geographical distance, my sister and I have managed to maintain a strong bond, regularly communicating and visiting whenever our obligations allow.
Moja sestra je uvijek bila ona koja nas je poticala na kreativnost i istraživanje, uvodeći nas u svijet umjetnosti i glazbe od najranijih dana.
My sister was always the one who encouraged our creativity and exploration, introducing us to the world of art and music from our earliest days.
Njena nepopustljiva volja i predanost ciljevima su ono što je moju sestru dovelo do uspjeha u akademskoj karijeri, gdje je postala priznata stručnjakinja u svom području.
Her unwavering will and dedication to her goals are what led my sister to success in her academic career, where she became a recognized expert in her field.
Sestra mi je nedavno ispričala o svojim planovima za putovanje oko svijeta, što je san koji gaji još od djetinjstva i sada ga napokon ima priliku ostvariti.
My sister recently told me about her plans to travel around the world, a dream she has cherished since childhood and now finally has the opportunity to fulfill.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
Ovo je moja sestra.
This is my sister.
Imam jednu sestru.
I have one sister.
Nema brata ni sestru.
He/she has no brother or sister.
Moja sestra živi u Zagrebu.
My sister lives in Zagreb.
Kako se zove tvoja sestra?
What is your sister's name?
Moja sestra je studentica.
My sister is a student.
Voliš li svoju sestru?
Do you love your sister?
Sestra mi je pomogla.
My sister helped me.
Pričao sam sa sestrom.
I talked with my sister.
Ona je moja najbolja sestra.
She is my best sister.
Teste dich selbst 60 Fragen
Which of these means 'sister'?
'Sestra' is the Croatian word for sister.
Select the correct English translation for 'Moja sestra je ovdje.'
'Moja' means 'my', 'sestra' means 'sister', 'je' means 'is', and 'ovdje' means 'here'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'sestra'?
'Ona je' means 'She is', which correctly refers to a sister. 'On je' means 'He is'.
The word 'sestra' refers to a female sibling.
Yes, 'sestra' specifically means sister, a female sibling.
'Sestra' can mean 'brother' in Croatian.
No, 'sestra' means 'sister'. The word for brother is 'brat'.
If someone says 'Imam sestru', they are saying 'I have a sister'.
'Imam' means 'I have', and 'sestru' is the accusative form of 'sestra', meaning 'a sister'.
Moja ___ ide na fakultet. (My sister goes to college.)
The word 'sestra' means sister and fits the context of someone going to college. 'Brat' is brother, 'majka' is mother, and 'otac' is father.
Imam jednu ___ i dva brata. (I have one sister and two brothers.)
When you have something, you use the accusative case. 'Sestru' is the accusative form of 'sestra'.
Ovo je kuća moje ___. (This is my sister's house.)
To indicate possession, you use the genitive case. 'Sestre' is the genitive form of 'sestra'.
Pričam sa svojom ___ o planovima za vikend. (I am talking to my sister about weekend plans.)
When talking with someone, you use the instrumental case. 'Sestrom' is the instrumental form of 'sestra'.
Moja ___ voli čitati knjige. (My sister loves to read books.)
The nominative case 'sestra' is used here as the subject of the sentence. 'Brata' is brother (accusative), 'oca' is father (accusative/genitive), and 'majke' is mother (genitive).
Idem u kino sa ___. (I'm going to the cinema with my sister.)
The preposition 'sa' (with) takes the instrumental case. 'Sestrom' is the instrumental form of 'sestra'.
Listen for 'sestra' and understand the sentence meaning.
How many sisters does the speaker have?
Listen for the description of 'sestra'.
Read this aloud:
Moja sestra je studentica.
Focus: sestra
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Volim svoju sestru.
Focus: svoju sestru
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Imaš li sestru?
Focus: Imaš li
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Your older sister got a new job. Write two sentences congratulating her and asking about her new role. Include the word "sestra" somewhere in your response.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Draga sestra, čestitam ti na novom poslu! Kako ti se sviđa?
Imagine you are introducing your sister to a new friend. Write two sentences introducing her, mentioning her name and one hobby. Use the word "sestra".
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ovo je moja sestra, Ana. Ona voli čitati knjige.
Your sister is visiting from out of town. Write two sentences welcoming her and suggesting a fun activity for you two to do. Use the word "sestra".
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Sestra, dobrodošla natrag! Hajdemo zajedno pogledati film večeras.
Što moja sestra voli raditi?
Read this passage:
Moja sestra voli kuhati. Svaki vikend isprobava nove recepte. Jučer je napravila ukusnu tortu.
Što moja sestra voli raditi?
The passage states 'Moja sestra voli kuhati.' (My sister likes to cook.)
The passage states 'Moja sestra voli kuhati.' (My sister likes to cook.)
Koja je sestra u odnosu na mene?
Read this passage:
Imam jednu sestru i jednog brata. Moja sestra je starija od mene i ide na fakultet. Moj brat je mlađi.
Koja je sestra u odnosu na mene?
The passage says 'Moja sestra je starija od mene' (My sister is older than me).
The passage says 'Moja sestra je starija od mene' (My sister is older than me).
Koliko često sestra i ja pričamo telefonom?
Read this passage:
Moja sestra živi u drugom gradu. Ponekad je posjećujem vikendom. Pričamo telefonom svaki dan.
Koliko često sestra i ja pričamo telefonom?
The passage clearly states 'Pričamo telefonom svaki dan.' (We talk on the phone every day.)
The passage clearly states 'Pričamo telefonom svaki dan.' (We talk on the phone every day.)
Choose the correct sentence: My sister is coming to visit tomorrow.
In Croatian, 'moja' is the feminine possessive pronoun for 'my' when referring to a feminine noun like 'sestra'. 'Dolazi' is the correct third-person singular present tense of 'doći' (to come). 'U posjet' is the correct prepositional phrase for 'to visit'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'sestra' in the dative case?
'Sestri' is the dative singular form of 'sestra', which is required after the verb 'dati' (to give) when indicating the recipient of something. 'Svojoj' is the appropriate possessive pronoun for 'my' in the dative case.
Select the sentence where 'sestra' is in the genitive plural.
'Sestara' is the genitive plural form of 'sestra'. 'Mojih' is the genitive plural form of the possessive pronoun 'moja'. This case is used after words expressing absence, like 'nema' (there isn't/aren't).
The sentence 'Razgovaram sa mojim sestrama svaki dan.' correctly uses the instrumental case for 'sestra'.
'Sestrama' is the instrumental plural form of 'sestra', which is correctly used after the preposition 'sa' (with) when expressing 'with my sisters'.
The sentence 'To je poklon za moju sestru.' incorrectly uses the accusative case for 'sestra'.
'Sestru' is the accusative singular form of 'sestra', which is correctly used after the preposition 'za' (for) when indicating the recipient of a gift.
The sentence 'Čekam na moju sestru ispred kina.' is grammatically correct.
'Na moju sestru' (for my sister) is a common and correct construction in Croatian, using the accusative case for 'sestra' after 'na' to express waiting for someone.
Listen for what the speaker's sister is studying and where.
Listen for the age relationship between the speaker and their sister, and what the sister provides.
Listen for what the speaker and their sister did last night.
Read this aloud:
Moja sestra živi u inozemstvu, ali se često čujemo telefonom.
Focus: inozemstvu
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Imam dvije sestre; jedna je starija, a druga mlađa od mene.
Focus: dvije sestre
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Moja sestra je izvrsna kuharica i često priprema ukusna jela.
Focus: izvrsna kuharica
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Choose the most appropriate synonym for 'sestra' in a formal medical context, referring to a female nurse.
'Medicinska sestra' is the standard formal term for a female nurse in Croatian, while 'bolničarka' is more colloquial and refers to a hospital worker.
In a figurative sense, 'sestra' can refer to a 'sister city' or 'sister organization'. Which Croatian phrase best expresses 'sister organization'?
While 'partnerska' and 'pridružena' suggest association, 'sestrinska organizacija' directly translates the concept of a 'sister organization' using the adjectival form of 'sestra'.
Consider a situation where you are introducing a close female friend to someone and want to emphasize your bond, akin to siblings. Which phrase would be most appropriate?
'Ona mi je kao sestra' directly expresses 'She is like a sister to me,' conveying a strong, familial bond beyond mere friendship.
The term 'sestra' can exclusively refer to a biological female sibling and cannot be used in any other context.
This is false. 'Sestra' can also refer to a female nurse ('medicinska sestra') and, figuratively, in terms like 'sestrinska organizacija' (sister organization) or to express a strong, non-biological bond.
In Croatian, it is common to refer to a nun as 'časna sestra'.
This is true. 'Časna sestra' is the standard term for a nun in Croatian, directly translating to 'honorable sister'.
When describing a 'sorority' (a women's social organization), one might use the term 'sestrinstvo'.
This is true. 'Sestrinstvo' directly translates to 'sisterhood' and is the appropriate term for a sorority or any close female bond.
This sentence describes where an older sister lives. The correct order emphasizes the ownership, age, and location.
This sentence expresses admiration for a sister's intellect. The correct order places the adverb of frequency, subject, and then the object of admiration.
This sentence highlights the contrast in interests despite being sisters. The correct order uses 'although' to introduce the contrasting idea.
Listen to how 'sestra' is used in a complex sentence describing a surgeon's life.
Pay attention to the nuanced meaning of 'sestrinska ljubav' and its overcoming of conflict.
Focus on the context where 'sestra' is making a significant life decision.
Read this aloud:
Razmislite o kompleksnosti obiteljskih odnosa i kako je uloga sestre često ključna u održavanju ravnoteže i harmonije, unatoč povremenim nesuglasicama. Opišite situaciju u kojoj je sestra odigrala presudnu ulogu u nekom obiteljskom događaju, objašnjavajući njezin utjecaj na ishod.
Focus: complex sentence structure, idiomatic expressions
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Analizirajte izreku 'krv nije voda' u kontekstu sestrinskih veza. Kako se ta narodna mudrost očituje u stvarnom životu, posebno kada su sestre suočene s teškim odlukama ili izazovima? Podijelite svoja zapažanja, koristeći primjere iz književnosti ili osobnog iskustva.
Focus: articulation of abstract concepts, literary references
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Istražite različite dimenzije sestrinskih odnosa, od rivalstva u djetinjstvu do bezuvjetne podrške u odrasloj dobi. Kako se te dimenzije razvijaju i transformiraju tijekom života? Upotrijebite složene rečenične konstrukcije kako biste detaljno opisali tu evoluciju.
Focus: intonation for conveying complex emotions, varied sentence beginnings
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence translates to 'My older sister lives in Dubrovnik.' The word order in Croatian generally follows Subject-Verb-Object, similar to English.
This sentence means 'I often talk with my sister about future plans.' The preposition 'sa' (with) is followed by the instrumental case of 'sestra' (sestrom).
This translates to 'Despite different personalities, my sister and I are inseparable.' 'Unatoč' (despite) takes the dative case.
/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Sestra is a basic and essential Croatian word for 'sister', used just like in English to refer to a female sibling.
- Female sibling
- Family member
- Common word
