Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential formal way to ask 'How are you?' in Croatian, used with strangers, elders, and in professional settings.
- Means: 'How are you?' used specifically for formal or plural contexts.
- Used in: Business meetings, shops, or when speaking to someone older.
- Don't confuse: With 'Kako si?', which is only for friends and family.
Explication à ton niveau :
Signification
Formal way to ask how someone is.
Contexte culturel
The 'Vi' form is not just about politeness; it's about social boundaries. Moving from 'Kako ste?' to 'Kako si?' is a major step in a friendship. In coastal regions, people might seem more relaxed, but 'Kako ste?' is still strictly used for elders and in official business. The capital is known for 'bečka škola' (Viennese school) etiquette. Formality is highly valued here, and 'Kako ste?' is used very frequently. In Croatian business, hierarchies are respected. Even if you work together for years, some people prefer to stay on 'Vi' terms to keep things professional.
The 'A Vi?' Trick
If you forget how to conjugate, just answer 'Dobro sam' and ask 'A Vi?'. It's always polite and buys you time.
Don't 'Ti' too early
It's better to be too formal than too informal. Wait for the other person to suggest 'ti'.
The 'A Vi?' Trick
If you forget how to conjugate, just answer 'Dobro sam' and ask 'A Vi?'. It's always polite and buys you time.
Don't 'Ti' too early
It's better to be too formal than too informal. Wait for the other person to suggest 'ti'.
Be ready for a real answer
Croatians don't always say 'Fine'. They might actually tell you how they are!
Teste-toi
You are meeting your new professor for the first time. Which greeting is most appropriate?
Dobar dan, profesore. _______?
A professor requires the formal 'Vi' form, which is 'Kako ste?'.
Complete the response to a formal greeting.
A: Kako ste? B: Dobro sam, hvala. A ___?
To ask 'And you?' back formally, you use 'A Vi?'.
Match the phrase to the person you are speaking to.
1. Kako si? | 2. Kako ste?
'Kako si' is for family (brother), 'Kako ste' is for formal relations (boss).
Complete the dialogue in a shop.
Prodavač: Dobar dan! Kupac: Dobar dan. Prodavač: Izvolite, _______?
In a service context, 'kako ste' is the polite standard.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Formal vs Informal
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesDobar dan, profesore. _______?
A professor requires the formal 'Vi' form, which is 'Kako ste?'.
A: Kako ste? B: Dobro sam, hvala. A ___?
To ask 'And you?' back formally, you use 'A Vi?'.
1. Kako si? | 2. Kako ste?
'Kako si' is for family (brother), 'Kako ste' is for formal relations (boss).
Prodavač: Dobar dan! Kupac: Dobar dan. Prodavač: Izvolite, _______?
In a service context, 'kako ste' is the polite standard.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes! That is the primary way to be formal and respectful to a single individual.
No, 'Kako ste' is the same whether you are talking to a man, a woman, or a group.
The most common response is 'Dobro sam, hvala. A Vi?'.
In formal letters and emails, yes. In casual texting, it's not necessary.
Yes, it is the only correct way to ask a teacher how they are.
Don't worry! Most Croatians are very forgiving to learners. Just correct yourself next time.
Yes, it is identical and used the same way in all BCMS languages.
You still say 'Kako ste?'. If you want to be specific, you can say 'Kako ste svi?'.
Yes, it's very polite and appreciated.
Not at all. It is the standard for polite modern communication.
Expressions liées
Kako si?
similarHow are you? (informal)
Što ima?
slangWhat's up?
Kako ide?
similarHow's it going?
Kako se osjećate?
specialized formHow are you feeling?
Što se radi?
casualWhat's being done?
Où l'utiliser
At the Doctor's
Doctor: Dobar dan. Kako ste danas?
Patient: Dobar dan, doktore. Ne osjećam se baš najbolje.
Job Interview
Interviewer: Drago mi je što smo se upoznali. Kako ste?
Candidate: Hvala na pitanju, odlično sam. Kako ste Vi?
Meeting a Neighbor
Younger Neighbor: Dobro jutro, gospođo Marija. Kako ste?
Elderly Neighbor: A evo, sine, koljena me bole, ali ide polako.
Checking into a Hotel
Receptionist: Dobrodošli u naš hotel. Kako ste putovali?
Guest: Hvala, dobro smo. Kako ste Vi?
Addressing a Group
Teacher: Dobar dan, učenici. Kako ste danas?
Students: Dobro smo!
Formal Email
Sender: Poštovani, nadam se da ste dobro.
Receiver: Hvala na upitu, dobro sam.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of 'Kako' as 'Coco' (the bird) and 'Ste' as 'Stay'. 'Coco, stay! How are you?'
Association visuelle
Imagine a young person in a suit bowing slightly to an elderly lady sitting on a stone bench in a sunny Croatian square (trg). The word 'STE' is written in gold letters above them.
Rhyme
Kako ste, da ste, neka ste! (A common playful response meaning 'However you are, let it be!')
Story
You enter a grand hotel in Dubrovnik. The concierge, wearing a sharp uniform, looks at you with respect. He doesn't know you, so he uses the formal plural. He asks, 'Kako ste?' because you are a guest of honor.
In Other Languages
It is exactly like the French 'Comment allez-vous?' or the German 'Wie geht es Ihnen?'. Both use the formal/plural 'you' to show respect.
Word Web
Défi
Next time you enter a shop or a cafe, instead of just saying 'Dobar dan', add 'Kako ste?'. Notice if the person gives you a more detailed answer than you expect!
Review this every time you meet someone new in a formal setting. Focus on the 'te' ending as the marker of respect.
Prononciation
Stress on the first 'a'. The 'o' is short.
Short 'e', like in 'bed'.
Spectre de formalité
Kako ste? (General greeting)
Kako ste? (General greeting)
Kako si? (General greeting)
Što ima? / Di si? (General greeting)
Derived from Proto-Slavic *kako (how) and the verb *byti (to be). The use of the plural for respect is a later European development.
Le savais-tu ?
In some old Croatian dialects, people used 'Oni' (they) to address someone with even more respect than 'Vi'!
Notes culturelles
The 'Vi' form is not just about politeness; it's about social boundaries. Moving from 'Kako ste?' to 'Kako si?' is a major step in a friendship.
“Wait for the older person to say 'Možemo na ti' before switching.”
In coastal regions, people might seem more relaxed, but 'Kako ste?' is still strictly used for elders and in official business.
“Even in a beach bar, address the older owner with 'Kako ste?'.”
The capital is known for 'bečka škola' (Viennese school) etiquette. Formality is highly valued here, and 'Kako ste?' is used very frequently.
“In a Zagreb tram, if you speak to a stranger, always use 'Kako ste?'.”
In Croatian business, hierarchies are respected. Even if you work together for years, some people prefer to stay on 'Vi' terms to keep things professional.
“Emails always start with 'Poštovani' and 'Kako ste?'.”
Amorces de conversation
Dobar dan! Kako ste danas?
Kako ste proveli vikend?
Kako ste zadovoljni novim poslom?
Erreurs courantes
Kako si? (to a boss)
Kako ste?
L1 Interference
Kako ste? (to a single child)
Kako si?
L1 Interference
Vi kako ste?
Kako ste?
L1 Interference
Kako ste? (forgetting the question mark in writing)
Kako ste?
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
¿Cómo está usted?
Croatian uses plural forms for respect, Spanish uses 3rd person singular.
Comment allez-vous ?
French uses the verb 'to go' (aller), while Croatian uses 'to be' (biti).
Wie geht es Ihnen?
German is an impersonal construction ('How goes it'), Croatian is personal ('How are you').
お元気ですか (O-genki desu ka?)
Japanese focuses on 'health' (genki), Croatian on the state of 'being'.
كيف حالك؟ (Kayfa haluka?)
Arabic is gendered and uses a noun-based structure.
您好吗？ (Nín hǎo ma?)
Chinese adds a question particle 'ma' at the end.
어떻게 지내세요? (Eotteoke jinaeseyo?)
Korean respect is embedded in verb suffixes, not just the choice of 'you'.
Como está?
Portuguese uses the 3rd person singular for formal address, like Spanish.
Spotted in the Real World
“Dobar dan, susjed. Kako ste danas?”
A formal interaction between neighbors in a Zagreb apartment building.
“Dobro jutro, kako ste?”
A classic rock song that uses the phrase as a general greeting to the world.
“Gospodine gradonačelniče, kako ste?”
A journalist addressing a powerful politician.
Facile à confondre
Learners often use it with friends, which sounds weirdly formal.
Remember: STE = Stranger/Senior/Staff.
Learners think it's the same as 'How are you?'.
'Kako ide' is more about 'How is work/life going?', not 'How are you feeling?'.
Questions fréquentes (10)
Yes! That is the primary way to be formal and respectful to a single individual.
basic understandingNo, 'Kako ste' is the same whether you are talking to a man, a woman, or a group.
grammar mechanicsThe most common response is 'Dobro sam, hvala. A Vi?'.
practical tipsIn formal letters and emails, yes. In casual texting, it's not necessary.
grammar mechanicsYes, it is the only correct way to ask a teacher how they are.
usage contextsDon't worry! Most Croatians are very forgiving to learners. Just correct yourself next time.
common mistakesYes, it is identical and used the same way in all BCMS languages.
cultural usageYou still say 'Kako ste?'. If you want to be specific, you can say 'Kako ste svi?'.
grammar mechanicsYes, it's very polite and appreciated.
usage contextsNot at all. It is the standard for polite modern communication.
usage contexts
