Pronunciation

Croatian orthography is largely phonemic, which means that each distinctive sound, is represented by a single letter and each letter, in turn, generally represents a single sound. This contrasts with the English version of the Roman alphabet, in which a single letter may represent several different sounds.

Vowels

A, a:

a

Stressed /a/ sounds like the "a" of Spanish or Italian "mano".

E, e:

e

Comes close to the "e" of English "bed"; however, Croatian /e/ sounds more like the "a" of English   "make".

I, i:

i

Similar to the "i" in "police", but shorter than the diphthong of  "green" or "seed".
Unstressed /i/ is more like the "i" in "sit".

O, o:

o

Close to the "o" in "port".
Unstressed /o/ tends to sound a little more like the "u" of American English "putt".

U, u:

u

Similar to the "oo" of English "boot".
When unstressed, /u/ sounds more like the "u" of English "put".

R, r:

Stressed or unstressed syllabic /r/ consists of a short schwa [«], like the "a" in English "sofa", followed by a trilled [r]. Sounds roughly like English "her" pronounced with a trilled /r/.

Consonants

B, b:

b

As the "b" in English "bag".

C, c:

ts

As the "ts" in English "cats".

tS

As the "ch" in English "check".

tc'

No English equivalent.
"Mixed sound" between the "ch" of "check" and the "t" (actually "ty") of British English "tune".

D, d:

d

As the "d" in "dog".

dZ

As the "j" in  "jar".

dz'

No English equivalent.
"Mixed sound" between the "j" of "jar" and the "d" (actually "dy") of British English "duke".

F, f:

f

As the "f" in "fun".

G, g:

g

As the "g" in "get".

H, h:

h

Similar to the [h] of English "hot".

J, j:

j

As the "y" in "yes".

K, k:

k

As the  unaspirated "k" of English "ski".

L, l:

l

As the clear "l" of British English "like" or "let".

LJ, lj:

lj

As the British English pronunciation of the "lli" in "million".

M, m:

m

As the "m" in "meet".

N, n:

n

As the "n" in "note".

NJ, nj:

nj

As the "ni" in "onion".

P, p:

p

As the unaspirated "p" of English "spy".

R, r:

r

This sound occurs in some Britons' pronunciation of the "r" of "very".

S, s:

s

As the "s" in "six".

As the "sh" in  "ship".

T, t:

t

As the unaspirated "t" of English "stop".

V, v:

v

Similar to the English "v" in "vat".

Z, z:

z

As the "z" in "zero".

As the "s" in "measure" or the "zh" in "Zhivago".