Greetings and Introductions

Proper greetings and introductions are an important part of Croatian daily life. For example, when entering a store one should give a general good morning/day/evening as soon as one walks in the door. The greeting is expected even if the clerk is busy with other customers and can't respond. "Good morning" is used until noon, "good day" until 5:00 p.m. after which "good evening" is appropriate. "Good night" is used when departing at the end of an evening. When one is greeting friends, it is essential to introduce those who do not know one another. The formal address is always used when speaking with anyone over high school age unless one is invited to use the informal. Croatians typically use the informal only among family and very close friends. If someone begins a conversation asking "How are you?" the person wants you to give a full answer to the question.