Idemo na kavu?

Beautiful landscape, good food, rich history and… Croatian coffee culture! Yes, coffee ritual is one of the must-experience points in Croatia! A café typically stands at the heart of even the most modest Croatian villages, along with a local store, school, and church. It serves as a focal point within the community, offering a space where locals gather, socialize, and connect with one another.

For Croatians, drinking coffee is a social event.

According to the research from 2022*, 46% of students in Split spend more than 1 hour in a café and 94.5% of them drink coffee in company of other people.

The social significance of coffee gatherings in Croatia is reflected even in the Croatian grammar. When Croatians would like to invite someone for a cup of coffee, they commonly say "Idemo na kavu". This phrase relies on accusative case with the preposition “na”, which in Croatian language is used for expressing the action of going to the open place, located outside (e.g. “idemo na more” [let’s go to the seaside], “idemo na plažu” [let’s go to a beach]) or for social events (e.g. “idemo na koncert” [let’s go to a concert], “idemo na izlet” [let’s go for a trip]). In the past, this social event was connected to political conversations led in kavana (places in the past where coffee was served), and drinking coffee was a political act. However, today’s conversations led at kafić (café, bar) are much lighter - according to the same research*, most people talk about daily life and their plans for the future and the tone is usually cheerful.

On the other hand, there are situations when coffee can lead to serious topics. For Croatians, coffee is so important that even business meetings can be arranged during coffee time. It’s a common ritual for many companies, specially around some less important topics during lunch break, or, as more Croatians call their work break – coffee break.

Speaking of coffee, most Croatians will order coffee macchiato. But, it’s not about coffee! Although you’ve been invited for coffee, it’s normal to consider ordering something else. Some people will drink mineral water, some will drink tea and some people will drink alcohol. The choice is yours.

Last, but not least, for most Croatians splitting the bill is not an option. Mostly, someone will pay for everyone and next time next person will pay. However, before agreeing on who will pay, Croatians usually argue a bit about whose turn it is. That’s why the typical conversation at the end of coffee time is something like this:

-          Ja plaćam! (I’ll pay!)

-          Ne, daj, ja plaćam! – (No, come on, I’ll pay)

-          Moj red, ja plaćam! (My turn, I insist on paying!)

*Stanić, S., i Šušić, P. (2022). “Coffee consumption habits in student population”, Agroeconomia Croatica, 12(2), 0-0. available: https://hrcak.srce.hr/295629