2 syllables: Cro, ats. Stress on Cro.
KROH-ahts
/ˈkɹoʊˌɑts/
Croats is pronounced KROH-ahts (/ˈkɹoʊˌɑts/). It has two syllables (Cro-ats), with the stress on "Cro". Croats is the plural noun for people from Croatia, referring to the nation’s citizens or ethnic group. In everyday use it names a specific population, and can appear in sociopolitical, cultural, or demographic contexts. The term is pronounced with a clear initial consonant cluster and a palatalized vowel, reflecting Croatian native pronunciation patterns when used by English speakers.
nounCroats is the plural noun for people from Croatia, referring to the nation’s citizens or ethnic group. In everyday use it names a specific population, and can appear in sociopolitical, cultural, or demographic contexts. The term is pronounced with a clear initial consonant cluster and a palatalized vowel, reflecting Croatian native pronunciation patterns when used by English speakers.
How to Pronounce Croats
"The Croats celebrated their national holiday with traditional music and dance."
"Researchers studied the Croats’ distinct dialects within the broader South Slavic language family."
"Several Croats spoke at the conference about Croatia’s tourism and economy."
Pronounce it as CROH-ats with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: US: /ˈkroʊ.æts/; UK: /ˈkrəʊ.æts/; AU: /ˈkroː.æts/. Start with /k/ then /r/ with a light, quick vowel in the second syllable, and finish with /æts/ where /t/ is released into /s/. You’ll notice a subtle difference between /oʊ/ and /əʊ/ depending on accent. Audio cue: think “Cro-ats, Cro-ats.”
Common errors: misplacing stress (so say CRO-ats, not cro-ATS); mispronouncing the vowel as a long /a/ or /ɔ/ in the first syllable; and simplifying the final /ts/ to /t/ or /s/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable, use a true diphthong /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK) rather than a pure /o/ or /ɔ/, and release the final /ts/ firmly as /ts/ rather than a hard /t/ or /s/. Practice with minimal pairs to feel the difference in mouth position.
In US English, /ˈkroʊ.æts/ uses a clear /oʊ/ diphthong; in UK English, /ˈkrəʊ.æts/ tends toward a central-offglide /əʊ/ with a slightly reduced first vowel; Australian often falls between, with /ˈkroː.æts/ or /ˈkrəʊ.æts/, where the first vowel is less tenser and the second syllable maintains /æ/. The final /ts/ remains, but vowel quality and rhoticity influence the preceding vowel’s length and articulation. Listen for the subtle length on the first vowel and the abrupt closure on /ts/ in all accents.
The difficulty lies in balancing the onset cluster /kr-/ with the vowel quality of /oʊ/ or /əʊ/, plus the final voiceless affricate /ts/. English speakers often mispronounce the first vowel by shortening it or switching to /ɒ/ or /ɔ/; and the final /ts/ can be swallowed as /t/ or /s/. The key is keeping a crisp /ts/ release and maintaining the diphthong’s glide without overlengthening. Focus on mouth position: back of tongue, rounded lips for /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and a quick tongue tip release into /t/ then /s/.
Stress is straightforward on the first syllable: C R O-ats with primary stress on /kroʊ/ or /krəʊ/. There are no silent letters in the standard English form; the /r/ is pronounced in rhotic accents, and the /o/ vowel is not silent. For search purposes, include both spellings with and without diacritics in related terms (e.g., Croatian, Croats) to capture variations, but the core pronunciation remains /ˈkroʊ.æts/ in US or /ˈkrəʊ.æts/ in UK. Include IPA variants in metadata to optimize SEO.
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US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; /oʊ/ is a strong diphthong; keep /æ/ clear in second syllable. UK: nonrhotic or weak rhotic, /əʊ/ may über-merge; /æ/ remains crisp; AU: often flatter vowel in first syllable, more homophony with UK; keep the /ts/ release distinct. IPA references: US /ˈkroʊ.æts/, UK /ˈkrəʊ.æts/, AU /ˈkroː.æts/. Focus on the first syllable vowel length and quality and the final /ts/ release.
Croats derives from Latin Croatus/Croati, used historically in Medieval Latin to refer to the people of what is now Croatia. The root likely traces to the early Slavic ethnonym used by neighboring groups and external chroniclers, evolving through historical references to “Croaria” and eventually “Croatia” in English. The demonym Croat appeared in English texts by at least the 16th century, aligning with national identities formed in the late Middle Ages and early modern period. The word’s form mirrors other South Slavic ethnonyms, with the plural Croats standard in English to denote citizens or an ethnic group. Regional variations existed in pronunciation in English transliterations, but the canonical form remains Croats. Understanding the term requires awareness that it denotes both the broader national community and a specific cultural heritage tied to the Croatian nation-state established in the 20th century, then evolving in contemporary contexts of diaspora and regional diplomacy.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Croats" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Croats" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Croats"
-ots sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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