Zagreb, 12 March 2026 (Hina) - The free web and mobile application LearnCro, designed for learning Croatian at the B1 level, a project of the Central State Office for Croats Abroad and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, was presented Thursday.

The Croatian language is not only a means of communication but also a link with the diaspora and with identity -- with who we are, the State Secretary of the Central State Office for Croats Abroad, Zvonko Milas, said at the presentation.

Milas added that the application aims to meet the practical needs of compatriots who are increasingly coming to Croatia.

It is not intended as a replacement for in-person learning, but rather as a useful addition that allows for more flexible and relaxed study, in which each individual determines their own pace and progress, he added.

Within the first three days the application had already been downloaded by 1,000 prospective users, which shows the strong interest in learning Croatian.

"We believe that most of them are Croats, but not exclusively," Milas said, emphasizing that the application is free and available to everyone.

"I believe it will also be useful to foreign workers who want and need to learn Croatian. However, for the A1 level they should already have some basic knowledge so that they can build on it and participate in everyday life," the state secretary explained.

He recalled that two earlier online language-learning projects at A1 and A2 levels had already been implemented and had proved very useful and in high demand.

More than 34,000 people have completed online language courses

The potential is considerable: more than 34,000 people have so far completed Croatian language courses at the A1 and A2 levels, and they are the primary target group that will continue learning Croatian at the B1 level, said the dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Domagoj Tončinić.

The application is available online, can easily be downloaded, and registration is simple and straightforward, Tončinić added.

The application can be accessed via mobile devices and the web.

It contains 2,000 audio recordings and around 2,200 photographs, while the activities are designed to introduce and test vocabulary, with a particular emphasis on cultural content. It consists of 80 lessons divided into 12 units, explained Jasmin Klindžić, head of the e-Learning Support Center at the Faculty.

The head of Croaticum Centre for Croatian as a Second and Foreign Language, Ana Grgić, said the application interface is available in Croatian, English and Spanish, with plans to add German or another language depending on demand.