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How to pronounce
Luka Modrić

10
Say it

LOO·kuhMOH·drihch

Native [ˈlǔːka ˈmôːdritɕ] American /ˈluː.kə ˈmoʊ.drɪtʃ/

Sound by sound

4 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.

  1. LOO the ‘oo’ in food — say this beat loudest
  2. kuh the relaxed ‘uh’ in sofa
  3. MOH the ‘oh’ in go — say this beat loudest
  4. drihch the ‘ih’ in sit

Like a local vs like an American

In the original [ˈlǔːka ˈmôːdritɕ]
On US broadcasts LOO·kuhMOH·drihch

Don’t say…

  • MOH-drik
  • moh-DRITCH
  • MOD-rick
  • LOO·kuh MOH·drihch — stress on LOO and MOH

Where the name comes from

Modrić is a Croatian surname rooted in “modar”, meaning blue. The “ć” is a soft “ch” to American ears, and the final consonant is fully said — MOH-drihch, not “MOH-drik”.

Nation
Croatia
Position
Midfielder
Born
9 Sep 1985

Why Slavic names look spikier than they sound

  • J is a ‘y’Joško → YOHSH-koh.
  • Ć and Č are both a ‘ch’ to American ears — Modrić → MOH-drihch.
  • Š is ‘sh’, Ž is ‘zh’, C is ‘ts’ — the little accents are the whole pronunciation key.
  • Consonant clusters are realGvardiol starts gv-, but we ease in: gvar-DEE-ohl.

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FAQ

How do you pronounce Luka Modrić?

Luka Modrić is pronounced LOO·kuh MOH·drihch in American English — 4 beats, stressing LOO and MOH.

What position does Luka Modrić play?

Luka Modrić is a midfielder for Croatia (the Croatian national team).

Where does the name Modrić come from?

Modrić is a Croatian surname rooted in “modar”, meaning blue. The “ć” is a soft “ch” to American ears, and the final consonant is fully said — MOH-drihch, not “MOH-drik”.