Nursery Rhymes›Nina, Nani, Draga Moja
Nina, Nani, Draga MojaNina, Nani, Draga Moja
A lullaby from Croatia

Nina, Nani, Draga Moja

Key: D minor~60 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Croatia
Relax In No Time video

▶ More lullabies on YouTube

Nina, Nani, Draga Moja Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Croatian uspavanka (cradle-song) tradition, using the widespread ‘nina, nani’ refrain found along the Adriatic coast. Here you will find the lyrics, English translation, meaning, and chords.

Sing & play

Lyrics & chords

An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.

Verse

Dm E Dm
Nina, nani, draga moja,
Am E Dm
spava more, spava obala.
C G
Zvijezde čuvaju tvoj san,
Am E Dm
nina, nani, cijeli dan.
In English

What the words mean

“Sleep, sleep, my darling — the sea sleeps, the shore sleeps. The stars guard your dream, sleep, sleep, all day long.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
E
Guitar
EBG#
Piano
C
x
Guitar
CEG
Piano
G
Guitar
DGB
Piano
Good to know

What “Nina, Nani, Draga Moja” Means

‘Nina, nani’ is a traditional cradle-song refrain found across Croatia, sometimes sung in the close vocal harmonies of Dalmatia’s klapa tradition. This original arrangement borrows that same soothing refrain and sets it against the sleeping Adriatic sea and coastline, a peaceful backdrop typical of Croatia’s coastal lullaby tradition.

More songs to sing & play

Back to all our nursery rhymes and lullabies — each one with a different friend.

← All nursery rhymes