povjerljivo

Povjerljivo is a term used in Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian to indicate information or communications that should be kept secret or handled with discretion. In everyday language it functions as an adverb meaning “confidentially” or “in confidence,” and it also appears as an adjective in phrases such as povjerljiva informacija (confidential information) or povjerljiva osoba (a person who can be trusted with secrets). In formal contexts, modifiers like strogo povjerljivo (strictly confidential) are common on documents and in policy texts.

Etymology and usage notes: povjerljivo derives from the verb povjeriti, meaning “to entrust.” The sense is to entrust information to someone or to keep it within trusted channels. The term is widely used across these languages, especially in business, legal and government communications, to designate information intended for authorized recipients only. It is distinct from, though related to, terms such as tajno (secret) and privatno (private); povjerljivo emphasizes discretion and controlled disclosure rather than absolute secrecy.

Context and equivalents: In corporate and official settings, labels such as “povjerljivo” or “strogo povjerljivo” guide handling, access, and distribution of data. In everyday speech, it can also describe a person who is trustworthy enough to confide in, though context often clarifies whether it refers to information or the confidant.

See also: confidentiality, privacy, secrecy, trust.