Language is a universal system of communication, a set of characters that also have a certain cultural value. The acquisition of the mother tongue, or the first language, is common to all people in the world; it is adopted by exposure to language in natural situations. The second language can be adopted or learned, and its broadest definition is that it is any language different from the first language. Definitions of bilingualism in literature range from a native-like competence in two languages, to minimal knowledge of another language. Today it is believed that a bilingual or multilingual speaker uses different languages for different purposes, in different contexts, with varying degrees of skill in communicating with others. Bilingualism is divided into: asymmetrical and symmetrical, vertical, horizontal and diagonal, natural and secondary, receptive, reproductive, productive and dormant, additive and subtractive. At the turn of the century, bilingualism was considered to be harmful to the verbal development and development of intelligence, but since then numerous studies have been carried out showing that these beliefs were unfounded. This paper discusses communicative, cultural and cognitive benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism. Possible stigmas and shortcomings are also mentioned. The concept of bilingualism in Croatian linguistics has been present for a long time, but mostly as a social term. Croatia has a good basis for bilingualism or multilingualism, which is most noticeable by the introduction of several languages in Croatian schools, including early language acquisition. Another example of bilingualism in Croatia are national minorities. The Constitutional Law of National Minorities of the Republic of Croatia and the Law on Education in Primary and Secondary School Education are of particular importance for understanding the Croatian language policy. The aim of the study was to collect and analyse the experiences of bilingual and multilingual individuals in the Croatian educational system.