SLOVENIAN LANGUAGE

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SLOVENIAN LANGUAGE

In Slovenia the official language is Slovenian language (or Slovene), which is similar to other Slavic languages, particularly close to Serbian and Croatian, and uses the Latin alphabet.

 

Many Slovenes speak English very well, some use German and Italian as a foreign language.

 

Slovenes generally appreciate any effort you make in their language.

Freising Manuscripts

Slovenian Language

The first written sample of the Slovenian language (also first among Slavic languages) are the Freising manuscripts (Brizinski spomeniki), which date back to around 1000 AD.  That makes Slovene the oldest written Slavic language.

The Catechism is the oldest preserved printed book in Slovene language from 1550. The protestant priest Primoz Trubar codified the language.

Now the Slovenian language is spoken by about 2,5 million speakers and is one of the official languages of the European Union.

Please find below some Slovenian language phrases and words you may need while travelling around Slovenia and Ljubljana.

 

There are some special letters in Slovenian alphabet:


Č
 – reads: CH (Chocolate)

Š –  reads: SH (Cash)

Ž – reads: Garage

Greetings & polite expressions

Introductions & common questions

What is your name?

Kako ti je ime? (informal)
Kako vam je ime? (formal)

How are you?
Do you speak English?

Govorite angleško? (formal)
Govoriš angleško? (informal)

Directions & assistance

Dining & food

I am a vegetarian...

Sem vegetarijanec (male)
Sem vegetarijanka (female)

Shopping & services

Do you accept credit cards?
Where is the nearest ATM?
I would like to buy this

Rad bi to kupil (male)
Rada bi to kupila (female)

Where can I exchange money?
Can I pay with a card?

Emergencies

Transportation & directions

Where is the train station?
Where is the bus stop?
Which bus goes to... (Ljubljana)?
How do I get to ...(Bled)?
How long does it take to get there?
A ticket to (Maribor), please...
Does this bus go to (Piran)?

Accommodation & hotels

I have a reservation under the name...
Can I get the WiFi password?
What time is check-out?
Do you have a room available?
How much is a room per night?

Attractions & sightseeing

What are the best places to visit?
Where can I rent a bicycle?
Is there an entrance fee?
What time does it open?
What time does it close?

More useful phrases

Do you speak English?

Govorite angleško? (formal)
Govoriš angleško? (informal)

Can you speak slower, please?
I would like…

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • What is the main language spoken in Slovenia?
    The main language spoken in Slovenia is Slovenian language.
  • How many languages do Slovenians speak?
    Slovenians speak at least two to three different languages if not more. Slovene is our mother language. Most Slovenes speak Serbian and Croatian or at least understand it very well. English is widely spoken and understood while many would also know some German or Italian. 
  • What is the closest language to Slovenian?
    The closest language to Slovenian is Croatian and Serbian.
  • What language family is Slovenian?
    Slovenian belongs to Southern Slavic language family.
  • Is Slovenian the same as Serbian?
    No.
  • How hard is it to learn Slovenian?
    It all depends on what languages you already speak. But in general, Slovenian is pretty difficult language to learn if you are not a Slav. Namely, It has 6 cases, lots of exceptions and the dual. Slovene is one of the rare languages in the world that has the grammatical number dual – it is used specifically for two objects or persons. 
  • Can Slovenians understand Russian?
    We can understand some words in Russian which have the same or similar meaning than in Slovenian but generally, we can get lost in translation pretty easily. However, a Russian and a Slovenian will not be able to communicate effectively without an interpreter.   
  • What is Slovenian language code?
    Slovenian language code is sl-Sl. 
  • Do they speak English in Ljubljana. 
    Yes, most people do, as their second or third language. 
  • How many people speak Slovenian?

    Slovenian language is spoken by about 2.5 million speakers worldwide, the majority of whom live in Slovenia, where it is one of the three official languages.

  • Is Slovakia language same as Slovenian language?
    No. Slovenia and Slovakia are two different countries with two different languages.
  • Where can I buy Slovenian language books for Slovenian language course?
    In certain bookshops.

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