Slovak phrasebook

Table of Contents

Pronunciation / Short Vowels / Long Vowels / Consonants / Common diphthongs / Phrase list / Basics / Problems / Numbers / Time / Clock time / Duration / Days / Months / Seasons / Colors / Transportation / Bus.2C tram and train / Directions / Taxi / Lodging / Money / Eating / Slovak phrasebook nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Shopping / Driving / Authority

The Slovak Language is the main and national language of Slovakia and is spoken widely in and also universally understood in the Czech Republic. It is a Slavic language closely related to Russian, Polish, Czech, etc.; Slovakian is very similar to Czech in many ways, in fact, many travellers may have the impression that Czech and Slovak are dialects of each other.

Pronunciation

Slovak is written as it sounds, and isn't as difficult as it looks. It may help to remember that Slovak makes use of only four diacritical marks, which are basically the same ones as in Czech except that the tongue-twisting "ř" (pronounced like an "rzh") and ů. The most common are: é, which lengthens a vowel (does not imply stress), and ď, which softens a consonant. The palatisation is occasionally used in Czech, but is more widely used in Slovak

Like Czech, stress in Slovak usually falls on the first syllable, but try not to exaggerate it as it would be in English or in German.

Short Vowels

a: like 'a' in "amigo" ( short a sound )
ä: like 'ae' in "aerial"
e: like 'e' in "bet"
i: like 'i' in "hit"( short i sound )
o: like 'o' in "sport"
u: like 'u' in "book"
y: like 'y' in "city"

Long Vowels

á: like 'a' in "far" ( long a sound )
é: like 'é' in "fiancé" ( long e sound )
í: like 'ee' in "see" ( long i sound )
ó: like 'oo' in "door" ( long o sound )
ú: like 'u' in "full" ( long u sound )
ý: like 'ee' in "weep" ( long y sound )

Consonants

b: like 'b' in "baby"
c: like 'ts' in "bets"
č: like 'ch' in "church"
d: like 'd' in "day"
ď: like 'd' in "dew".
DZ: like 'zz' in Italian "azzuro"
DŽ: like 'j' in "juice"
f: like 'f' in "fine"
g: like 'g' in "game" ( hard g sound )
h: like 'h' in "hot", regardless of its position in the word
CH: rasping 'ch' sound as the spanish "rojo" a gargled sound;
j: like 'y' in "yes"
k: like 'k' in "kick"
l: like 'l' in "luck"
ĺ: ( hold this l a little longer ); seldom used
ľ: el as in spanish or 'el' in "element"
m: like 'm' in "moon"
n: like 'n' in "nine"
ň: like 'ni' in "onion" or the spanish 'ñ' in "señor"
ô: like 'wa' in "want"
p: like 'p' in "paper"
q: like 'q' in "quest"
r: like spanish 'r' in "rico" ( slightly trilled )
ŕ: like spanish 'rr' in "carro" ( longer trilled )
s: like 's' in "son"
š: like 'sh' in "fish"
t: like 't' in "hot"
ť: like 'tu' in "tune"
v: like 'v' in "van"
w: like 'w' in "wasp"
x: like 'ks' in "bricks"
z: like 'z' in "zero"
ž: like 'su' in "pleasure"

Common diphthongs

ia: like 'i' in "lit" and 'a' in "above"
ie: like 'i' in "bit" and 'e' in "energy"
iu: like 'i' in "it" and 'oo' in "took"
ô: like 'wo' in "won"

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.: Dobrý deň. (DOH-bree deñ)
How are you?: Ako sa máte? (A-ko sah MAA-teh?)
Well, thanks.: Ďakujem, dobre. (D'AH-koo-yehm DOH-breh)
What is your name?: Ako sa voláte? (akoh sah VOH-laa-tyeh)
My name is ______ .: Volám sa______ . (VOH-laam sah_____.)
Pleased to meet you.: Teší ma. (TEH-shee mah)
Please.: Prosím.(PROH-seem)
Thank you.: Ďakujem.(DAH-koo-yehm)
You're welcome.: Prosím.(PROH-seem)
Yes.: Áno. (AAH-noh) Hej (informal)
No.: Nie. (NYEE_eh)
Excuse me. (getting attention): Prepáčte.(PREH-paach-tyeh)
Sorry.: Prepáčte.(PREH-paach-tyeh)
Goodbye: Do videnia. (doh VEE-deh-nee_ah)
Do you speak English?: Hovoríte po anglicky? (HOH-voh-ree-teh poh AHN-glits-ki?)
Does anyone(here)speak English?: Hovorí(tu)niekto po anglicky?(HOH-voh-ree(too)nyiek-toh poh AHN-glits-ki?)
Help!: Pomoc!(POH-mots!)
Good morning.: Dobré ráno. (DOH-brehh RAA-noh)
Good afternoon.: Dobrý deň. (DOH-bree deñ)
Good evening.: Dobrý večer. (DOH-bree VEH-chehr)
Good night.: Dobrú noc. (DOH-broo nohts)
I don't understand.: Ne rozumiem.(neh ROH-zoo-myehm)
Where are the toilet?: Kde sú tu záchody?(kdeh soo too ZAA-khoh-di?)

Problems

Go away!: Zmizni! (ZMIZ-nee)
I'll call the police.: Zavolám políciu. (ZAH-voh-laam POH-leeet-syiuh)
Help!: Pomoc! (POH-mohts)
Thief!: Zlodej! (ZLOH-dehj)
Call the police.: Zavolajte políciu. (zah-VOH-lahj-teh POH-leeet-syiuh)
It's an emergency.: Treba pomoc. (TREH-bah POH-mohts)
Can you help me, please?: Môžete mi prosĺm pomôct? (mwoh-ZHEH-teh mi PROH-seeem POH-mwohtst)
I'm lost.: Nevyznám sa tu. (neh-VIZ-naam sah too)
Could I please use the telephone?: Môžem prosĺm použiť telefón? (MWOH-zhem PROH-seeem PWOH-zhee-tuh teh-LEH-fawn)
Where are the toilets?: Kde sú tu záchody? (deh soo too zaa-KOH-dee)

Numbers

0: nula (NOO-lah)
1: jeden (YEH-dehn)
2: dva (DUH-vah)
3: tri (tree)
4: štyri (SHTEE-ree)
5: päť (PAE-tu)
6: šesť (SHEHS-tu)
7: sedem (SEH-dehm)
8: osem (OH-sehm)
9: deväť (DEH-vaetu)
10: desať (DEH-sah-tu)

Time

In the morning.: Dopoludnia. (DOH-po-lood-nyah)
In the afternoon.: Popoludní. (POH-po-lood-neee)
In the evening.: Večer. (VEH-chehr)

Clock time

What date is it today?: Koľkého je dnes? (KOH-ehl-keh-hoh yeh dhehs)
What time is it?: Koľko je hodín? (KOHL-koh yeh HOH-deeen)
It's_____o'clock.: Je______hodina. (yeh HOH-dee-nah)

Duration

I'm going to stay for...: Zostanem tu... (ZOHS-tah-nehm too)
one day.: jeden deň. (Yeh-dehn dehñ)
two days.: dva dni. (dvah dnee)
one week.: jeden týždeň. (YEH-dehn TEEZH-deñ)

Days

today: dnes (dnehs)
tonight: dnes večer (dnehs VEH-chehr)
yesterday: včera (VCHEH-rah)
week: týždeň (TEEZH-dehñ)
tomorrow: zajtra (ZAY-trah)
Monday: pondelok (POHN-deh-lok)
Tuesday: utorok (OO-to-rohk)
Wednesday: streda (STREH-dah)
Thursday: štvrtok (SHTVR-tohk)
Friday: piatok (PYAH-tok)
Saturday: sobota (SOH-buh-tah)
Sunday: nedeľa (NEH-deh-lyah)

Months

January: január (YAH-nwaahr)
February: február (FEH-brwaahr)
March: marec (MAH-rehts)
April: arpíl (AH-preeel)
May: máj (MAAH_ee)
June: jún (yoon)
July: júl (yool)
August: august (OW-goost)
September: september (sehp-TEHM-behr)
October: október (ohk-TOHH-behr)
November: november (noh-VEHM-behr)
December: december (deht-ZEHM-behr)

Seasons

summer: leto (LEH-toh)
autumn: jeseň (YEH-seh-nyuh)
winter: zima (ZEE-mah)
spring: jar (yahr)

Colors

black: čierna (CHEE_ehr-nah)
blue: balasá (BAH-lah-saa)
brown: hnedá (HNEH-daa)
green: zelená (ZEH-leh-naa)
orange: oranžová (OHRAHN-zhoh-vaa)
pink: ružová (ROO-zhoh-vaa)
purple: nachová (NAH-koh-vaa)
red: červená (CHEHR-veh-naa)
white: biela (BEE_eh-lah)
yellow: žltá (ZHUL-taa)

Transportation

car: auto (OW-toh)
bus: autobus (ow-TOH-boos)
taxi: taxi (TAHK-see)
airplane: lietadlo (lee-EH-tah-dloh)
train: vlak (vlahk)
ship: lod (lohd)

Bus, tram and train

Where is the bus stop?: Kde je tu zastávka autobusu? (kdeh yeh too zahs-TAAV-kah OW-toh-boo-soo)
Where is the tram stop: Kde je tu zastávka električky? (kdeh yeh too zahs-TAAV-kah eh-lehk-TREECH-kee)
Which line takes me to...?: Ktorou linkou sa dostanem do...? (ktoh-ROW leen-KOW sah dohs-TAH-nehm doh...?)
Which bus go to...?: Ktorým autobusom sa dostanem do...? (KTOH-reem ow-TOO-boo-soom sah dohs-TAH-nehm doh...?)

Directions

Where's...?: Kde je...? (kdeh yeh)
How do I get to...?: Ako sa dostanem do...? (ahko sah dohs-TAH-nehm doh...?)
Is it far? / closeby?: Je to odtiaľto ďaleko? / blízko? (yeh toh ohd-TEE-ah-ehl-toh dew-AH-leh-koh / BLEEZ-koh)
Can I walk there?: Dá sa tam ísť peši? (daa sah tahm eestoo PEH-shee)

Taxi

Can you take me to...?: Môžete ma zaviesť do...? (mwoh-ZHEH-teh mah zah-VEE-ehs-too doh...?)
Please take me to...: Zaveste ma prosím do... (zah-VEHS-teh mah PROH-seeem doh...)
How much does it cost to go to...?: Koľko to bude stáť do...? (KOH-helh-koh toh BOO-deh staa-too doh)
The next corner, please.: Až po najbližší roh, prosím. (ahzh poh nahj-BLEEZH-sheee roh, PROH-seeem)
Stop here, please.: Zastavte tu, prosím. (zahs-TAHV-teh too, PROH-seeem)

Lodging

Where's a....hotel?: Kde je....hotel? (kdeh yeh HOH-tehl?)
cheap: lacný (LAHTS-nee)
clean: čistý (CHEES-tee)
good: dobrý (DOH-bree)
nearby: nablízku (NAH-bleees-koo)
Do you have any rooms available?: Máte voľné izby? (MAA-teh voh-EHL-nehh eez-bee?)

Money

Dollar

Eating