Slovak Language Lessons for Beginners - Lesson 13

[Lesson Overview] [Personal Website]

[Lesson 1] [Lesson 2] [Lesson 3] [Lesson 4] [Lesson 5] [Lesson 6] [Lesson 7] [Lesson 8] [Lesson 9] [Lesson 10]

[Lesson 11] [Lesson 12] [Lesson 13] [Lesson 14] [Lesson 15] [Lesson 16] [Lesson 17] [Lesson 18] [Lesson 19] [Lesson 20]

[Lesson 21] [Lesson 22] [Lesson 23]

zubná kefka = toothbrush

zubná pasta = toothpaste

zubná niť = dental floss

žiletka = razor

holiaci strojček = electric shaver

holiť sa (stem: holí- sa) = to shave (oneself)

voda po holení = aftershave (literally: water after shaving)

mydlo = soap

šampón = shampoo

sprej = spray

deodorant = deodorant

parfém (or voňavka) = perfume

pýtať sa (stem: pýta- sa) = to ask

pracovať (stem: pracuje-) = to work

nudiť sa (stem: nudí- sa) = to be bored

meškať (stem: mešká-) = to be late; to be running late

čakať (stem: čaká-) = to wait

otvoriť (stem: otvára-) = to open

zatvoriť (stem: zatvára-) = to close

otvorený = open (adj.)

zatvorený = closed (adj.)

otváracie hodiny = opening hours

vedieť (stem: vie-) = to know (meaning: to possess knowledge of, to be able to do)

poznať (stem: pozná-) = to know (meaning: to be familiar with, to have been acquainted with)

Note: vedieť is like the Spanish verb saber, the French savoir, or the German wissen, whereas poznať is like the Spanish conocer, the French connaître, or the German kennen.

učiť (stem: učí-) = to teach

učiť sa (stem: učí- sa) = to learn

vlastniť (stem: vlastní-) = to own

pamätať si (stem: pamätá- si) = to remember

In [Lesson 8], we learned how to use the direct object with a single noun. To use an adjective + a noun, you should follow the rules outlined below. In all cases, nouns will take same forms as we learned in [Lesson 8] but adjectives have to be declined as shown here.

Masculine gender: If the direct object is a person or an animal, drop the final -ý and use the -ého suffix in the adjective instead. If the direct object is neither an animal, nor a person, the accusative case is the same as the nominative (basic subject) form.

nominative case (subject) accusative case (direct object)

malý syn = little son malého syna

veľký dom = big house veľký dom

Examples:

Moja suseda má malého syna. = My (female) neighbor has a little son.

Vidím veľký dom. = I see a big house.

Feminine gender: Replace the final -á by the -ú suffix in the adjective.

nominative case (subject) accusative case (direct object)

pekná dcéra = beautiful daughter peknú dcéru

chutná polievka = tasty soup chutnú polievku

Examples:

Jozefova teta má veľmi peknú dcéru. = Jozef's aunt has a very beautiful daughter.

Jeho vnučka je chutnú polievku. = His granddaughter is eating a tasty soup.

Neuter gender: No change from the nominative case form in either the adjective or the noun.

nominative case (subject) accusative case (direct object)

studené pivo = cold beer studené pivo

drahé auto = expensive car drahé auto

Examples:

Prosím si studené pivo. = I would like to have a cold beer.

Môj šéf vlastní veľmi drahé auto. = My boss own a very expensive car.

To use personal pronouns as the direct object in a sentence, you will have to use either the short accusative form, or the long accusative form.

Usually, you will use the short accusative form when the direct object comes right before or right after the main verb (or if it is separated by some common auxiliary words). By contrast, the long accusative form is usually used when the direct object is separated from the main verb by one or more words. Occasionally, you can also use the long form for emphasis, even if it is immediately preceded or followed by the main verb. See the examples below the table.

nominative case (subject) short form accusative case (direct object) long form accusative case (direct object)

ja = I ma mňa

ty = you (sg. informal) ťa teba

on = he ho jeho

ona = she ju ju

ono = for neuter (rare) ho jeho

my = we nás nás

vy = you (pl., or sg. formal) vás vás

oni, ony = they ich ich

Vieš, že ťa milujem. = You know that I love you.

Teba nikto nikdy nemal rád. = Nobody has ever liked you.

Videl som ju pred obchodom, ale jeho som tam vôbec nevidel. = I saw her in front of the store, but I did not see him there at all.

Budem ich čakať pred kostolom. = I will be waiting for them in front of the church.

Nemilujem jeho, ale milujem teba. = I don't love him, but I love you. (emphasis on 'him' and 'you')

Dnes vás budem učiť po slovensky. = Today, I will be teaching you Slovak.

určite = surely, certainly (expresses near-100% probability)

iste = surely, certainly (can express certaintly, but usually used to oblige to a request); as in: 'Can you please open the window?' 'Certainly.'

pravdepodobne (or asi) = probably

možno = maybe

určite nie = surely not

istý = sure, certain

byť si istý = to be sure

Pamätáš si, či tam bude aj jej priateľ? = Do you remember if her boyfriend will also be there?

Pravdepodobne, ale nie som si celkom istý. = Probably, but I am not quite sure.

Tá žena ho možno vôbec nepozná. = That woman maybe does not know him at all.

snáď = hopefully

údajne (or, informally, vraj) = reportedly, allegedly

zrejme = apparently

očividne = obviously

Očividne nevieš, kto má pravdu. = Obviously you don't know who is correct. (literally: ...who has the truth.)

Snáď si nemyslíš, že obed budem variť ja. = Hopefully you don't think I'll be cooking lunch.

Bol to zrejme on, kto otvoril horné okno. = It was apparently him who opened the upper window.

Ten zločinec údajne nikdy nebol v Bratislave. = That criminal was reportedly never in Bratislava.

Vraj bol veľmi hladný, ale nemal rád zeleninovú polievku. = He was allegedly very hungry, but did not like vegetable soup.

najprv = at first

potom = then, afterwards

neskôr = later

nakoniec = in the end, finally (meaning 'in the end')

Najprv som otvoril fľašu, ale potom som ju zatvoril. = First I opened the bottle, but then I closed it.

Neskôr som sa umýval v kúpeľni. = Later, I washed myself in the bathroom.

Nakoniec som sa učil po nemecky. = In the end, I was studying (learning) German.

konečne = finally, at last

No konečne! = Oh, finally! (Note: no can sometimes mean the same as ale ['but'])

Konečne si tu, milý brat - dlho som ťa čakala. = Finally you are here, dear brother - I've been waiting for you for a long time.

skoro = early (can also mean 'almost')

príliš skoro = too early, too soon

neskoro = late

príliš neskoro = too late

čoskoro = soon

Je len osem hodín - ste tu naozaj príliš skoro. = It is only eight o'clock - you are here really too early.

Dnes trochu meškám - asi tam budem príliš neskoro. = Today, I am running a little late - I'll probably be there too late.

Čoskoro budeme vedieť, prečo si nebola doma. = Soon we will know why you were not at home.

zrazu = suddenly

okamžite (also hneď or ihneď) = immediately

takmer (also skoro) = almost

ešte raz = once again, one more time, once more

znovu, znova, zase, zasa, zas, opäť = again

Som rád, že ťa opäť vidím. = I am glad to see you again.

Znovu ti hovorím, že o športe nič neviem. = I am telling you again that I don't know anything about sports.

Zase budeme v divadle príliš neskoro. = Again, we'll be at the theater too late.

už = already; yet (in questions)

zatiaľ = so far

ešte = yet (in affirmative sentences)

stále = still

medzičasom (or medzitým) = meanwhile, in the meantime

Videl si už ten film? = Have you seen that movie yet?

Už som ho videl. = I have already seen it.

Zatiaľ som videl tri jeho filmy. = So far, I have seen three of his movies.

Ešte ťa nevidím. Kde si? = I don't see you yet. Where are you?

Stále neviem, prečo si včera nepracoval. = I still don't know, why you weren't working yesterday.

Medzičasom som chodil hore dole námestím. = In the meantime, I was walking up and down the square.

ICE HOCKEY: The most popular spectator sport, and a major national obsession, in Slovakia is ice hockey (ľadový hokej). The Slovak national ice hockey team has celebrated a few major successes since the country became independent in 1993. Most notably, we became World Champions at the 2002 World Ice Hockey Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden. We also got the silver in the 2002 World Championship in Sankt Petersburg, Russia and the bronze in the 2003 championship in Helsinki, Finland. Other major successes include a surprisingly good 6th place in the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Here's a very well done fan video that celebrates the successes of Slovak ice hockey:

As of this writing (May 2011), the World Ice Hockey Championship is for the first time being held in Slovakia. Games are taking place both in Bratislava and Košice. Here's a short video that features Slovak NHL (National Hockey League, in the US and Canada) players that was meant to support Slovakia's bid to host the World Championship:

Many Slovak players have been very successful in the National Hockey League (NHL) in the United States and Canada: The most successful players include Peter Šťastný [wiki], Stan Mikita [wiki], Marián Hossa [wiki], Marián Gáborík [wiki], Miroslav Šatan [wiki], Žigmund 'Ziggy' Pálffy [wiki], Jozef Stümpel [wiki], Zdeno Chára [wiki], Robert Švehla [wiki], Pavol Demitra [wiki], Richard Zedník [wiki] and Ľubomír Višnovský [wiki].

Here's one more hockey-related video - you should be able to understand what the player is shouting:

SOCCER: Soccer (futbal) is the second most popular spectator sport. The Slovak national team has, historically, not been particularly good, although it has had more success recently. It participated, for instance, in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the team beat the defending champions Italy:

KAYAKING AND CANOEING: Slovaks also often get medal in various water sports such as kayaking and canoeing. The video below shows Michal Martikán, one of the world's most successful kayakers, after he won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008: