Useful Slovene Phrases

Slovenia's official language is the Slovene (or Slovenian) belonging to the Slavonic language family. We prepared lists of useful Slovene phrases that you can memorize before visiting the country. Locals love if tourists try and express themselves in Slovenian, though the majority of Slovenes speak foreign languages. About 50% of the population speaks German mainly the elderly generation in Gorenjska, Stajerska and Koroska.

English is also widely spoken (cc. 35%) and around 17% can converse in Italian mainly on the Slovenia coast and in other parts in Primorska and parts of Notranjska.

The Slovenian alphabet consists of 25 letters.

Slovene Vowels

a - pronounced as "u" in hut

e - as the "a" in cap

i - pronounced short as in "pink" (ee)

o - (aw) on, off

u - (oo) "put"

Slovene Consonants

Consonants are the same as the ones used in the English alphabet but without "Q" "W" "X" and "Y". 3 consonants that aren't in the English alphabet are:

C - "tch" as in chicken

S - as in shake

Z - measure

There's no clear-cut rule for word stress, you'll have to learn it by practicing.

Useful Slovene Phrases and Words

Basic phrases

Yes. - Da

No. - Ne

Hello - Zdravo/Zivijo

Good morning - dobro jutro

Good day. - Dober dan (do-br dan)

Goodbye - Nasvidjene (nas-vee-da-nye)

Please - Prosim (pro-seem)

Thank you. - Hvala lepa.

You're welcome. - Ni zakaj (nee za-kaj)

Excuse me. - Dovolite me, prosim. (do-vo-lee-te mee, pro-seem)

Sorry. - Oprostite. (o-pro-stee-te)

Can you help me? - Mi lahko pomagate?

I don't understand- - Ne razumem.

Could you repeat that, please? - Lahko ponovite?

Where are you from? - Od kod ste?

I'm from... Sem iz.... (sam eez)

What's you name? - Kako vam je ime? or Kako ti je ime? (informal)

My name's... - Jaz sem (yas sam)

I'd like.... - Rad/Rada bi... (male/female)

How much is it? - Koliko stane?

Open - Otvrto

Closed - Zaprto

day- dan

today - danes

tomorow - jutri

yesterday - vceraj

week - teden

month - mesec

year - leto

Directions

Where is...? - Kje je ...?

How do I get to....? - Kako pridem to....?

straight ahead - naravnost naprej

left - levo

rigt - desno

here/there - tu/tam

Turn left/right at....- Obrnite levo/desno pri...

the corner - vogalu

far (from) - dalec (od)

near (to) - blizu (do)

in front of - spredaj

behind - za (zadaj)

opposite - nasproti

forward - naprej

backward - nazaj

Transportation

airport - letalisce

bus stop - avtobusna postaja

train station - zelezniska postaja

plane - letalo

train - vlak

bus - avtobus

departures - odhodi

arrivals - prihodi

In emergency situations

Help! - Na pomoc!

Could you please help me? - Mi lahko pomagate?

I'm lost. - Izgubila sem se.

Numbers in Slovene

Other Useful Slovene Phrases

toilet - stranisca

ladies - zenske

men - moski

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