Learning a new language can be a rewarding yet challenging experience, and Slovak is no exception. Slovak, the official language of Slovakia, is a Slavic language that shares similarities with Czech and Polish but has its own unique features. For those starting their journey into the Slovak language, reaching the A1 level is a significant milestone. At this level, you will be able to understand and use basic phrases and expressions, introduce yourself, and ask and answer simple questions. This article will guide you through the essential Slovak words and phrases you need to know to achieve the A1 level.
Basic Greetings and Farewells
One of the first things you need to learn in any language is how to greet people and say goodbye. These words and phrases are essential for everyday interactions.
– Ahoj (ah-hoy) – Hello/Hi
– Dobrý deň (doh-bree dyeň) – Good day
– Dobré ráno (doh-breh rah-noh) – Good morning
– Dobrý večer (doh-bree veh-cher) – Good evening
– Dovidenia (doh-vee-deh-nyah) – Goodbye
– Čau (chow) – Bye (informal)
Common Courtesy Phrases
Showing politeness is crucial in any culture. Here are some essential courtesy phrases in Slovak:
– Prosím (proh-seem) – Please
– Ďakujem (dya-koo-yehm) – Thank you
– Nie (nyeh) – No
– Áno (ah-noh) – Yes
– Prepáčte (preh-pahch-teh) – Excuse me/Sorry
– Nevadí (nyeh-vah-dee) – It doesn’t matter
Introducing Yourself
When meeting new people, you’ll want to know how to introduce yourself and ask about others. Here are some basic phrases for introductions:
– Volám sa (voh-lahm sah) – My name is
– Som z (sohm z) – I am from
– Koľko máš rokov? (kol-koh mahsh roh-kov) – How old are you?
– Mám … rokov. (mahm … roh-kov) – I am … years old.
Numbers
Knowing numbers is essential for various everyday situations such as shopping, telling time, or talking about age. Here are the numbers from 1 to 10 in Slovak:
– Jeden (yeh-den) – One
– Dva (dvah) – Two
– Tri (tree) – Three
– Štyri (shtih-ree) – Four
– Päť (pyeht) – Five
– Šesť (shehst) – Six
– Sedem (seh-dem) – Seven
– Osem (oh-sem) – Eight
– Deväť (dyeh-vyeht) – Nine
– Desať (dyeh-saht) – Ten
Days of the Week
Being able to talk about days of the week is crucial for planning and understanding schedules. Here are the days of the week in Slovak:
– Pondelok (pon-deh-lok) – Monday
– Utorok (oo-toh-rok) – Tuesday
– Streda (stre-dah) – Wednesday
– Štvrtok (shtvr-tohk) – Thursday
– Piatok (pyah-tohk) – Friday
– Sobota (soh-boh-tah) – Saturday
– Nedeľa (nyeh-dyeh-lyah) – Sunday
Basic Vocabulary for Everyday Situations
Expanding your vocabulary is essential for effective communication. Here are some basic words you will find useful in everyday situations:
– Dom (dohm) – House
– Auto (ow-toh) – Car
– Pes (pes) – Dog
– Mačka (mahtch-kah) – Cat
– Kniha (knee-hah) – Book
– Škola (shkoh-lah) – School
– Obchod (ob-khod) – Shop
– Jedlo (yehd-loh) – Food
– Voda (voh-dah) – Water
– Káva (kah-vah) – Coffee
– Čaj (chai) – Tea
Basic Verbs
Verbs are the backbone of any sentence. Here are some essential verbs you need to know:
– Byť (beet) – To be
– Mať (maht) – To have
– Ísť (eest) – To go
– Jesť (yesť) – To eat
– Písať (pee-sať) – To write
– Čítať (chee-tať) – To read
– Vidieť (vee-dyeť) – To see
– Hovoriť (hoh-voh-reeť) – To speak
Basic Adjectives
Adjectives help you describe things more precisely. Here are some basic adjectives:
– Veľký (vehl-kee) – Big
– Malý (mah-lee) – Small
– Dobrý (doh-bree) – Good
– Zlý (zlee) – Bad
– Starý (stah-ree) – Old
– Mladý (mlah-dee) – Young
– Krásny (krah-snee) – Beautiful
– Škaredý (shkah-reh-dee) – Ugly
Basic Prepositions
Prepositions are small words that can change the meaning of a sentence significantly. Here are some common prepositions:
– Na (nah) – On
– Pod (pod) – Under
– V (v) – In
– Pred (pred) – Before
– Za (zah) – Behind
– S (s) – With
– Bez (bez) – Without
Basic Questions
Asking questions is a fundamental part of communication. Here are some basic question words and phrases:
– Čo? (choh) – What?
– Kto? (ktoh) – Who?
– Kde? (gdyeh) – Where?
– Kedy? (keh-dee) – When?
– Prečo? (preh-choh) – Why?
– Ako? (ah-koh) – How?
Basic Sentences
Combining the words and phrases you’ve learned, you can start forming basic sentences. Here are a few examples:
– Volám sa John. – My name is John.
– Som z Ameriky. – I am from America.
– Mám tridsať rokov. – I am thirty years old.
– Je to dobré. – It is good.
– Čo robíš? – What are you doing?
– Kde je obchod? – Where is the shop?
– Idem domov. – I am going home.
Useful Phrases for Daily Life
Here are some useful phrases that you can use in daily life:
– Môžem vám pomôcť? (mwoh-zhem vahm poh-mohts) – Can I help you?
– Koľko to stojí? (kol-koh toh stoh-yee) – How much does it cost?
– Chcel by som… (khtsel bee sohm) – I would like…
– Kde je toaleta? (gdyeh yeh toh-ah-leh-tah) – Where is the toilet?
– Rozumiete? (roh-zoo-myeh-teh) – Do you understand?
– Nemám rád… (nyeh-mahm rahd) – I don’t like…
Days, Months, and Seasons
Understanding the days, months, and seasons is essential for scheduling and discussing plans. Here are the months and seasons in Slovak:
Months:
– Január (yah-noo-ahr) – January
– Február (feh-broo-ahr) – February
– Marec (mah-rets) – March
– Apríl (ah-preel) – April
– Máj (mah-ee) – May
– Jún (yoon) – June
– Júl (yool) – July
– August (ow-goo-st) – August
– September (sep-tem-ber) – September
– Október (ok-toh-ber) – October
– November (noh-vem-ber) – November
– December (deh-tsem-ber) – December
Seasons:
– Jar (yahr) – Spring
– Leto (leh-toh) – Summer
– Jeseň (yeh-seň) – Autumn/Fall
– Zima (zee-mah) – Winter
Conclusion
Reaching an A1 level in Slovak is a great achievement that opens the door to basic communication and understanding of the language. By mastering these essential words and phrases, you will be well-equipped to handle everyday situations, introduce yourself, and engage in simple conversations. Remember, language learning is a gradual process, and practice is key. Use these words and phrases regularly, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. With time and effort, your Slovak language skills will continue to improve. Good luck, and šťastie (luck) on your language learning journey!
