If you’re just starting out with Slovenian, it’s best to begin with the basics, like everyday phrases and pronunciation, before moving on to complicated grammar rules. To make things easier, we’ve put together a Slovenian for beginners guide, which will help you get started without feeling too overwhelmed.
With this simple seven-day learning plan, you’ll discover what to focus on each day, pick up some interesting facts about the language, and see how the Ling app can help you along the way.
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Slovenian For Beginners: What Should You Know First?
Before you start learning Slovenian, let’s get to know the language a little better. Here are some interesting facts you might not know yet:
- Slovenian belongs to the South Slavic language group and is closely related to Croatian and Serbian.
- Around 2.4 million people speak Slovenian as their mother tongue.
- It’s the official language of Slovenia and one of the official languages of the European Union.
- Slovenian has a 25-letter Latin alphabet.
- Slovenian has three grammatical numbers: singular, dual, and plural. The dual is used when talking about exactly two people or things.
How To Start Learning Slovenian: Your First 7 Days
The easiest way to start learning Slovenian is to take it one day at a time. Here’s what to focus on during your first seven days:
Day 1: Learn Basic Slovenian Greetings
The first thing you’ll need when speaking Slovenian is knowing how to greet people. Let’s start with some common Slovenian greetings you’ll hear in everyday life.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Hello | Zdravo |
| Hello | Živjo |
| Bye | Adijo |
| Good morning | Dobro jutro |
| Good afternoon | Dober dan |
| Good evening | Dober večer |
| Goodbye | Nasvidenje |
Some Slovenian greetings are more formal than others. Dober dan and nasvidenje are polite choices when speaking to strangers, while zdravo and živjo are more casual and common among friends and family.
You can use both zdravo and živjo anywhere in Slovenia, though you might hear one more often than the other depending on the region. You’ll also hear more casual greetings like oj, hej, and čav. The last one can be used both as hello and goodbye!
Day 2: Practice Slovenian Pronunciation
The Slovenian alphabet has 25 letters, and words are generally pronounced as they’re written. Start by getting familiar with the letters of the alphabet:
A, B, C, Č, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, Š, T, U, V, Z, Ž
Most letters will look familiar to English speakers, but these are the ones they usually struggle to pronounce correctly:
- Č sounds like “ch” in “chocolate”
- Š sounds like “sh” in “shoe”
- Ž sounds like “s” in “measure”
- J sounds like “y” in “yes”
- C sounds like “ts” in “cats”
Day 3: Memorize Essential Slovenian Words
Building your vocabulary is an important part of learning Slovenian. Here are a few common words you’ll hear and use every day:
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Hvala |
| You’re welcome / Please | Prosim |
| Yes | Ja / Da |
| No | Ne |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Oprostite |
| Okay | V redu |
| Good | Dobro |
| Of course | Seveda |
| I don’t understand | Ne razumem |
Pay special attention to prosim, which means both “please” and “you’re welcome”. You’ll hear it a lot in everyday Slovenian conversations!
You might also be wondering why there are two ways to say “yes” — you’ll hear ja in everyday conversations and da only in formal settings.
Day 4: Learn Slovenian Numbers
Numbers are another great place to start when learning Slovenian, since they can be useful anywhere. Here is how you would count from one to ten:
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| One | Ena |
| Two | Dva |
| Three | Tri |
| Four | Štiri |
| Five | Pet |
| Six | Šest |
| Seven | Sedem |
| Eight | Osem |
| Nine | Devet |
| Ten | Deset |
Keep in mind that Slovenian numbers can change depending on grammatical gender, but you don’t need to worry about that just yet.
Day 5: Build Your First Slovenian Sentences
Start with a few simple Slovenian sentences you can use in everyday conversations, especially when meeting someone new.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| My name is Ana. | Ime mi je Ana. |
| I am Ana. | Jaz sem Ana. |
| How are you? | Kako si? |
| I’m good. | Dobro sem. |
| Where are you from? | Od kod si? |
| I’m from England. | Sem iz Anglije. |
| I live in Ljubljana. | Živim v Ljubljani. |
| I speak a little Slovenian. | Govorim malo slovensko. |
With these simple sentences, you can already introduce yourself, ask how someone is doing, and find out where they’re from.
Day 6: Understand The Basics Of Slovenian Grammar
Slovenian grammar might seem complicated at first, but as a beginner, there are three main things to remember:
- Slovenian nouns have three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
- Slovenian has six grammatical cases, which affect word endings.
- Slovenian uses the dual, a special form for exactly two people or things.
Once you’re familiar with these concepts, it’ll be easier to explore more Slovenian grammar rules in detail.
Day 7: Practice Your First Slovenian Conversation
Now it’s time to see how words and phrases fit together in a conversation. Here’s a simple example:
- A: Hi! I’m Ana. What’s your name? – Zdravo! Jaz sem Ana. Kako ti je ime?
- B: Hi! My name is Marko. – Zdravo! Ime mi je Marko.
- A: Nice to meet you! – Me veseli!
- B: Nice to meet you too! – Tudi mene!
- A: Where are you from? – Od kod si?
- B: I’m from England. And you? – Sem iz Anglije. Pa ti?
- A: I live in Ljubljana. – Živim v Ljubljani.
You can practice conversations just like this one with the Ling app’s dialog feature, which lets you work through everyday exchanges and get more comfortable using Slovenian in context.
How Do You Say “Beginner” In Slovenian?
The Slovenian word for beginner is začetnica if you’re a woman and začetnik if you’re a man.
To say “I’m a beginner Slovenian speaker”, you would say: Sem začetnica/začetnik Slovenščine.
Basic Slovenian Words And Phrases For Beginners
Once you’ve learned the essentials, it’s time to expand your vocabulary. Here are some more basic Slovenian words and phrases that you’ll come across often, including words for time, location, and asking questions.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Today | Danes |
| Tomorrow | Jutri |
| Yesterday | Včeraj |
| Now | Zdaj |
| Later | Kasneje |
| Always | Vedno |
| Never | Nikoli |
| Sometimes | Včasih |
| Often | Pogosto |
| Here | Tukaj |
| There | Tam |
| Where? | Kje? |
| When? | Kdaj? |
| Why? | Zakaj? |
| Who? | Kdo? |
| What? | Kaj? |
| Also | Tudi |
| Very | Zelo |
| A lot | Veliko |
| A little | Malo |
| Because | Ker |
| But | Ampak |
| And | In |
| Or | Ali |
| How much does it cost? | Koliko stane? |
| Where is the toilet? | Kje je stranišče? |
| Can you help me? | Mi lahko pomagate? |
Helpful Tips For Beginner Slovenian Learners
Before speaking Slovenian with locals, here are a few things worth keeping in mind:
- Slovenian has formal and informal versions of addressing people. Use informal ti (you) with friends and formal vi (you) with strangers or older people.
- Slovenian has special forms for two people or things, like midva greva (we two are going).
- Words change depending on their role in a sentence. For example, Ljubljana changes to Ljubljani when you say “I’m in Ljubljana” (Jaz sem v Ljubljani).
- Unlike some languages, Slovenian doesn’t mark stress in everyday writing, so it’s not always obvious which syllable to emphasize. You can listen to native speakers or check the correct stress in the Fran dictionary. For example, the word zdravo will be written as zdrávo, which tells you the stress falls on the a.
- Try using the Ling app. It’s an easy way to practice everyday Slovenian conversations with native speaker audio!
Frequently Asked Questions About Slovenian For Beginners
Is Slovenian Hard To Learn For English Speakers?
Yes, Slovenian can be tough for English speakers, mainly because of the six grammatical cases, dual forms, and a complex verb system. What makes it easier are the familiar alphabet and consistent spelling.
How Long Does It Take To Learn Basic Slovenian?
To learn basic Slovenian, you may need around 100 to 200 hours of studying. With 15 to 30 minutes a day, you can expect it to take roughly 6 to 12 months to be able to have basic conversations. Of course, this depends on how consistent you are.
Is Slovenian Similar To Croatian And Serbian?
Yes! All three are South Slavic languages, so they share vocabulary and grammar, but they differ in pronunciation and aren’t always mutually understandable.
How Do You Start Learning Slovenian As A Beginner?
Start with basic greetings, pronunciation, and everyday vocabulary before moving on to simple sentences and grammar. Practicing a little each day will help you build a solid foundation without feeling overwhelmed.
Ready To Start Speaking Slovenian?
Learning Slovenian doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. Simply start with basic greetings and pronunciation, build your vocabulary, and gradually move on to simple sentences and conversations.
Don’t worry about mastering all six grammatical cases or the dual right away. Focus on regular practice, pay attention to word endings, and enjoy discovering the language at your own pace!
Learn The Slovenian Language With The Ling App
Learning the Slovenian language might seem challenging at first, but you don’t need to tackle everything at once. Follow the seven-day Slovenian for beginners plan in this guide to learn greetings, pronunciation, useful vocabulary, and your first conversations.
And here’s an idea: why not pair those seven days with the Ling app’s 7-day free trial? Download Ling, explore the Slovenian course, and practice with interactive lessons and native speaker audio!
