Just like in English, Slovenian prepositions are everywhere and you use them all the time. They’re like the glue that holds a language together.
In this post, we’ll cover the most common Slovenian prepositions, and take a look at some sentence examples. You’ll learn fifteen of them that you can start using today!
Table Of Contents
What Are Slovenian Prepositions?
In Slovenian, prepositions are super important, because they indicate the relationship between words in sentences, but they also determine which grammatical case a noun, pronoun, or adjective must take. This is crucial, because Slovenian is a language with a case system. There’s six cases and each serves a purpose. The preposition used in a sentence will dictate which case the word next to it must follow. This will then change the word’s form.
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To give you an example, take the preposition brez (without), and the word sladkor (sugar). This particular preposition requires the genitive case. So when you say brez sladkorja (without sugar), the word sladkor changes to sladkorja. Learning which preposition goes with which cases is therefore important for getting how Slovenian grammar works and how words change depending on their role in the sentence. Once you get this, it’ll be way easier to use Slovenian sentences correctly.
Most Common Slovenian Prepositions
Below are the most common Slovenian prepositions along with sentence examples!
In – V
The book is in the bag.- Knjiga je v torbi.
She is in the house. – Ona je v hiši.
On – Na
The phone is on the table. – Telefon je na mizi.
The cat is on the chair. – Mačka je na stolu.
From – Iz
I am from Slovenia. – Jaz sem iz Slovenije.
She is coming home from school. – Ona prihaja domov iz šole.
Between – Med
She sat between her friends. – Sedela je med svojimi prijatelji.
The park is between the two buildings. – Park je med dvema stavbama.
Without – Brez
I can’t do it without you. – Ne morem brez tebe.
She left without her bag. – Odšla je brez torbe.
Through – Skozi
We walked through the park. – Šli smo skozi park.
The wind is blowing through the window. – Veter piha skozi okno.
About – O
We talked about the movie. – Pogovarjali smo se o filmu.
I’m reading a book about animals. – Berem knjigo o živalih.
Before – Pred
I parked the car in front of the house. – Parkiral sem avto pred hišo.
She stood in front of the mirror. – Stala je pred ogledalom.
After – Po
We will go for a walk after lunch. – Po kosilu bomo šli na sprehod.
He called me after work. – Poklical me je po službi.
Under – Pod
The dog is under the table. – Pes je pod mizo.
The ball is under the bed. – Žoga je pod posteljo.
Behind – Za
The store is behind the church. – Trgovina je za cerkvijo.
The dog is hiding behind the tree. – Pes se skriva za drevesom.
In Front Of – Pred
The car is in front of the house. – Avto je pred hišo.
There’s a bench in front of the building. – Pred stavbo je klop.
Next To – Ob
The chair is next to the table. – Stol je ob mizi.
The store is next to the school. – Trgovina je ob šoli.
With – Z / S
Now this preposition is a bit trickier. You can use the preposition s, when the word following begins with one of the following consonants: T, S, H, Š, K, F, C, P, Č.
That’s because they’re unvoiced consonants (they don’t involve vocal cord vibration). So s fits with these sounds because they flow better together. Examples:
- With a friend – S prijateljem
- With a bicycle – S kolesom
- With a phone – S telefonom
You use z when the word following begins with any other consonant or a vowel. These a voiced sounds, so z blend more naturally with them. Examples:
- With mom – Z mamo
- With a car – Z avtom
- With father – Z očetom
To – H / K
Similarly, the preposition to in Slovenian has some rules.
You’re gonna use h, only when the word following begins with the consonants k or g. For example:
- To the horse – H konju
- To the guest – H gostu
You’re gonna use k with any other consonant or vowel:
- To the car – K avtu
- To work – K delu
- To mom – K mami
How Do You Say Preposition In Slovenian?
A preposition in Slovenian is called predlog.
Useful Slovenian Vocabulary
If you’ve come this far in the blog post, you’ve come across some words that might seem a bit technical, like vowel or genitive case. Don’t worry, though! These terms are super helpful when learning a new language, and I’ve got you covered with a quick vocab table. It’s a simple guide to key Slovenian grammar words, so you can keep things straight as you dive into prepositions and sentence-building. Check it out below!
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Vowel | Samoglasnik |
| Consonant | Soglasnik |
| Preposition | Predlog |
| Noun | Samostalnik |
| Pronoun | Zaimka |
| Adjective | Pridevnik |
| Sentence | Stavek |
| Word | Beseda |
| Case | Sklon |
| Genitive | Rodilnik |
| Nominative | Imenovalnik |
| Locative | Mestnik |
| Dative | Dajalnik |
| Accusative | Tožilnik |
| Instrumental | Orodnik |
| Singular | Ednina |
| Plural | Množina |
| Masculine | Moški spol |
| Feminine | Ženski spol |
| Neuter | Srednji spol |
| Grammar | Slovnica |
| Language | Jezik |
| Sentence example | Primer stavka |
| Verb | Glagol |
| Unvoiced consonant | Nezveneči soglasnik |
| Voiced consonant | Zveneči soglasnik |
If you’re excited to keep learning Slovenian (or any other language), the Ling app is the perfect tool to help you get there! With interactive lessons, fun quizzes, and chatbot conversations, it makes language learning easy and enjoyable. It’s got everything you need to practice Slovenian pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary on the go. Download it today and take your language skills to the next level!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Preposition Do European Countries Take In Slovenian?
In Slovenian, most European countries use the preposition v (in). However, some countries use na (on), typically for islands or countries whose names are feminine adjectives. For example:
- v Sloveniji – in Slovenia
- v Nemčiji – in Germany
- na Malti – on Malta
- na Finskem – on Finland
- na Cipru – on Cyprus
Slovenia itself can take both prepositions: v Sloveniji is standard, and na Slovenskem is more poetic or historical.
How Many Grammatical Cases Does Slovenian Have?
Slovenian has six grammatical cases: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, locative, and instrumental.
Is Slovenian A Gendered Language?
Yes, Slovenian is a gendered language with three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
In, On, and Understanding Slovenian
In a nutshell, getting the hang of Slovenian prepositions is key to really understanding the language. These little words may seem simple, but they do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to connecting ideas and giving your sentences clarity. So, if you’re wondering about Slovenian writing, don’t sweat it! With some practice and a bit of patience, you’ll be crafting sentences like a pro in no time. Enjoy the ride, and have fun learning this beautiful language!
