Have you found yourself in Slovenia wanting to try some delicious food? Knowing a few basic phrases can make ordering food much easier and more fun.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to order food in Slovenian. This vocabulary will help you understand menus, ask for recommendations, ask for the bill, chat with the local waiters, and much more!
Table Of Contents
How To Order Food In Slovenian
Let’s take a look at how you would go about ordering food in a Slovenian restaurant, step-by-step.
1. Entering The Restaurant
Ordering food in Slovenian is pretty straightforward. You’ll enter the restaurant and greet the people working there with a dober dan (good day) or a dober večer (good evening). The waiters will then show you to your table.
2. Asking For The Menu
Now, at most restaurants, especially high-end ones, the waiters will go ahead and bring you the menu right away. In case that doesn’t happen you can say: lahko dobim jedilni list, prosim? (can I get the menu, please?)
The word for menu is jedilni list, but you can also say meni.
3. Understanding The Menu
The menu will usually be divided into sections. Here are some words that you should remember to more easily navigate it:
- Appetizers – predjedi
- Soups – juhe
- Salads – solate
- Main courses – glavne jedi
- Side dishes – priloge
- Desserts – sladice
- Drinks – pijače
4. Ordering Food From The Menu
When you’re ready to place your order, catch the server’s attention by saying Oprostite, lahko naročim? (Excuse me, can I order?).
The phrase for “I would like to order” is Rad bi naročil for guys, and Rada bi naročila for girls.
If you’re not sure what to order, you can always ask Kaj priporočate? (What do you recommend?)
Here are some examples of sentences that you might use as you’re ordering your food, with some included food options:
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| As an appetizer, I’d like to order beef soup. | Za predjed bi rad/a naročil/a govejo juho |
| I would like to order a salad. | Rad/a bi naročil/a solato |
| I would like to order the beef steak. | Rad/a bi naročil/a goveji zrezek |
| For the main dish, I would like to order a pizza. | Kot glavno jed bi rad/a naročil/a pico |
| As a side dish, I’d like to order rice, please. | Kot prilogo bi rad/a naročil/a riž, prosim |
| And a glass of red wine, please. | In kozarec rdečega vina, prosim |
| I’d like to try the chocolate cake as dessert, please. | Kot sladico, želim poskusiti čokoladno torto, prosim |
5. Special Requests And Preferences
If you’ve got allergies or preferences, you should tell your servers before ordering.
Let’s say you can’t eat gluten. You can say: Ali lahko to dobim brez glutena? (Can I get this gluten-free?), or Ali ta jed vsebuje gluten? (Does this dish contain gluten?)
To check for specific ingredients, you can ask questions like Ali ta jed vsebuje oreščke? (Does this dish contain nuts?)
If you’re a vegan or a vegetarian, you can use the following sentences:
- Does this dish contain meat? – Ali ta jed vsebuje meso?
- Is this dish vegan? – Ali je ta jed veganska?
- Can you prepare this dish without eggs? – Ali lahko to jed pripravite brez jajc?
- Can you recommend any vegan dishes? – Ali lahko priporočite kakšno vegansko jed?
6. During Your Meal
If you want to order something while you’re eating, you can say: Lahko dobim še kruha, prosim? (Can I get more bread, please), or Lahko dobim še vode, prosim? (Can I get more water, please?)
A waiter might come by to ask how everything is. To compliment the food, you can say: Hrana je odlična! (The food is excellent), or Vse je super, hvala! (Everything is great, thanks!)
If the waiter asks you this after you’ve finished, use the past tense: Hrana je bila odlična! (The food was excellent!), or Vse je bilo super, hvala! (Everything was great, thanks!)
7. Getting The Check
Once you’ve finished eating, the server might ask if you want anything else. If you want to get the bill, you can say: Lahko dobim račun, prosim? (Can I have the bill, please?)
For the payment options, you can ask: Ali lahko plačam s kartico? (Can I pay with card?), or Ali lahko plačam z gotovino? (Can I pay with cash?)
8. Leaving The Restaurant
As you’re getting ready to leave, thank the staff by saying Hvala lepa, which means thank you very much in Slovenian. As you’re leaving, say Nasvidenje, which is a formal way of saying goodbye.
Ordering Food And Drinks At A Café
If you’re strolling through Ljubljana city center, you’ll see plenty of cozy little cafés on the bank of the Ljubljanica River. The atmosphere here is more relaxed, so there’s no need for big formalities.
You can order a coffee by saying Eno kavo, prosim (One coffee, please). However, the waiters might be annoyed, as they need you to be more specific, so I’ll give you some examples on how to order different kinds of coffee and other drinks.
- Hi, I’d like a milk coffee, please. – Zdravo, eno kavo z mlekom, prosim.
- Black coffee, please – Črno kavo, prosim
- I would like a cappuccino, please. – Rad/a bi kapučino, prosim.
- One fruit tea, please. – En sadni čaj, prosim.
- I would like a Laško beer, please. – Eno Laško pivo, prosim.
- A glass of orange juice, please. – En kozarec pomarančnega soka, prosim.
- Can I get a glass of water? – Lahko dobim kozarec vode?
Whatever you wanna add to your drink, just say the following phrases at the end:
- With milk – Z mlekom
- With cream – S smetano
- Without sugar – Brez sladkorja
- With sugar – S sladkorjem
- With almond milk – Z mandljevim mlekom
- With soy milk – S sojinim mlekom
How Do You Say Order In Slovenian?
The word for ‘order’ in Slovenian is naročilo. The verb ‘to order’ is naročiti.
Slovenian Food Vocabulary
If you’re learning how to order food in Slovenian, then you should also learn some related words. Here’s a list of Slovenian restaurant vocabulary that could be useful next time you’re ordering hearty dishes at a good restaurant.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Restaurant | Restavracija |
| Waiter | Natakar |
| Waitress | Natakarica |
| Breakfast | Zajtrk |
| Lunch | Kosilo |
| Dinner | Večerja |
| Reservation | Rezervacija |
| Table | Miza |
| Fork | Vilica |
| Knife | Nož |
| Spoon | Žlica |
| Plate | Krožnik |
| Glass | Kozarec |
| Napkin | Prtiček |
| Salt | Sol |
| Pepper | Poper |
Do you want to practice a little bit of Slovenian every day before your trip here? Check out the Ling app, a great resource for taking short daily lessons, even when you’re on the go!
FAQs About How To Order Food In Slovenian
What Time Do People Eat Dinner In Slovenia?
In Slovenia, people usually have dinner between 7 pm and 9 pm. Slovenia’s dining times are a bit earlier compared to countries like Greece or Spain, where people eat much later. So, it’s always a good idea to check restaurant opening hours online.
What Is Restaurant Etiquette In Slovenia?
You should dress neatly, especially for business meals, but also in casual settings. Avoid putting your elbows on the table, rest your wrists on the edge instead. When paying, hand the money directly to the server—don’t leave it on the table.
Is Tipping Expected In Slovenia?
Tipping isn’t really a thing in Slovenia. Instead of leaving a big tip, just round up your bill to the nearest euro, or maybe add 1-2 € if the service was exceptional.
Any Small Social Rules I Should Know Before Going To Slovenia?
Here are the Slovenian social rules:
- When you visit someone’s home, it’s polite to take your shoes off unless the host says otherwise. They might even offer you some indoor slippers to wear.
- Slovenians love it when you greet them politely. If you’re out hiking or walking in quieter areas, it’s common to say hello to people you pass by.
- Keep in mind that most stores, even the big malls, are closed on Sundays. Only a few shops at gas stations might be open.
- A firm handshake is the way to go. Skip the cheek kisses, as they might come off as intrusive.
- Avoid pointing your finger at people and try not to be too loud in public. It’s considered rude to be noisy in public spaces.
Anything Else?
Next time you visit, make sure to try Slovenian food! Now that you know how to order in Slovenian, exploring local dishes will be a breeze. Don’t forget to learn some Slovenian food vocabulary too, so you can enjoy everything from stews to Slovenian desserts. Happy eating!
