Shopping is something we all love to do at some point. When we visit a new place for the first time, exploring the local shops and picking up what we need is a really fun activity. To make sure your shopping trip goes smoothly, it’s helpful to know some key phrases and vocabulary.
In order to find the right stores and items, pay, and just be friendly with the people who work there, knowing some Slovenian can make your experience a lot easier! Ready to hit the shops with confidence? Let’s dive into the essential shopping vocabulary in Slovenian!
Table Of Contents
Shopping Vocabulary In Slovenian
Types Of Stores – Vrste Trgovin
When you’re exploring Slovenia, you might need to pick up some essentials, grab a souvenir, or find some new clothes.
So, what kind of stores are you looking for? Whether you’re in the city or a quaint countryside village, you’ll see there are many shops to choose from. Some places offer everything you need in one spot, from groceries to household items, while others specialize in specific products.
We’ll start by learning the names of different shops in alphabetical order. You’ll usually find these names written on signs or inside malls.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Antique store | Trgovina z antikvitetami |
| Bakery | Pekarna |
| Bookstore | Knjigarna |
| Butcher shop | Mesnica |
| Clothing store | Trgovina z oblačili |
| Convenience store | Trgovina z osnovnimi živili |
| Cosmetics store | Trgovina z ličili / drogerija |
| Department store | Trgovski center |
| Electronics store | Trgovina z elektroniko |
| Flower shop | Cvetličarna |
| Furniture store | Trgovina s pohištvom |
| Gas station | Bencinska črpalka |
| Grocery store | Trgovina z živili |
| Jewelry store | Trgovina z nakitom |
| Mall | Nakupovalni center |
| Music shop | Glasbena trgovina |
| Pharmacy | Lekarna |
| Shoestore | Trgovina s čevlji |
| Souvenir store | Trgovina s spominki |
| Sporting goods store | Trgovina s športno opremo |
| Supermarket | Supermarket |
| Toy store | Trgovina s igračami |
To ask where to find these shops, you can use the phrase: Oprostite, kje je…? (Excuse me, where is…?). It would be wise to learn how to ask for and receive directions in Slovenian as well, so it can be easier for you to find them!
Fun fact about Slovenian gas stations: they’re not just for refueling your car. You can also find clean bathrooms, cash machines, food, drinks, home appliances, and much more.
And here’s another handy tip: In Slovenian, knjigarna refers to a bookstore, while knjižnica means a library.
Signs – Napisi
You’ve found the store you wanted, and now you’re seeing all these signs on doors and around the place. Here’s a list of Slovenian words you need for getting around a shop.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Push | Potisni |
| Pull | Vleci |
| Entrance | Vhod |
| Exit | Izhod |
| Basement | Klet |
| Ground floor | Pritličje |
| First floor | Prvo nadstropje |
| Second floor | Drugo nadstropje |
| Third floor | Tretje nadstropje |
| Fitting Room | Kabina |
| Business hours | Delovni čas |
| Open | Odprto |
| Closed | Zaprto |
To better understand the business hours of a certain store, learn how to say the date and time in Slovenian!
Products And Items – Izdelki
If you’re looking for a specific item or product, you can ask the salesperson this question:
Do you sell…? – Ali prodajate…?
Then, at the end, you will say the product or item that you need:
| Do you sell…? | Ali prodajate…? |
|---|---|
| Souvenirs | Spominke |
| Clothing | Oblačila |
| Shoes | Čevlje |
| Lingerie, Underwear | Spodnje perilo |
| Jewelry | Nakit |
| Personal hygiene products | Izdelke za osebno higieno |
| Cosmetics | Kozmetiko |
| Pet items | Izdelke za hišne ljubljenčke |
| Toys | Igrače |
| Kitchenware | Kuhinjski pripomočki |
| Groceries | Živila |
| Vegetables | Zelenjavo |
| Fruits | Sadje |
| Dairy products | Mlečni izdelki |
| Gardening items | Vrtnarski pripomočki |
| Office supplies | Pisarniški material |
| Furniture | Pohištvo |
| Tools | Orodje |
Quality – Kakovost
Now let’s see how we can talk about what we’re looking for in a product or share our thoughts on what we find. We’ll go over some standard Slovenian adjectives to describe the products we’re buying.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Cheap | Poceni |
| Affordable | Ugoden |
| Expensive | Drag |
| Pretty | Lep |
| Elegant | Eleganten |
| Ugly | Grd |
| Good | Dober |
| Luxury | Razkošen |
Just a quick tip: remember that in Slovenian, adjectives need to match the gender and number of the noun they describe. For instance, if you’re talking about a feminine item, you’ll change the ending of the adjective. Here are some examples of this:
- Cheap phone – Poceni telefon
- Affordable accommodation – Ugodno prenočišče
- Expensive dress – Draga obleka
- Pretty souvenir – Lep spominek
- Elegant bracelet – Elegantna zapestnica
- Ugly shoes – Grdi čevlji
- Good food – Dobra hrana
- Luxury home – Razkošen dom
Materials – Materiali
Besides quality, it’s also important to think about where things come from and what they’re made of. Let’s check out some Slovenian terms for materials and origins to help you make a better choice. And remember to tweak those adjectives to fit the item you’re talking about!
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| What material is it made of? | Iz katerega materiala je narejeno? |
| What type of fabric is this? | Kakšna vrsta tkanine je to? |
| Organic | Organsko |
| Handmade | Ročno izdelano |
| Homemade | Domače |
| Carved | Izrezljano |
| Sewn | Šivano |
| Knitted | Pleten o |
| Ceramic | Keramično |
| Porcelain | Porcelan |
| Fiber | Vlakna |
| Cotton | Bombaž |
| Leather | Usnje |
| Flannel | Flanel |
| Wool | Volna |
| Made in … | Narejeno v … |
Some examples of what you may see:
- Organic fruit – Organsko sadje
- Handmade wooden bowls – Ročno izdelane lesene sklede
- Homemade bread – Domač kruh
- Carved figure – Izrezljana figura
- Sewn from quality material – Šivano iz kakovostnega materiala
- Sweater knitted from wool – Pulover pleten iz volne
- Ceramic mug – Keramična skodelica
- Shirt made from natural fibers – Majica narejena iz naravnih vlaken
- Shirt made from cotton – Majica iz bombaža
- Leather jacket – Usnjena jakna
- Flannel shirt – Flanelasta srajca
- Made in Slovenia – Narejeno v Sloveniji
Paying For Your Purchase – Plačilo Nakupa
Here are some common phrases you might need when it’s time to pay for your items. Make sure you know your numbers in Slovenian.
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Money | Denar |
| Cash | Gotovina |
| Bills | Bankovci |
| Coins | Kovanci |
| Currency | Valuta |
| Exchange | Izmenjava |
| How much does it cost? | Koliko stane to? |
| Is there a discount? | Je kakšen popust? |
| On sale | V akciji |
| Where is the cash register? | Kje je blagajna? |
| Do you take credit cards? | Sprejemate kreditne kartice? |
| Cash only | Samo gotovina |
| Do you have any change? | Imate kaj drobiža? |
| I don’t have change. | Nimam drobiža |
| Don’t you have a smaller bill? | Imate manjši bankovec? |
| Can you give me change for a €… bill? | Mi lahko zamenjate bankovec za … €? |
| What is the exchange rate? | Kakšen je tečaj? |
| Would you like a bag? | Želite vrečko? |
| No bag, thanks. | Ne potrebujem vrečke, hvala |
| Yes, I need a bag, please. | Ja, potrebujem vrečko, prosim |
Shopping Online – Spletno Nakupovanje
Shopping online has become super convenient these days. If you simply want to order something from a Slovenian website to your address, you’ll need to learn a whole new set of words that are specific when it comes to this type of shopping:
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Product | Izdelek |
| Price | Cena |
| Cart | Košarica |
| Delivery | Dostava |
| Discount | Popust |
| New | Nov |
| Payment | Plačilo |
| Order | Naročilo |
| Sale | Razprodaja |
| Return | Vračilo |
| Size | Velikost |
| Customer Service | Storitev za stranke |
| Checkout | Zaključek nakupa |
How Do You Say Shopping in Slovenian?
The word for shopping in Slovenian is nakupovanje.
Slovenian Vocabulary For Clothes Shopping
Many of the words we’ve covered can apply to all kinds of items, but when it comes to shopping for clothing in Slovenian, we need some extra vocabulary. Let’s start with sizes and then move on to useful phrases for trying on clothes.
- Size – Velikost
Here’s how sizes are usually labeled:
- Small size (S) – Majhna
- Medium size (M) – Srednja
- Large size (L) – Velika
- Extra large size (XL) – Zelo velika
- One size fits all – Enotna
Now, let’s head to the fitting rooms! Here are some useful phrases to help you interact with the sales staff and find the perfect fit:
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Good day (greeting) | Dober dan |
| Good evening | Dober večer |
| Can you help me, please? | Mi lahko pomagate, prosim? |
| Welcome! May I help you? | Dobrodošli! Kako vam lahko pomagam? |
| Are you looking for something specific? | Iščete kaj posebnega? |
| Where are the fitting rooms? | Kje so kabine za pomerjanje? |
| Can I try this on? | Lahko poskusim to? |
| Do you have this in small size? | Imate to v majhni velikosti? |
| Do you have this in a medium size? | Imate to v srednji velikosti? |
| Do you have this in a large size? | Imate to v veliki velikosti? |
| It fits well | Dobro se prilega |
| It doesn’t fit | Ne prilega se |
| It’s too big | Preveliko je |
| It’s too small | Premajhno je |
| It’s too tight | Pretesno je |
| My shoe size is … | Moja številka čevljev je … |
| Do you have this in another color? | Imate to v drugi barvi? |
| It’s sold out. | Je razprodano |
| Are you buying it? | Boste vzeli? |
| No, thank you. | Ne, hvala |
| I’ll think about it. | Razmislil/a bom |
| I’m not sure. | Nisem prepričan/a |
| I’ll keep looking. | Nadaljeval/a bom z iskanjem |
| I’m just looking, thanks. | Samo gledam, hvala |
| Thank you very much. | Najlepša hvala |
| I want this one / that one. | Želim tega / tistega |
| I don’t like this one much. | Ta mi ni preveč všeč |
| I really like this one! | Ta mi je zelo všeč! |
| Where can I find …? | Kje lahko najdem …? |
If you want to learn Slovenian and communicate effectively, you need to put in lots of practice. If you’re always busy and don’t know where to begin, then why not try a language-learning app like Ling? With the Ling app, you can do short lessons every day, and it’s designed to make learning fun and engaging with quizzes, games, and even a chatbot. All of this is guaranteed to keep you hooked and pick up useful, up-to-date language skills quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shopping In Slovenia
Are Clothes Cheap In Slovenia?
In Slovenia, the price of clothes really depends on where you shop. There are many second-hand clothing stores in the city center of Ljubljana, where you can find great deals sometimes. There are also quite affordable clothing shops like Primark, New Yorker, H&M, and so on. However, these might not always be the best quality.
For something a bit fancier, you might want to check out high-end boutiques in Ljubljana like Zoofa or Cliché. Head to BTC City in Ljubljana to find a mix of luxury and affordable shopping options.
What Is Best To Buy In Slovenia?
Slovenian honey and beekeeping products are the perfect treat, and Piran Fleur de Sel is a gourmet sea salt that is definitely worth giving a try. If you appreciate elegance, Rogaška crystal glassware is renowned for its beauty, and Slovenian wine is also a must-buy, known for its high quality.
Local arts and crafts, certified by Art & Craft Slovenia, make excellent gifts, especially pottery and textiles. You can also try traditional Slovenian foods like Carniolan sausage, potica, and Bled cream cake.
What Is The Best Currency To Use In Slovenia?
Slovenia uses the euro currency (€).
Do I Need Cash In Slovenia?
It’s wise to have both a card and some cash in euros when you’re in Slovenia. Some places prefer cash, but a card is handy for bigger purchases and in tourist areas.
Enjoy Shopping In Slovenia
Shopping in Slovenia is a fun experience with lots of unique items to find. Besides the money, make sure to bring all of your newfound knowledge of the language to make your shopping experience the best it can possibly be and have a great time shopping!
