Having a handful of Slovenian jokes in your repertoire is a surefire way to impress the locals when visiting this central European nation. Slovenian humor is often quite self-deprecating, and they enjoy having a bit of fun about the size of their nation.
We will also have a look at some Slovenian idioms. Learning new jokes in any language is a great way to improve your vocabulary as well as help to make learning a language like Slovenian a little bit more fun. Let’s check them out!
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Silly Slovenian Jokes About Slovenia’s Size
Only half the size of Switzerland, many Slovenian jokes focus on its diminutive size. Let’s have a look at some of them:
- Be careful when opening an umbrella in Ljubljana because you might poke the eye out of somebody in Maribor.
- Why don’t Slovenians need mobile phones? Because they can communicate by simply yodeling from one end of the country to the other.
- You could catch all the fish in the Slovenian sea by using a tennis net.
- How do Slovenes change gears in a car? First, Second, BORDER!
- Why are you not permitted to jump into a swimming pool in Slovenia? Because the Italians would get annoyed at being splashed by water.
- What do Slovenes need a radar for? Just for fun.
- Why does Slovenia not import many goods from other countries? Because nobody can find the country.
- How many Slovenians know how to walk? All three of them.
- What color are Slovenian coastguard patrol boats? Both of them are blue.
- Why is it forbidden to do the splits in Slovenia? Because your feet would cross the border.
- Why are ski jumpers forbidden from jumping further than 250 meters? Because if they jumped any further, they would land in Italy!
- Shortest joke in the world: A couple is walking along the Slovenian coast.
Amusing Slovenian Jokes And Idioms
As well as Slovenian jokes, Slovenians have their own way of expressing everyday situations through unique Slovenian idioms. For example, instead of saying that they have a hangover, they prefer to say imam mačka, or “I have a cat”. When the hangover is particularly severe, a Slovenian will complain with imam tigra, or “I have a tiger”.
Let’s have a look at a few more amusing idioms that are likely to be heard in every day conversations in Slovenia.
Slovenians prefer not to say they are giving up, rather they say Vržemo puško v koruzo, or Throw a rifle into the corn.
If you have done something to offend someone, you might not find one of the locals telling you to “Go to Hell!”, they are more likely to use Slovenian swear words like Naj te koklja brcne, meaning May the mother hen kick you!
If a Slovenian has had a stroke of good luck, he doesn’t express that luck as being good fortune, but Sekira mi je padla v med, or My axe fell into the honey.
Instead of a Slovenian feeling guilty about something, you are more likely to hear that they Ima veliko masla na glavi, meaning they Have a lot of butter on their head.
When a Slovenian finds something amusing, they don’t laugh out loud, they Smeji se kot pečen maček, or Laugh like a roasted cat.
When they complicate something, instead of doing a simple solution, they would say Je šel okrog riti v žep, or Go into the pocket around the ass.
If a Slovenian has had a little too much to drink and need to throw up, they say Kličemo jelene, or Call the reindeer, because of the sound they make.
If a Slovenian stubs his toe, you might expect him to shout “Bloody hell!”, but he is actually more likely to bellow Tristo kosmatih medvedov!, or Three hundred hairy bears!
The subject of money, or the lack of it, often comes up in Slovenian humor. In Slovenia, if you have lost all your cash, you aren’t broke, but rather Biti na psu, or Be on the dog. If you find yourself with an empty bank account, you say Prišel je na boben, or He reached the drum.
If you find yourself without money, it might be because a deal you made has gone sour. Yet a Slovenian would not admit they had made a bad deal, but rather he had Kupil je mačka v žaklju, or Bought a cat in a sack.
In matters of sex, Slovenians have their own distinctly humorous idioms. For instance, making love in the morning isn’t referred to as morning sex but as Petelinji zajtrk, or Rooster’s breakfast.
If a Slovenian has a wandering eye they are unlikely to cheat on another person, but they are likely to Skočiti čez plot, or Jump over the fence.
And if you have done something to annoy a Slovenian, they will not simply tell you to go away, you are more likely to hear Pojdi se solit, or Go get yourself salted.
Another Joke
Here is a funny, if not slightly naughty joke to break the ice when making some new Slovenian friends:
A blonde, a nun, a Croat, and a Slovenian are traveling on the same train. The train enters a tunnel, and the train compartment goes dark. Suddenly, there is the sound of a loud slap. When the train comes out of the tunnel, it gets brighter, and everyone notices that the Slovenian’s face has turned bright red.
The nun thinks: “This naughty man must’ve touched the blonde, so he got what he deserved.” The blonde thinks: “This jerk has probably wanted to touch me, but he accidentally touched the nun, so he got what he deserved.” The Slovenian thinks: “This Croat must have touched the blonde, and she slapped me instead of him.” The Croat thinks: “I can’t wait for another tunnel to slap him again.”
How Do You Say Joke In Slovenian?
The word for joke in Slovenian is šala, or vic. Both are appropriate to use, but vic is more often used in colloquial language, whereas šala is more standard Slovenian.
Slovenian Vocabulary Related To Jokes
Learning about jokes in a new language can be both educational and entertaining, helping you understand some everyday expressions. Apps like Ling app integrate humor into their language lessons, making learning fun! So, why not try it out and add some laughter to your language learning journey? In the meantime, here are some Slovenian words related to jokes:
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| Joke | Šala |
| To joke | Šaliti se |
| Humor | Humor |
| Funny | Smešno |
| Laugh | Smeh |
| To laugh | Smejati se |
| Comedian | Komik |
| Prank | Potegavščina |
| Sarcasm | Sarkazem |
| Irony | Ironija |
| Stand-up comedy | Stand-up komedija |
| Parody | Parodija |
| Satire | Satira |
| Gag | Skeč |
Common Questions About Slovenians
Is It Easy To Make Friends In Slovenia?
Slovenia has a lack of diversity, therefore if you’ll be living as an expat in Slovenia, it may be hard to get some friends at first. Slovenians are generally welcoming and friendly towards foreigners, especially tourists, but to make friends, especially if you’re not fluent in Slovenian, it may take a bit of time for them to open up to you.
What Do Slovenians Like To Do?
Slovenian scenery and nature make it a great place for outdoor activities. Therefore, you will find many Slovenians hiking and mountaineering. In summer months, you’ll likely see them hanging out at local bars in city centers, enjoying the warm weather and hanging out with friends over a cold beer.
What Is The Stereotype Of Slovenians?
Since there isn’t that many Slovenians, there also isn’t many typical stereotypes about them. But you could say that they’re very good at sports, as Slovenia has produced many successful athletes and teams, especially in skiing, basketball, and rock climbing.
The Punchline
Jokes are a great way to break the ice and win over some new friends. They make us feel at ease, making everyone laugh, whether you tell a pun, silly story, or a quick joke. So, have some Slovenian jokes ready and see how a good chuckle can bring people closer and forge bonds with ease!
