Verbs are the key to learning and using any language. They are there to help us build sentences and show what is happening and what someone is doing. This post will be for anyone who’s just dipping their toes into Slovenian or ready to level up their skills. We’ll go over the most common Slovenian verbs, tenses and conjugation.
Getting started can be a bit overwhelming, but don’t sweat it—we’re here to make it as easy as possible with simple explanations and handy tips. Dive into our list of 100 must-know Slovenian verbs and start feeling at home with the language. Ready to get rolling? Let’s jump in!
Table of Contents
Common Slovenian Verbs
Here’s a table of 100 most common Slovenian verbs. They are listed in their infinitive form, which is the basic form you’ll find in dictionaries. This form typically ends in “-ti” and is used as the base for conjugating the verb into different tenses and forms.
English | Slovenian |
---|---|
to be | biti |
to have | imeti |
to do/make | narediti |
to go | iti |
to come | priti |
to say | reči |
to get | dobiti |
to see | videti |
to want | želeti |
to know | vedeti |
to think | misliti |
to give | dati |
to take | vzeti |
to find | najti |
to use | uporabljati |
to tell | povedati |
to work | delati |
to love | ljubiti |
to like | imeti rad |
to call | klicati |
to help | pomagati |
to start | začeti |
to stop | ustaviti |
to learn | učiti se |
to understand | razumeti |
to ask | vprašati |
to try | poskusiti |
to remember | zapomniti |
to forget | pozabiti |
to meet | srečati |
to play | igrati |
to read | brati |
to write | pisati |
to sit | sedeti |
to stand | stati |
to travel | potovati |
to run | teči |
to show | pokazati |
to stop | ustaviti |
to leave | oditi |
to enter | vstopiti |
to bring | prinesti |
to buy | kupiti |
to sell | prodati |
to ask | vprašati |
to answer | odgovoriti |
to clean | čistiti |
to cook | kuhati |
to wash | prati |
to sing | peti |
to dance | plesati |
to build | graditi |
to break | zlomiti |
to fix | popraviti |
to draw | risati |
to paint | slikati |
to cut | rezati |
to open | odpreti |
to close | zapreti |
to save | shraniti |
to spend | porabiti |
to show | pokazati |
to teach | učiti |
to learn | učiti se |
to remember | zapomniti |
to forget | pozabiti |
to arrive | priti |
to depart | odpotovati |
to lead | voditi |
to follow | slediti |
to move | premakniti |
to wait | čakati |
to stop | ustaviti |
to begin | začeti |
to end | končati |
to need | potrebovati |
to want | želeti |
to help | pomagati |
to support | podpreti |
to choose | izbrati |
to decide | odločiti |
to plan | načrtovati |
to consider | razmisliti |
to believe | verjeti |
to doubt | dvomiti |
to hope | upati |
to wish | želeti |
to laugh | smejati se |
to cry | jokati |
to smile | nasmejati se |
to worry | skrbeti |
to relax | sprostiti |
to travel | potovati |
Verb Conjugation
In Slovenian, verbs are conjugated based on tense and gender. Slovenian verbs themselves don’t have gender, but the past tense and some participles agree with the gender of Slovenian nouns, which can be masculine, feminine, or neuter.
Slovenian verbs are used in three tenses: present, past, and future. Let’s look at how these tenses work with a few examples.
Present Tense
Let’s start with two basic Slovenian verbs: biti (to be) and imeti (to have). Check out the tables below to see how these verbs change depending on who you’re talking about. This will give you a solid foundation for speaking and understanding Slovenian.
Biti (To Be)
English | Slovenian |
---|---|
I am | Jaz sem |
You are | Ti si |
He/She/It is | On/ona/ono je |
We are | Mi smo |
You (plural) are | Vi ste |
They are | Oni so |
Imeti (To Have)
English | Slovenian |
---|---|
I go | Jaz imam |
You go | Ti imaš |
He/She/It goes | On/ona/ono ima |
We go | Mi imamo |
You (plural) go | Vi imate |
They go | Oni imajo |
Past Tense
In Slovenian, the past tense of verbs changes based on the gender of the subject. Here’s a simple look at how the verbs biti (to be) and imeti (to have) are used in the past tense for the masculine and feminine gender:
Biti (To Be)
English | Slovenian (Masculine) | Slovenian (Feminine) |
---|---|---|
I was | Jaz sem bil | Jaz sem bila |
You were | Ti si bil | Ti si bila |
He/She/It was | On je bil | Ona je bila |
We were | Mi smo bili | Mi smo bile |
You (plural) were | Vi ste bili | Vi ste bile |
They were | Oni so bili | One so bile |
Imeti (To Have)
English | Slovenian (Masculine) | Slovenian (Feminine) |
---|---|---|
I had | Jaz sem imel | Jaz sem imela |
You had | Ti si imel | Ti si imela |
He/She/ had | On je imel | Ona je imela |
We had | Mi smo imeli | Me smo imele |
You (plural) had | Vi ste imeli | Ve ste imele |
They had | Oni so imeli | One so imele |
Future Tense
Here’s how to form the future tense for imeti (to have) and biti (to be) in Slovenian. The forms change based on the subject’s gender, with separate forms for masculine and feminine.
Biti (To Be)
English | Slovenian Future Tense |
---|---|
I will be | jaz bom |
You will be | ti boš |
He will be | on bo |
She will be | ona bo |
It will be | ono bo |
We will be | mi bomo |
You (plural) will be | vi boste |
They will be | oni bodo |
Imeti (To Have)
In the future tense construction, the future form of the auxiliary verb biti (to be) is used with the conjugated form of imeti (to have).
English | Slovenian (Masculine/Feminine) |
---|---|
I will have | jaz bom imel / jaz bom imela |
You will have | ti boš imel / ti boš imela |
He will have | on bo imel |
She will have | ona bo imela |
It will have | ono bo imelo |
We will have | mi bomo imeli / me bomo imele |
You (plural) will have | vi boste imeli / ve boste imele |
They will have | oni bodo imeli / one bodo imele |
Reflexive Pronoun Se
In Slovenian, the word se is called a reflexive pronoun. It’s used with certain verbs to show that the action of the verb is happening to the subject itself. For example, in the verb učiti se (to learn), se means that you are learning something for yourself.
When you see se in a verb, it tells you that the action is directed back at the person or thing doing it. So, with učiti se, it’s like saying ‘to teach oneself’ or ‘to learn by oneself’. This reflexive pronoun helps make it clear that the subject is both doing and receiving the action.
Here’s a quick overview of the present tense conjugation for učiti se (to learn).
English | Slovenian |
---|---|
I learn | jaz se učim |
You learn | ti se učiš |
He/She/It learns | on/ona/ono se uči |
We learn | mi se učimo |
You (plural) learn | vi se učite |
They learn | oni se učijo |
The Grammatical Dual
Slovenian grammar has a special thing called the dual form, used for talking about exactly two things or people. It’s a unique feature that sets Slovenian apart from many other languages, which only have singular and plural forms.
So, when you’re talking about two people or things, you use these special dual pronouns and verb forms. It’s also important to note that the dual forms can differ based on the gender of the people or things being referred to, especially in feminine contexts.
Here’s the verb biti (to be) in the present tense, including the dual forms:
English | Slovenian (Present Tense) |
---|---|
I am | jaz sem |
You are (informal) | ti si |
He/She/It is | on/ona/ono je |
We (two people) are | midva sva (masculine), midve sva (feminine) |
You (two people) are | vidva sta (masculine), vidve sta (feminine) |
They (two people) are | onadva sta (masculine), onidve sta (feminine) |
We (three or more people) are | mi smo (masculine), me smo (feminine) |
You (three or more people) are | vi ste (masculine), ve ste (feminine) |
They (three or more people) are | oni so (masculine), one so (feminine) |
You (three or more people) are | vi/ve ste |
They (three or more people) are | oni/one so |
How Do You Say Verb In Slovenian?
The word for verb in Slovenian is glagol.
Some Useful Verbs Vocabulary
I know learning all these rules can be overwhelming. Even the word conjugation itself seems scary at first. But by knowing some basic words you can make it simpler for yourself. This list covers basic Slovenian words that you’ll need to understand and use verbs in Slovenian. Check it out and get a head start on your learning!
English | Slovenian |
---|---|
verb | glagol |
conjugation | sklanjatev |
tense | čas |
present tense | sedanjik |
past tense | preteklik |
future tense | prihodnjik |
pronoun | zaimek |
subject | predmet |
object | predmet |
infinitive | nedoločnik |
verb form | oblika glagola |
auxiliary verb | pomožni glagol |
agreement | skladnost |
singular | ednina |
plural | množina |
dual | dvojina |
sentence | stavek |
phrase | fraza |
grammar | slovnica |
language | jezik |
vocabulary | besedišče |
example | primer |
practice | vadba |
rule | pravilo |
form | oblika |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Grammatical Gender In Slovenian?
In Slovenian, every noun has a gender, which can be masculine, feminine, or neuter. For example, avto (car) is masculine, roža (flower) is feminine, and jabolko (apple) is neuter. The gender of a noun determines how it interacts with other words in a sentence, influencing things like adjective endings and verb forms.
How Many Tenses Does Slovenian Have?
Slovenian has three tenses: present, past, and future.
What Are The Grammatical Cases In Slovenian?
In Slovenian, cases show how a noun or pronoun is used in a sentence. Here are the six cases:
- Nominative: Who or what the sentence is about
- Genitive: Who something belongs to
- Dative: Who receives something
- Accusative: Who or what gets the action
- Instrumental: How or with what something is done
- Locative: Where or when something happens
Slovenian Verbs Made Easy
Now that you’ve got a handle on Slovenian verbs, you’re well on your way to speaking more naturally. Understanding how verbs work in different tenses and with reflexive pronouns will help you form clearer sentences. With regular practice, you’ll soon find it easier to use Slovenian sentence structure in your conversations.