Have you ever wondered if Slovenian is spoken anywhere outside of Slovenia? Surprisingly, the answer is yes, and some of the places aren’t even in Europe!
In this post, we’ll take a look at what countries speak Slovenian around the world, explore some interesting facts about these communities, and learn some useful Slovenian vocabulary. Let’s dive in!
Table Of Contents
What Countries Speak Slovenian?
The Slovenian language is the official language of Slovenia and the mother tongue of a great majority of the people there.
The Slovenian population is just over 2.1 million. However, the number of people speaking Slovenian around the world is over 2.5 million!
Even though Slovenian is the official language only in Slovenia, there are Slovenian-speaking countries around the world, or rather, Slovenian communities. This is mainly because of emigrations in the past. Here are some of those countries:
European Countries
First off, we’ve got Slovenia’s neighboring countries.
Italy
Slovenians ended up in Italy mainly because of historical events and changes in borders. This meant that Slovene-speaking communities who had been living there for generations suddenly found themselves within Italy.
Today about 80,000 Slovenians live in Italy, mainly near the Slovenian border in the regions of Trieste, Gorizia, and Udine, where they also enjoy special regional autonomy and funding. There, you’ll find Slovenian schools and newspapers, and even radio broadcasts in Slovenian! They try to make sure to keep the Slovenian language and identity thriving.
Austria
In Austria, Slovenians are considered an indigenous national group, and they are officially recognized as a minority. There are about 50,000 Slovenians living in Austria.
In each country where Slovenian is spoken outside Slovenia, there are legal protections for linguistic and cultural minorities. For example, in Austria, the Slovenian minority is protected under the Austrian State Treaty, which makes sure they keep their rights, such as bilingual schools and media in Slovenian.
Hungary
There’s a recognized Slovenian community living in Hungary, with about 5,000 Slovenians. There are supported agreements between Slovenia and Hungary that protect their cultural identity through local institutions and bilingual education in schools.
Countries Outside Of Europe
Now let’s check out other countries from around the world that are far away from Europe, and how it came to be that there are people who speak Slovenian there. Slovenians in the past moved because they were looking for better lives and escaping political turmoil. Of course, they brought their language and culture with them, which created vibrant communities that still speak Slovenian today!
USA
Slovenians began moving to the USA in large numbers after the start of the 19th century. Back then, most were born in Slovenia, but today, about 90% of the Slovenian-American community are descendants born in the USA.
Right now, there are somewhere between 300,000 to 600,000 Slovenians and their descendants living in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Despite many Slovenians blending into American life, Slovenian culture stays strong with community centers, bilingual publications, and events.
Schools in cities like Cleveland teach Slovenian language and culture to both kids and adults, in order to preserve traditions. Institutions like the Slovenian Museum and Archives and the Center for Slovenian Studies at Cleveland State University also play crucial roles in promoting Slovenian heritage across the USA.
South America
In South America, over 30,000 people of Slovenian descent live across several countries.
Argentina has the largest Slovenian community, formed by people who arrived there during the world wars. Today, their descendants stay active through associations and Slovenian schools that teach Slovenian language and culture to younger generations.
There are also around 6,000 Slovenians living in Brazil. They’re mainly in São Paulo, with smaller groups in Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. They teach about Slovenian language and culture, and also organize cultural events.
Other countries with a small portion of Slovenians and their descendants living there are Chile, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Colombia. These smaller communities are still important to the Slovenian story in South America, each contributing to the rich diversity of Slovenian culture abroad.
What Languages Are Spoken In Slovenia?
Now, let’s reverse the roles and see what languages from around the world are spoken in Slovenia.
First off, as we all already know, it’s Slovenian. But the language in the country itself can vary greatly. There’s an old Slovene proverb that says: “Vsaka vas ima svoj glas” (each village has its own voice). This is because Slovenian is divided into about 50 dialects. Each is unique, making it sometimes difficult for Slovenians from different parts of the country to even understand each other!
Hungarian and Italian are both co-official languages in places where these minorities live.
Other significant languages include Croatian and Serbian, spoken by immigrants from former Yugoslav countries and their descendants.
English and German are widely taught as foreign languages, followed by Italian, French, Spanish, and Russian. So, while it’s becoming more varied, Slovenian still remains the heart and soul of communication for the majority of people living there.
How Do You Say Language In Slovenian?
The word for language in Slovenian is jezik. The Slovenian language is slovenski jezik.
Some Useful Slovenian Vocabulary!
Do you want to add your country to the list of those who speak Slovenian? We at Ling are here to help you out on your mission! Firstly, with this list of simple vocabulary related to this topic, and second, because the language-learning Ling app includes Slovenian, and it can be a great tool to help you learn this rare and unique language!
| English | Slovenian |
|---|---|
| National community | Narodna skupnost |
| Bilingual school | Dvojezična šola |
| Slovenian minority | Slovenska manjšina |
| Ethnic community | Etnična skupnost |
| Culture | Kultura |
| Language right | Jezikovna pravica |
| Language preservation | Ohranjanje jezika |
| Foreign country | Tuja država |
| Immigrant | Priseljenec |
| Emigrant | Izseljenec |
| Integration | Integracija |
| Identity | Identiteta |
| Heritage | Dediščina |
FAQs About The Slovenian Language
What Are The Benefits Of Learning Slovene, Even Though It’s Not A Widely Spoken Language?
The benefits of learning Slovenian are cultural understanding, personal enrichment, career opportunities, and making connections with Slovenians.
Imagine being able to talk in a language that less than 3 million people in the whole world speak. Slovenians are always super impressed when someone foreign tries to speak Slovenian.
Most people there speak English, so you could live comfortably there even without learning it. However, if you want to become a real part of the culture, learning the language is a must! It’s also much easier when you’re living among locals and native speakers.
So, even though it’s not a widely spoken language, you can benefit from learning it if you’re interested in Slovenian culture, living in Slovenia, or traveling in Slovenia.
What Language Is Similar To Slovenian?
Slovenian is pretty close to Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian—they’re all part of the same South Slavic language group. So if you know any of those, you’ll find Slovenian somewhat familiar in how it sounds and how it’s structured.
How Hard Is Learning Slovenian?
Learning Slovenian is quite tough for a few reasons. One big challenge is how the language is different across regions. Every city seems to have its own way of speaking, making fast, casual conversations sound like a jumble of unfamiliar sounds.
Furthermore, the grammar is complex, with things like six grammatical cases for nouns and three genders. It also keeps old-fashioned features like the dual number, which most other European languages don’t have.
Finding good learning materials can be hard because Slovenian isn’t widely spoken outside Slovenia, and some people don’t see much use in learning it globally. But if you already know any other Slavic languages, you’ll find some similarities that can help you get the hang of the Slovenian language faster.
Small Language, Big World!
Now you know—Slovenian isn’t just spoken in Slovenia. From neighboring countries to distant lands, Slovenian communities thrive and preserve their language and culture across generations. For a small country with so few speakers, that’s pretty impressive, right?
