Demonstrative Pronouns in Slovene – This and That

Demonstrative pronouns, also known as kazalni zaimki, are pronouns that show or point at something. In general, there are “three levels” of demonstrative pronouns in Slovene – which are sorted depending on the distance, both in time and space, between the object that is pointed at and the speaker.

“This” (ta^m) and “that” (tisti^m and oni^m) are the same as in English, but instead of having just a singular and plural form, the Slovene form is “fully” declined. This means:

• six skloni (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, locative and instrumental),
• three genders (masculine, feminine and neuter) and
• three grammatical numbers (singular, dual and plural).

It might seems like a lot, but please do not panic. Keep reading.

---

This – Ta

The demonstrative pronouns “ta” is used to points at objects that is directly in the vicinity of the speaker or something that is close to the speaker. It can also be used to refer to something that has just been mentioned.

For example,

• Ta teden ima dopust (This week I have holidays).
• Vidite, ta punca, ki se sedi pred vami, je Petrova hčerka (You see, this girl sitting in front of you, is Peter’s daughter).
• Fiona rada ima to mavrično torto (Fiona likes this rainbow cake).

---

Tisti – That

The demonstrative pronoun “tisti” is used to indicate something that is relatively distant from the speaker. It can also be used with something that had been previously mentioned.

For example,

• Tisti tam je naš nov sosed (That one there is our new neighbor).
• Lani sem rodila hčerko, tistega dne ne bom nikoli pozabila (Last year I gave birth to my daughter, that day I will never forget).
• Hodil je v tisto šolo na drugi strani parka (He went to that school on the other side of park).

---

Oni – That

The demonstrative pronoun “oni” is used to indicate something that is very distant from the speaker. It is also use to point at something that is unknown, unnamed or unspecific.

For example,

• Ta skupina otrok se igra v igralnici, oni pa bere pod drevesom (This group of kids plays in the playground, that one reads under the tree).
• Ona stran gozda je porasla z grmovjem (That side of the forest has grown with bushes).
• V parku vedno srečaš tega ali onega znanca (You always meet this or that acquaintance in the store).

---

Table for “Ta“

	E m – ž – s	D m – ž – s	M m – ž – s
1	ta – ta – to	ta – ti – ti	ti – te – ta
2	tega – te – tega	teh	teh
3	temu – tej – temu	tema	tem
4	ta/tega – to – to	ta – ti – ti	te – te -ta
5	pri tem – pri tej – pri tem	pri teh	pri teh
6	s tem – s to – s tem	s tema	s temi

Table for “Tisti“

	E m – ž – s	D m – ž – s	M m – ž – s
1	tisti – tista – tisto	tista – tisti – tisti	tisti – tiste – tista
2	tistega – tiste – tistega	tistih	tistih
3	tistemu – tisti – tistemu	tistima	tistim
4	tisti/tistega – tisto – tisto	tista – tisti – tisti	tiste – tiste –tista
5	pri tistem – pri tisti – pri tistem	pri tistih	pri tistih
6	s tistim – s tisto – s tistim	s tistima	s tistimi

Table for “Oni“

	E m – ž – s	D m – ž – s	M m – ž – s
1	oni – ona – ono	ona – oni – oni	oni – one – ona
2	onega –one – onega	onih	onih
3	onemu – oni – onemu	onima	onim
4	oni/onega – ono – ono	ona – oni – oni	one – one –ona
5	pri onem – pri oni – pri onem	pri onih	pri onih
6	s onim – s ono – s onim	s onima	s onimi

Reminder:  (E) ednina/singular, (D) dvojina/dual, (M) množina/plural and (m) moški/masculine, (ž) ženski/feminine, (s) srednji/neutral.

As you can see, there are a lot of similarities through all three demonstratives pronouns:

• marked in blue are -e instead of the usual -i,
• marked in bold are the same for all three genders,
• marked in red are the same in dual and plural forms and
• tisti and oni, they are basically the same thing: just replace “tist-” with “on-“.

---

So, the demonstrative pronouns in Slovene go from nearest to farthest: ta – tisti – oni. For example,

• To knjigo, ki jo imam v roki, berem zdaj (This book, that I have in my hand, I am reading now).
• Tiste, ki so na polici, bom brala otrokom zvečer. (Those, that are on the shelf, I will read to my kids in the evening).
• Ne vem, kdaj bom dobila one, ki sem jih naročila v knjižnici (I don’t know when I will get those, that I ordered from the library).

Demonstrative pronouns in Slovene have a lot more “forms” that in English, but don’t worry – it’s all about endings that you probably already know, and if not, just take it slow. Practice makes perfect! If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate and ask me!

Slovene Nouns to Adjectives – Vrstni Pridevnik

As we know, adjectives are used to describe or modify how a noun is. There are also different types of adjectives in Slovene, but they can’t be directly translated into English:

• lastnostni (kakovostni) pridevnik (characteristic or qualitative adjective),
• svojilni pridevnik (possessive adjective) and
• vrstni pridevnik (“kind” adjective).

---

Lastnostni pridevniki or kakovostni pridevniki are descriptive adjectives. They are used to describe specific characteristic that are proper to the noun (color, size, age, shape) and answer the question kakšen (how is). For example,

• Vozim hiter avto⁴. (I drive a fast car).
• To je velika hiša¹ (This is a big house).
• Kopali smo se v toplem morju⁵ (We swam in the warm sea).

As you can see, the adjective always follows the declension of the noun.

To learn more about declension of adjective, read Slovene Adjectives in General.

---

Svojilni pridevniki are possessive adjectives used to describe the ownership of the noun. They answer the question čigav (whose). For example,

• Tim vozi Markov traktor⁴ (Tim is driving Mark’s tractor).
• Mira je Janina sestra¹ (Mira is Jana’s sister).
• Ne maram sosedovega psa²(I don’t like the neighbor’s dog).

As you can see, -ov + the corresponding ending is added to masculine nouns, while -in + the corresponding ending is added to feminine nouns.

Please note that possessive adjectives are different from possessive pronouns. Learn more here.

---

Vrstni pridevniki are adjectives “made from nouns”. They are also used to describe a noun, but specifically the “type”, “kind” or ”category”, which answer the question “kateri” (which). The adjective’s endings can be put into groups, but unfortunately without any patterns.

Adjectives ending with -ni

• turist (tourist) – turistično mesto (touristic town)
• jagoda (strawberry) – jagodna marmelada (strawberry jam)
• mesto (town) – mestni avtobus (city bus)
• čokolada (chocolate) – čokoladna torta (chocolate cake)

Adjectives ending with –ski or –ški

• morje (sea) – morski sadeži (seafood)
• Slovenija (Slovenia) – slovenska zastava (Slovenian flag)
• nedelja (Sunday) – nedeljsko kosilo (Sunday lunch)
• otrok (child) – otroško igrišče (children playground)

Adjectives ending with -ov

• oreh (walnut) – orehova potica (walnut potica)
• borovnica (blueberry) – borovničev sok (blueberry juice)
• sir (cheese) – sirov zavitek (cheese strudel)
• kokos (coconut) – kokosovo mleko (coconut milk)

Adjectives ending with -nji

• jutro (morning) – jutranje vaje (morning exercises)
• noter (interior) – notranji bazen (inside pool)
• jutri (tomorrow) – jutrišnji dan (tomorrow day)
• blizu (near) – bližnji vzhod (nearby exit)

Adjectives ending with -ji

• pes (dog) – pasji frizer (dog groomer)
• maček (cat) – mačja trava (catnip)
• medved (bear) – medvedja šapa (bear paw)

The difference between lastnostni pridevnik and vrstni pridevnik is the question that they answer. Lastnostni pridevnik is used for description of shape, color, size and age, while vrstni pridevnik is used to describe the type or kind. ——- Tim potuje po Sloveniji z novim modrim električnim avtom6 (Tim travels around Slovenia with a new blue electric car). Dalia ne mara svežega kozjega mleka2 (Dalia doesn’t like fresh goat milk). Martin rad je slastno mehiško hrano4 (Martin likes to eat delicious Mexican food).

---

Knowing that some adjectives can be made from noun is a fun and useful way to learn Slovene. It’s like killing two birds with one stone! With adjectives, no matter which type, do remember that the declension is the same as the noun. If you have any questions, comments or adjectives that you would like to add, please let me know!

---

Discover more Slovene “lessons” that might interest you: Slovene Numbers & Numerals, Slovene Nouns & Pronouns, Slovene Verbs, Slovene Adjectives, Slovene Syntax, Slovenian Idioms, Slovene Adverbs.

Possessive Pronouns in Slovene

Possessive pronouns in Slovene are also known as svojilni zaimek. Same as in English, they are a group of words that are used to indicate possession or ownership of something. It also answers the question word čigav, which means whose.

In Slovene, there are:

• three persons: first person, second person and third person,
• three genders: masculine, feminine and neuter and
• three grammatical numbers: singular, dual and plural.

In this end, there is a lot of subjects, which are the personal pronouns in first sklon. But possessive pronouns are simpler, as the gender distinction is only in singular third person.

---

Personal Possessive Pronouns / Adjective

Here are the basic (first sklon) form of the personal possessive pronouns in Slovene for all three genders: masculine (m), feminine (ž) and neuter (s).

Singular Form – Ednina

	m	ž	s
Mine	moj*	moja	moje*
Your	tvoj*	tvoja	tvoje*
His Her Its	njegov njen njegov	njegova njena njegova	njegovo njeno njegovo

Dual Form – Dvojina

	m	ž	s
Our two	najin	najina	najin
Your two	vajin	vajina	najina
Their two	njun	njuna	njuno

Plural Form – Množina

	m	ž	s
Our	naš*	naša	naše*
Your	vaš*	vaša	vaše*
Their	njihov	njihova	njihovo

Reminder: * is the famous bracket (c, č, š, ž, j) where the o changes into e.

These possessive pronouns in Slovene are actually possessive determiners AND possessive pronouns in English. But in Slovene, they acts similar to Slovene adjectives, which means that they are declined following the corresponding noun. Remember that the gender of the subject matters for the singular third person (he, she, it – his, her, its).

Here’s a few examples as possessive determiners, which needs to be used with a noun.

• Moj pes¹ je bel (My dog is white).
• Jan nima njegovega telefona² (Jan doesn’t have his phone).
• Mina je njuno kosilo⁴ (Mina eats her lunch).
• Peter je šel z našim učiteljem⁶ (Peter went with our teacher).

Bonus: Slovene is a precise language, therefore:

• Filip je najin sin¹ (Filip is our son – both parents).

Here’s a few examples as possessive pronouns, which are used “alone”. But remember that the function of a pronouns is to replace a noun. Therefore, subject, gender and grammatical numbers all have to correspond.

• Čigava je hiša? Moja. (Whose house it is? Mine.)
• Čigav je pes? Njegov. (Whose dog it is? His.)
• Čigavo je kolo? Njeno. (Whose bicycle it is? Hers)

Bonus: “Ta” is masculine and also feminine. “To” is neuter.

• Ta je moj¹ (This is mine).
• Ta je moja¹ (This is mine).
• To je moje/naše/vaše¹ (This is mine/ours/yours).

---

Reflexive Possessive Pronouns

In Slovene, there is reflexive possessive pronouns, known as povratni svojilni zaimek. It is used to express the property of the subject.

There is just “one word” used to express it for all the different subjects: svoj (one’s own) BUT it is declined by gender, grammatical numbers and skloni following the general table of endings, according

Singular Form – Ednina

	m	ž	s
SKLON 1	svoj	svoja	svoje
SKLON 2	svojega	svoje	svojega
SKLON 3	svojemu	svoji	svojemu
SKLON 4	svojega ❤ svoj	svojo	svoje
SKLON 5	svojem	svoji	svojem
SKLON 6	svojim	svojo	svojim

Here’s a few examples of reflexive possessive pronouns.

• Nina je svoje kosilo⁴ (Nina eats her own lunch).
• Mark nima svojega avta² (Mark doesn’t have his own car).
• Jan sedi pri svoji hiši⁵ (Jan sits by his own house).

Bonus: Look at the “slight” difference in meaning.

• Teja mu³ je prinesla njegov telefon⁴ (Teja brought him his phone).
• Teja mu³ je prinesla svoj telefon⁴ (Teja brought him her phone).

---

Possessive Adjectives from Names

When a noun is the owner, the possessive adjective from names are used – svojilni pridevniki iz lastnih imen. In this case, you need to pay attention to the gender of the owner and the gender of the thing that is owned.

For masculine name, you add -ov + the corresponding ending in red.
For feminine name, you add -in and the corresponding ending in red.

JAN (Jan’s)		JANA (Jana’s)
Janov_*	brat (brother)	Janin_
Janova*	sestra (sister)	Janina
Janovo*	kolo (bicycle)	Janino

Reminder: * is the famous bracket (c, č, š, ž, j) where the o changes into e.

For example,

• Peter je Nikov dedek (Peter is Nik’s grandfather).
• Mirina hiša je najlepša (Mira’s house is the prettiest).
• Domnovo kolo je modro (Domen’s bicycle is blue).

Bonus: here are some exceptions:

• Peter – Petrov (Peter’s)
• Babica – Babičin (Grandmother’s)
• Oče – Očetov (Father’s)
• Stric – Stričev (Uncle’s)

---

Expressing possession or ownership might seem confusing at first, mainly because there are “many of them”. My suggestion is to keep it simple. First, remember the “basic forms” then the rest will come naturally because they are declined as nouns and follows the general table of endings. Do keep in mind that all elements have to match (subject, gender, grammatical numbers)! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate and let me know!

---

Discover more Slovene “lessons” that might interest you: Slovene Numbers & Numerals, Slovene Nouns & Pronouns, Slovene Verbs, Slovene Adjectives, Slovene Syntax, Slovenian Idioms, Slovene Adverbs.

Anna’s tricks about Skloni

As we know, Slovene is a very precise language and its grammar can seem very complex and complicated. But if you are able to find a way of thinking that can help you detangle it, then everything will be much easier. I know that everyone’s way of logic is different, so this might work for you… or not.

In this post, I’m just going to attempt to show you what’s going in my mind when I see a sentence in Slovene – my personal algorithm to determine which sklon is being used. (This post is not about endings, as I’ve already mentioned tricks by comparison in my posts about each sklon).

Keep in mind that all elements of a sentence can be an important clue of some sort but to decide which sklon to use, I focus on two: verbs and prepositions.

---

Clue – Verbs

The first element that I like to look for is the verb, which are the action words used to describe what the subject is doing, because it is present in most sentence.

Is the verb used biti (to be)?

• If the answer is yes, then it is in first sklon.
  For example, Jaz sem Anna¹ (I am Anna).
• Bonus: If the verb biti is used in negative, it is also in first sklon.
  For example, Nisem Anja¹ (I am not Anja).

SKLON 1

Verbs postati (to become), ostati (to stay), imenovati se (to be named) are in first sklon.

• If the answer is no, then go to the next question.

Is the verb negative (-) or affirmative (+)?

• If the answer is negative, then it is in second sklon.
  For example, Nimam psa² (I don’t have a dog).

SKLON 2

Verbs bati se (to be afraid of), dotakniti se (to touch), lotiti se (to start working), najesti se (to appease one’s hunger), napiti se (to appease one’s thirst), spomniti se (to remember), veseliti se (to be glad) are specific to the second sklon.

• If the answer is affirmative, then it is in third or fourth sklon.

Is the object of the verb direct or indirect?

• If the object is direct, it usually comes right after the verb, then it is in fourth sklon.
  For example, Imam knjigo⁴ (I have a book)
• If the object is indirect, which indicates to whom something is done, then it is in third sklon.
  For example, Knjigo⁴ dam prijatelju³ (I give a book to my friend).

SKLON 3

Verbs čestitati (to congratulate), čuditi se (to wonder), lagati se (to lie), obljubiti (to promise), odpovedati (to cancel), opravičiti se (to excuse), pomagati (to help), pridružiti se (to join), telefonirati (to phone), smejati se (to laugh), zaupati (to trust) are specific to the third sklon.

---

Clue – Prepositions

Another relevant indicator that you can easily point out are prepositions, because most of them are specific to one sklon. Although, some prepositions can be used with different skloni, which I will to clarify.

If the preposition is specific to one sklon, then it is quite straightforward, you just need to remember them.

SKLON 2	Prepositions blizu (near), brez (without), iz (from), izmed (among), izven (out of), izza (from behind), mimo (passing by), (nasprosti (opposite of), od-do (from-until), okoli (around), okrog (around), poleg (beside), preko (across), sredi (in the middle of), zaradi (because of), zraven (beside) are specific to the second sklon.
SKLON 3	Prepositions k/h (to), kljub (despite), proti (against, toward) are specific to the third sklon.
SKLON 4	Prepositions skozi (through), čez (across) are specific to the fourth sklon.
SKLON 5	Prepositions o (about), ob (at), pri (beside) are specific to the fifth sklon.

Some prepositions are associated with more than one sklon, in that case, you will need to paid attention to the verb used as well as the context.

The preposition v (into, to, in, at) and na (on, at, in) can be fourth or fifth sklon.

• If the preposition is used with a movement verbs and the context is a destination, then it is in fourth sklon.
  For example, Grem v šolo⁴ (I go to school).

Movement verbs can be hoditi (to walk), iti (to go), priti (to come), teči (to run), voziti (to drive)…

• If the preposition is used with a verb without movement and the context is a position or location, then it is in fifth sklon.
  For example, Sem v šoli⁵ (I am in school).

Verbs without movement can be biti (to be), čakati (to wait), ostati (to stay)…

The preposition pred (before), pod (under), za (behind), nad (above), med (in between) can be fourth or sixth sklon.

• If the context is a destination, then it is in fourth sklon.
  For example, Letalo se je dvignilo nad oblake⁴ (The plane has raised above the clouds).
• If the context is a position or location, then it is in sixth sklon.
  For example, Irma se rani nad kolenom⁶ (Irma wounds herself above the knee).
• Bonus: If za means “for”, then it is the fourth sklon.
  For example, Marko ima darilo⁴ za Anno⁴ (Marko has a gift for Anna).

Beside the context, the meaning can also help you decide which sklon to use.

The preposition po can be fourth or fifth sklon.

• If po means “for”, then it is in fourth sklon.
  For example, Grem v pekarno⁴ po kruh⁴ (I go to the bakery for bread).
• If po means “around”, then it is in fifth sklon.
  For example, Nik potuje po svetu⁵ (Nik travels around the world).

The preposition s/z can be in second or sixth sklon.

• If s/z means “from”, then it is in second sklon.
  For example, Nina je s Ptuja² (Nina is from Ptuj).
• If s/z means “with”, then it is in sixth sklon.
  For example, Grem v šolo⁴ z avtobusom⁶ (I go to school with bus).

---

This is just the method that I use to analyze which sklon to use or to know which sklon is being used. And I hope that it help clarify the Slovene skloni, even a little bit.

What about you? What’s going on in your mind when you see a sentence in Slovene? Is your algorithm similar to mine or completely different? Or maybe other elements that can be added? I am quite curious, so please share it with me! And if you have any questions or comments, do let me know!

How to write a formal letter in Slovene

Nowadays, a lot of formal communication is made through emails or letters, either for job application or any official request. Knowing how to properly write a formal letter is thus very important. 

---

Standard Format of Formal Letter

Above is a template of the elements in a formal letter. I will explain them one by one. Keep in mind that the red dot represents a space line.

1. Your full name is written as follow name (ime) and surname (priimek).

• Irma Novak

2. Your address (naslov) is written in two lines, the first line is street address while the second line is the postal code and the city. (Under your address, you can also add your phone number and email.)

• Slovenčeva ulica 1
  1000 Ljubljana

3. Place (kraj) and date (datum) refer where and when the letter was written. Be aware that dates have a specific format. (Check How to Say Dates and Times in Slovene – Part 1 for more details.)

• Ljubljana, 28.  2. 2021

4. Recipient’s name (prejemnikov naziv) can be a person or place name, depending on the nature of your letter.

• Janez Mklavž or
• Rolli Shop D.O.O. or
• Upravna Enota Kranj

5. Recipient’s address (prejemnikov naslov) is written in two lines as well.

• Celovška cesta 18
  1000 Ljubljana

6. Zadeva is where you state the subject of your letter.

• Zadeva: Prijava na razpis za delovno mesto učiteljice (Subject: Application for a job vacancy as teacher)
• Zadeva: Prošnja za reklamacijo (Subject: Request of complaint)

7. Spoštovani is the conventional greeting for letters (it means “dear”) and it is followed by a comma (,) or an exclamation (!). Don’t forget to start with capitals if your greeting ends with an exclamation. You can also add in the recipient name (with title) if you know it.

• Spoštovani gospod Janez Miklavž,
• Spoštovana gospa Marta Miklavž,
  

8. Content (vsebina) is where you write paragraph(s). The content will depend on the nature of your letter, but usually introduce yourself or explain why you are writing. If it is for a job application, aim for 140-150 words, not too long. 

9. S spoštovanjem with a comma (,) is a standard way for the final greeting (it means “with respect”). Other final greetings that you can use are:

• Lep pozdrav (without comma (,))
• Lepo Vas pozdravljam. (with an period (.))

10. Signature (podpis) is your handwritten signature, if it is an actually printed letter.

11. Your full name again.

12. Priloge is where you list the attachments that are included.

• Priloge:
  – življenjepis (resume)
  – priporočilo (recommendation letter)
  – fotokopija diplome (copy of diploma)

---

Personally, I am not a big fan of formal letters, as I’m never sure how to get it started and what to write… (Yes, I blog, but it’s a lot more friendly). So I hope that this post was able to demystify the “how to write a formal letter in Slovene” or at least, a standard template, because what to write as content… that’s a different and unique story.

Slovene Verbs to Nouns

A fun way to enrich your vocabulary is to know how to convert Slovene verbs into nouns! It might seems a little random at first, but there are actually guidelines that can help you remember!

In general, it will be related to the verb or the noun endings.

---

One of the most commonly seen ending for Slovene verbs to nouns is -enje and it applies to different verb endings:

Verbs ending with -iti

• učiti se (to learn) – učenje (study, learning)
• kolesariti (to bike) – kolesarjenje* (cycling)
• dovoliti (to allow, to permit) – dovoljenje* (permission)

Verbs ending with -eti

• živeti (to live) – življenje (life)*
• hiteti (to hurry) – hitenje (haste)
• sedeti (to sit) – sedenje (seat)
• leteti (to fly) – letenje (flight)*

Verbs ending with -sti

• vesti (to embroider) – vezenje (embroidery)*
• plesti (to knit) – pletenje (knitting)*
• gristi (to bite) – grizenje (bite)*

Verbs ending with -či

• striči (to cut hair) – striženje (haircut)*

---

On the other hand, one of the most common ending for Slovene verbs is -iti and the nouns have different endings:

Nouns ending with -ba

• telovaditi (to work out) – telovadba (gymnastics)
• ponuditi (to offer) – ponudba (offer)
• spremeniti (to change, to modify) – sprememba (change)*
• odrediti (to decree ) – odredba (order, decree)

Nouns ending with –ja

• vaditi (to practise) – vaja (exercise)
• hoditi (to walk) – hoja (walk)

Nouns ending with -nja

• voziti (to drive) – vožnja (ride)*
• prositi (to ask) – prošnja (request)*

Nouns ending with -tev

• rešiti (to solve) – rešitev (solution)
• vrniti (to return) – vrnitev (return)
• ločiti (to separate) – ločitev (separation)

---

There are other endings that follow a certain “pattern”.

Verbs ending with -ati becomes -anje

• plavati (to swim) – plavanje (swim, swimming)
• smučati (to ski) – smučanje (skiing)
• potovati (to travel) – potovanje (travel, travelling)
• oblikovati (to design) – oblikovanje (design)
• tekmovati (to compete) – tekmovanje (competition)

Verbs ending with -ti becomes -tje

• peti (to sing) – petje (singing)
• piti (to drink) – pitje (drink)

---

And other endings.

Nouns endings with -ek

• začeti (to start) – začetek (beginning)
• dogoditi se (to happen) – dogodek (event)

No ending

• teči (to run) – tek (race)
• sprehoditi (to take a walk) – sprehod (promenade, walk)
• oditi (to go, to leave) – odhod (departure)
• lagati (to lie) – laž (lie)

---

Of course, there are many more examples and it will be difficult to remember all of them at once. But by knowing that it is possible to group them up, it should be easier to learn them – plus it is very fun and useful way to expand your Slovene vocabulary!

Hope you enjoyed! If you have any questions or comments, please let me know via comment!

---

Discover more Slovene “lessons” that might interest you: Slovene Numbers & Numerals, Slovene Nouns & Pronouns, Slovene Verbs, Slovene Adjectives, Slovene Syntax, Slovenian Idioms, Slovene Adverbs.

Reported Speech in Slovene

Reported speech is quite simple in Slovene. A good example as to how it is used, would be: the teacher says something and afterward, a fellow student asks you what did the teacher and you would tell him by using reported speech.

Different punctuation will have different reported speech.

---

Declarative Sentence – Trdilna Poved

Sentence that ends with a period ( . ) is a declarative sentence. It is used to formulate a fact, an opinion, an feeling and much more. To report a declarative sentence, the word “da” is used.

For example,
Domen : “Vesel sem.” (Domen : “I am happy.”)
Domen pravi, da je vesel. (Domen said that he is happy.)

The verb praviti (to say, to tell) can be replaced by similar verbs, such as

• reči (to say)
• povedati (to tell)
• dejati (to say, to tell)
• odgovoriti (to answer)

For example,
Peter : “Pes je lačen.” (Peter : “The dog is hungry.”)
Peter je rekel, da je pes lačen. (Peter said that the dog is hungry.)

---

Interrogative Sentence – Vprašalna Poved

Sentence that ends with a question mark ( ? ) is an interrogative sentence. Obviously, it is used to ask questions. To report an interrogative sentence, a question word is used.

For example,
Mina : “Ali ste lačni?” (Mina : “Are you hungry?”)
Mina vpraša, ali/če smo lačni. (Mina asks if we are hungry.)

Depending on the context, different question words can be used, such as

• kdo (who)
• kdaj (when)
• kje (where)

For example,
Teresa : “Kdaj pridete?” (Teresa : “When are you coming?”)
Teresa vpraša, kdaj pridemo. (Teresa asks when are we coming.)

---

Requesting, Commanding Sentence – Velelna Poved

Sentence that expresses a request or a command can end with an exclamation mark ( ! ) or a period ( . ), it all depends on the tone. To report requesting or commanding sentence, the word “naj” is used.

For example,
Mami : “Pospravi igrače!” (Mommy : “Clean your toys!”)
Mami mi je rekla, naj pospravim igrače . (Mommy told me to clean your toys.)

Depending on the tone, the verb reči (to say) can be replaced by other verbs, such as

• svetovati (to advise)
• prositi (to ask)

For example,
Učitelj : “Prosim, pospravi igrače.” (Teacher : “Please, clean your toys.”)
Učitelj me je prosil, naj pospravim igrače. (The teacher asked me to clean my toys.)

---

Reported speech can be really fun to use and they are also very easy to practice. Once you mastered it, you will be able to express yourself more freely! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate and let me know!

---

Discover more Slovene “lessons” that might interest you: Slovene Numbers & Numerals, Slovene Nouns & Pronouns, Slovene Verbs, Slovene Adjectives, Slovene Syntax, Slovenian Idioms, Slovene Adverbs.

---

Let’s learn Slovene,
Anna.

Conjunctions in Slovene

Same as in English, conjunctions – known as vezniki, are used in Slovene to connect clauses or sentences in a way that they would make senses together. These words do not change form, and are not affected by gender, numbers or cases.

Conjunctions in Slovene are divided into two groups : priredni (coordinating) and podredni (subordinating). Depending on the context, they can be put at the beginning or in the middle.

---

Coordinating – Priredni Vezniki

Coordinating conjunctions are used to connect two clauses that are grammatically equal, like two nouns, two verbs or two independent clauses…

• In (and) , ter (then)
  Moram kupiti kruh in mleko ter sir – I have to buy bread and milk then cheese.
• Samo / le (only)
  Vsi jejo torto, samo Tina ne – All eat cake, only Tina doesn’t.
• Ampak / toda / vendar (but, however)
  Miha nima brata, ampak ima sestro – Miha doesn’t have a brother but has a sister.
• Kot (like)
  Zame si kot sestra – You are like a sister to me.
• Ali (or)
  Gremo na desno ali na levo – We go right or left?
• Torej / zato (therefore)
  Mira je noseča, torej ne pije alkohola – Mira is pregnant, therefore she doesn’t drink alcohol.

Subordinating – Podredni Vezniki

Subordinating conjunctions are used to connect a subordinating clause – a clause that cannot stand alone.

• Ko (when/as)
  Jedli bodo, ko bodo lačni – They will eat when they will be hungry.
• Ker (because)
  Rada jem temno čokolado, ker je grenka – I like to eat dark chocolate because it’s bitter.
• Kar (since)Kako dolgo je bilo, kar si šel v šolo – How long has it been since you went to school?
• Da (that)
  Recimo, da  imaš prav – Let’s say that you are right.
• Če (if, in case)
  Če imaš preveč časa, lahko študiraš slovenščino – If you have too much time, you can study Slovene.
• Čeprav (Although, though)
  Prišel je, čeprav pozno – He came, although late.

---

Multi-Words Conjunctions

Sometimes, a combination of conjunctions are treated as a whole – without a comma between them.

• Namesto da (instead of)
  Namesto da bi ostal zunaj, lahko prideš noter – Instead of staying outside, you can come inside.
• Zato ker (because)
  Zato ker nisem pričakovala, sem bila res presenečna – Because I was not expecting, I got really surprised.
• Kljub temu / kljub temu da (despite that / despite the fact that)
  Kljub temu da je bilo veliko snega, sem šla v službo – Despite the fact there was a lot of snow, I went to work.
• Medtem ko (while)
  Medtem ko otroci spijo, kuham kosilo – While the children are sleeping, I’m cooking lunch.
• Potem ko (after)
  Potem ko je Tilen naredil domače naloge, je šel domov – After Tilen did his homework, he went home.

---

It might seems a lot a first, but there are actually more… 😛 Do not panic, just take it one at the time. Conjunctions are actually kind of fun to use as it helps connecting clauses together. It is actually a very good practice for your Slovene! If you have any questions, or others conjunctions that you would like me to add, just let me know!

---

Discover more Slovene “lessons” that might interest you: Slovene Numbers & Numerals, Slovene Nouns & Pronouns, Slovene Verbs, Slovene Adjectives, Slovene Syntax, Slovenian Idioms, Slovene Adverbs.

---

Let’s learn Slovene,
Anna.

Punctuation in Slovene

How to use punctuation – ločilo, is pretty obvious, as it is the same in most language. But the main problem is how to say them… Personally, I think that it is very important to know how to say punctuation – and soon you will know why.

---

Here’s a little anecdote from my English class when I was a child.

So, it was a nice sunny day and it was also dictation day… My understanding of English was not as great back then, and I could remember was hearing the teacher saying mid-sentence “comma” and “comma“… Naive as I was… I wrote down “comma” every single time.

Of course, afterward, I realized that “comma” was not an exact word in the sentence, but a punctuation.

---

Therefore, to avoid embarrassment during dictation… Here they are:

• Pika → period ( . )
• Vprašaj → question mark ( ? )
• Klicaj → exclamation point ( ! )
• Vejica → comma ( , )
• Podpičje → semicolon ( ; )
• Dvopičje → colon ( : )
• Narekovaj → quotation marks ( » «,  „  “ )
• Tri pike → ellipses ( … )
• Pomišljaj → dash( – )
• Vezaj → hyphen ( – )
• Oklepaji → parentheses, brakets ( (   ), [   ] )

---

Punctuation names might not seem very important, but they are actually crucial, especially during dictation! So, if you do have the spare time, do try to learn them! If you have any questions or comments, let me know!

---

Discover more Slovene “lessons” that might interest you: Slovene Numbers & Numerals, Slovene Nouns & Pronouns, Slovene Verbs, Slovene Adjectives, Slovene Syntax, Slovenian Idioms, Slovene Adverbs.

Let’s learn,
Anna.

Nouns – Neuter Exceptions

Neuter Slovene nouns end with “-e” or “-o” and follow the six grammatical cases known as skloni. Neuter exceptions have the same endings, but with some extra “add-ups”, which we will cover now.

Ending with -O

Most nouns ending in “-o” are neuter ( if it’s not masculine exceptions). You will probably recognize some of them.

When declined, “-es” is added.

• kolo (bicycle) → Grem z kolesom^6E  (I go with bicycle).
• drevo (tree) → Imamo veliko dreves^2M (We have lots of trees).
• telo (body), slovo (farewell)

	(E) ednina	(D) dvojina	(M) množina
Sklon 1	telo	telesi	telesa
Sklon 2	telesa	teles	teles
Sklon 3	telesu	telesoma	telesom
Sklon 4	telo	telesi	telesa
Sklon 5	telesu	telesih	telesih
Sklon 6	telesom	telesoma	telesi

When declined,  it takes a different forms and “-es” is added.

• oko (eye) → Tim je imel poškodbe očesa^4M (Tim had eyes injuries).
• uho (ear) → Ušesa^1Mme bolijo (My ears hurt me).

	(E) ednina	(D) dvojina	(M) množina
Sklon 1	uho	ušesi	ušesa
Sklon 2	ušesa	ušes	ušes
Sklon 3	ušesu	ušesoma	ušesom
Sklon 4	uho	ušesi	ušesa
Sklon 5	ušesu	ušesih	ušesih
Sklon 6	ušesom	ušesoma	ušesi

Ending with -E

Another ending for neuter is “-e” (again, if it’s not a masculine exceptions).

When declined, “-t” is added, usually for youths.

• tele (calf, baby cow) → Letos imamo tri teleta^4M (This year we have three calves).
• dekle (little girl) →  V skupini so tri dekleta^1M (In the group are three little girls).

	(E) ednina	(D) dvojina	(M) množina
Sklon 1	dekle	dekleti	dekleta
Sklon 2	dekleta	deklet	deklet
Sklon 3	dekletu	dekletoma	dekletom
Sklon 4	dekle dekleta	dekleti	dekleta
Sklon 5	dekletu	dekletih	dekletih
Sklon 6	dekletom	dekletoma	dekleti

When declined, “-n” is added.

• ime (name) → Pes je brez imena^2E (The dog is without a name).
• vreme (weather) → Danes nimamo lepega vremena^2E (Today we don’t have good weather).
• pleme (tribe), breme (load), rama^ž / rame^s (shoulder)

	(E) ednina	(D) dvojina	(M) množina
Sklon 1	ime	imeni	imena
Sklon 2	imena	imen	imen
Sklon 3	imenu	imenoma	imenom
Sklon 4	ime	imeni	imena
Sklon 5	imenu	imenih	imenih
Sklon 6	imenom	imenoma	imeni

---

If compared with feminine and masculine exceptions, neuters are probably less complicated. Although, as a foreigner, learning “exceptions” can sometimes be difficult. From my point of view, the importance is not to always remember the exceptions, but to know that they exist. If you have any questions, let me know!

---

Discover more Slovene “lessons” that might interest you: Slovene Numbers & Numerals, Slovene Nouns & Pronouns, Slovene Verbs, Slovene Adjectives, Slovene Syntax, Slovenian Idioms, Slovene Adverbs.

Let’s learn,
Anna.