Learning Slovenian Slang #004

Like any language, Slovene also has its own “slang” – very informal speech, used by everyday people, that couldn’t be found in the dictionary. And if you often converse with locals, you might already have adopted some, without even knowing!

*Keep in mind that I live near Tržič, which is close to the Austrian border, therefore, many of the slang are influenced by German. I’ve also used Tržiški slovar, edited by Tereza Gosar and Jožica Koder, as reference.

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Zenf

also known as senf, means gorčica (mustard).  It comes from senf, which is mustard in German. A condiment that is often paired with Kranjska klobasa (Carniolan sausage) or hrenovke (sausages, hot dogs).

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Tošel

or taška, means dernanica, torbica (wallet, purse). I might be wrong, but I have feeling that tošel is specific to where I live, as I have used the slang many times, but I have never heard of taška (which is a more “official” slang) – which comes from the German word tasche (purse). So, I don’t know the origin of the slang tošel, but I know that it is being used 😛

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Špegle

means očala (glasses). It takes from the word augenspiegel in Bavarian – auge “oko” (eye) and spiegel “ogledalo” (mirror). And of course, the slang for ogledalo (mirror) is also being used in my region as špegu. Now, I have a better understanding of where it comes from!

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

Learning Slovenian Slang #003

Have you ever heard some words used by Slovenian locals that you couldn’t exactly find in the dictionary? Well, those words could be slang. Learning them is an interesting way to jump into the Slovenian culture!

*Keep in mind that I live near Tržič, which is close to the Austrian border, therefore, many of the slang are influenced by German. I’ve also used Tržiški slovar, edited by Tereza Gosar and Jožica Koder, as reference.

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Fruštek

means zajtrk (breakfast).  It comes from frühstück, which translates into breakfast in German. Other meals in Slovene: malica means snack or a light meal, (but in restaurant, especially for workers, it is a good portion of food), kosilo is lunch and večerja is dinner.

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Štumfe

means nogavice, žabnice (socks, stockings).  I’ve been using it so naturally, everyday with my kids, until I realized that it was in fact, a slang that comes from the German word strumpf (stocking).

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Špeh

means slanina (bacon).  As you know, I live on a farm with livestock and we also use it to describe “fats” (maščobe). And no surprise that it also comes from German – speck (bacon).

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

Interesting Translation of Slovenian Towns

When I travelling around Slovenia, I never paid much attention to all the town names sign on the road until I got a better understanding of Slovene. Then I noticed some translated names were quite funny. It is not uncommon that some places would be named after the surroundings, I mean, anywhere in the world.

Triglav – Three Heads

Triglav is one of the most significant symbol of Slovenia. It is on the national flag and a well-known point of interest. Located in the center of Triglav National park, it is highest mountain in Slovenia, as well as the highest peak of the Julian Alps. Important landmark includes the famous Aljaž Tower, which is a small storm shelter at the top of the mountain.

Novo Mesto – New Town

Located in the Dolensjka region, Novo Mesto is the 7th biggest town of Slovenia. Cviček is a famous Slovenian red wine, that is produced in the region. Novo Mesto is also known for Otočec Castle – a castle hotel on a small island on the Krka river.

Podčetrtek – Under Thursday

Podčetrtek is a very destination for a day trip in the Savinsjka region with various point of attractions. For spa relaxation, go to Terme Olimia for spa. For a homemade culinary experience, visit Jelenov Greben. Another points of interest are Olimje Chocolate shop, which is near the Olimje Monastery – known for its pharmacy and herbal garden.

Slovenske Konjice – Slovenian Cavalry

Located in the Savinjska region, Slovenske Konjice is a medieval town with a white horse as its coat of arms! It is also a nice town to visit: on one side is the Konjice mountain and on the other side are the wine-growing hills of Škalce.

Ribnica – Fishpond

Located in the Dolenjska region, Ribnica is surprisingly not known for its fishes, but for its traditional woodenware and pottery. The Ribnica Handicraft Center is also a museum. Another point of interest is the Škrabec Homestead, the birthplace of the greatest Slovene linguist of the 19th century: Friar Stanislav Škrabec. His main work was the phonetics and orthographs of Slovene!

Mirna Peč – Peaceful Furnace

Mirna Peč is a settlement in the Dolenjska region with a very interesting name. The most probable origin of the name comes from the German term “Hönigstein” (honey stove). It refers to the color of the cliff Zijalo at the north of the town.

Mokronog – Wet Feets

Mokronog is settlement along the Mirna Valley and Radulja hills in the Dolenjska region. There is actually a human foot on its coat of arms! This particular symbol has been kept and passed down all the way from the medieval period.

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Other examples that I can think of:

• Jelendol – Deer Down
• Medvode – Between Waters
• Črni Vrh – Black Peak
• Višnja Gora – Sour Cherry Mountain
• Dolga Vas – Long Village

Have you noticed any others interesting and funny translation of Slovenian towns? If you do, please share it with me!

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Discover more about Slovenia: Trips & Visits, Slovenian Festivities, Slovenian Folktales, Slovenian Idioms, Slovenian Heritage.

Discover Slovenian Facts #001

Hey guys,
the other day, after putting both kids to sleep, I was enjoying a nice hamburger from McDonald’s (yes, sometimes I do miss the awesome  junk food…) while randomly watching TV – a Slovenian Quiz Show called “Joker” on RTV Slo.

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One question in particular caught my attention.

“Kaj ni eno od tradicionalnih slovenskih imen za steklenico za strežbi vina?”
(Which is not a traditional Slovenian name for bottle for serving wine?)

Possible answer : Martin, Neža, Urban or Marjeta.

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Personally, I’m not a wine drinker or connoisseur, but it still picked my curiosity. I had no idea that in Slovenia, bottles had “names”.  So I did a little research, and it’s true!

The traditional name for Slovenian bottle, especially for wine is Štefan, and it has a volume of 2 liters. Other names are:

• Polič for 0,75L bottle,
• Janez or Neža for 3L bottle,
• Urban for 4L bottle,
• Martin for 5L bottle,
• Pic for 100L bottle and
• Bok for 250L bottle.

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We can learn so many stuff by watching the right TV programs! “Joker” or similar shows are indeed of one the best way to learn something random but interesting about Slovenia! Hope you enjoyed!

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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 discover together,
Anna.

Slovenian Dialects on RTV Slo

Hey guys,
I’ve been quite busy with hay, but now that it’s rainy, I get to rest a little bit.

The other day, between two batches of hay, I came across a very interesting documentary series and thought to share with you guys : Slovenska narečja – Slovenian dialects on RTV Slo. Although, there are no subtitles, it can still be fun to watch.

As we know, there are around 50 dialects in Slovenia, divided into 7 regions. Some dialects are so different that it wouldn’t be weird if two Slovenians from two different regions wouldn’t entirely understand each others. 😛

What about us, foreign learners? …haha.

Until next time,
Anna.

Learning Slovenian Slang #002

An interesting way to immerse into the Slovenian culture and interact with locals is to learn their slangs. It’s fun and it totally gives a break from the difficult Slovene grammar 😉 And the most amazing part of it? You probably already know some of them!

*Keep in mind that I live near Tržič, which is close to the Austrian border, therefore, many of the slangs are influenced by German. I’ve also used Tržiški slovar, edited by Tereza Gosar and Jožica Koder, as reference.

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Ajnpren / Ampren

means prežganje (roux). For those who are familiar with cooking, roux is a way to thicken sauce, soup or stew by adding flour to melted fat. Sometimes, chopped čebula (onion) is added in too.

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Špajza

means shramba (storeroom, pantry).  Interestingly, it has the same meaning in Kajkavian – a northern Croatian dialect, but it origins from the Austrian-German word Speise (food).

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Oštarija

means gostilna (inn, pub).  It comes from the Italian word osteria, which also means tavern or pub. So, don’t be surprised if you encounter various restaurants in Slovenia with “oštarija” in their name!

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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 po domače,
Anna.

Learning Slovenian Slang #001

In my opinion, slang is an important part of the linguistic heritage of Slovenia. Knowing about them is also a fun and amusing way to learn Slovene. And the best of it? You might have heard some of them already!

*Keep in mind that I live near Tržič, which is close to the Austrian border, therefore, many of the slang are influenced by German. I’ve also used Tržiški slovar, edited by Tereza Gosar and Jožica Koder, as reference.

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Auš a nauš

means ali boš ali ne boš (will you or will you not). To which you can answer: bom (I will) or nam – ne bom (I won’t).

Also note that this slang can be conjugated as am, auš, au, ava, auta, amo, aute, aujo and nam, nauš, nau, nava, nauta, namo, naute, naujo.

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Britof

means pokopališče (graveyard).  Interesting fact:  the settlement Britof, which is northeast of Kranj, actually doesn’t have its own graveyard!

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Firbec

means radovednež (curious).  I wasn’t even aware that it was a slang until now because one popular point of interest in Tržič is the last “firbec okno” (the curiosity window), which allowed women to peek outside without opening the window. Also, there’s a really good place to eat Restavracija Firbc’ okn  named after it.

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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 po domače,
Anna.

My favorite “Made in Slovenia”

Like anyone, when I travel to a new place, I like to bring back some nice souvenirs with me. The first time I visited Slovenia, I was overwhelmed with all the goodies and I even bought many “gifts” for myself, family and friends. A lot of them consisted of food.

Now, when I visit my family and friends in Canada (or elsewhere), I love to bring something “made in Slovenia” with me. I think it’s a nice way to share and spread the beautiful (and delicious) things that Slovenia has to offer. A lot of them consisted of food, but here’s what I usually bring with me:

Salt from Piranske Soline

Part of the Slovenian heritage is the Traditional Salt-Making in Sečovlje. For anyone who loves food, solni cvet – salt flower, also known as fleur de sel, is a must at the table. A small pinch of it will enhance the flavor of any dishes.

Cookies from a Local Bakery

One of a must-bring (at my mom’s special request), is at least 1-2 kg of cookies from Slaščičarstvo Cerkovnik, my favorite local bakery. One box offers a variety of flavors and beautifully made cookies: nuts, coconuts, jam, chocolate and much more.

Pumpkin Seed Oil

One of the most wonderful ingredient I’ve discovered in Slovenia is pumpkin seed  oil, a delicacy from the Prekmurje and Štajerska Region. I use it as condiment for salads and a few drops of it adds an unique flavor to carrot or pumpkin soup. Yum!

Laces from Idrija

An ideal gift for women is indeed some laces from Idrija. Made from threads with the help of needles and bobbins, beautiful laces items are created: decorative art pieces, gloves, table clothes and jewelries. The first time I saw it, I was totally in ❤ !

Wine and Liquor

I’m not a wine connoisseur, but I enjoy to gift and share some bottles of Slovenian wines with my friends and family. There’s many choice of good bottles and I like to bring something new with me every time: renski rizling, modra frankinja or teran.

Liquors are part of the Slovenian traditions. They come in different interesting, such as teran (yes, from the wine), blueberry and my favorite: pear liquor!

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Fleur de Sel and Herb Salt from Piranske Soline

Cookies Box from Slaščičarstvo Cerkovnik

Slovenian Pumpkin Seed Oil

Slovenian Wines and Liquor

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Other popular souvenirs to bring back from Slovenia: decorative beehives panels, fancy crystal pieces from Rogaška, Slovenian honey, handmade leather slippers, wooden folk crafts and Dražgoše honey bread.

I also like to bring back some of Gorenjka chocolates with me. They come in a variety of delicious flavor such as lime, raspberry and my all time favorite: apple and cranberry mix. Yum!!

Until next time,
Anna.

House Name, part of a Slovenian Cultural Heritage!

As many of you know already know, I live in a relatively old family farmhouse, with thick rock walls, tons of windows and a wooden roof. We own fields, hills, forest (and a waterfall). We have livestock such as cows, pigs and occasionally chicken.

Last May, we were approached and asked, along with other villagers,  to be part of a very interesting cultural project called “Hišna Imena” – House Name. The main objective of the project was to collect information and preserve the name of old houses.  An intangible part of the cultural heritage of Slovenia.

The Origin

Back in the “old days”, especially in villages, houses were not identified by their home address or current owner’s name. No, they were called by its house name, usually originating from:

• name or family name of its first owner,
• profession or characteristic of its first owner or
• location of the house.

Sometimes, the name of the house was even based on animals, trees or the surrounding crops.

The Importance

A significant and important aspect of the house name is that the structure can have a new address or a new owner, but the house name will always remain the same.  To be passed on from generations to generations.

Unfortunately, with times, farmhouses decayed and people progressively left for the city or so. And slowly, house names were forgotten…

The House Name Plate

Thanks to this on-going project, old houses like ours now have a beautiful name plate, made of clay, proudly displayed and marking the building as part of a Slovenian cultural heritage.

Most house names in Gorenjska (the region I live in) start with “Pr’“- the local spoken dialect for “pri“ , which means “at”.

Our House Name

Our house name is “Pr’ Godnáv“- “At Godnav“, which takes its origin from the family name of the first owner: Godnjov.  in 1859, which is carved above the arc of the main entrance.

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It is good to note that not every house has a name plate, only those with a house name before World War II were included into this project. More information can be found here.

Proud to live in an old house!
Until next time,
Anna.

Wedding Traditions in Slovenia

As some of you already know, I got married recently to the love of my life (so cheesy). Most weddings I’ve attended before were inclined on Chinese Tradition, therefore I’ve discovered a few “Slovenian” wedding traditions during my own and I would like to share them with you!

The Dress

Choosing the Perfect Wedding Dress is indeed crucial for most Brides. In Slovenia (and in some others countries), the Groom is not allowed to see his Bride’s Wedding Dress until the Wedding.

The Picking-Up of the Bride

“Door Games” are quite common during Chinese Wedding. In Slovenia, when the Groom comes pick-up his Bride, the Father of the Bride opens the door and present him “fake Brides”: first, a broom disguised into a Bride, followed by disguised fake Brides (can be male or female), then the real Bride is presented (to the joy of the Groom).

The Bouquet

I’ve learnt during my Wedding Day that the Bride’s Bouquet has to be protected and watch over by the Bride and her bridesmaids until Midnight (or the Cake Cutting), as every available guests will try to steal it for money! Don’t trust anyone beside your bridesmaids… especially when you go refresh yourself!!

The Kidnapping

In Slovenia, it is quite common that the Bride gets kidnapped by available men during the wedding banquet and the Groom and his groomsmen have to find her before Midnight (or the Cake Cutting). If he fails, it brings bad omen to the marriage…

The Rice

They said the number of Rice (thrown during the Wedding Ceremony) that remain in the hairs of the newlyweds till the Wedding Night is the number of kids that the couple will have! (We had at least 20 grains of Rice left in our hairs, for sure…)

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Bonus – this practice is commonly done in small villages (such as ours). If the Bride originates from that village, the neighbors build a barrage, meant to block the newlyweds. After a series of challenges, the Bride and the Groom get the blessings from the villagers and are allowed to get married.

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I’ve heard from my mother-in-law (and some older couples), that during their wedding, a camel (men in disguise) with a train of guys joined in their wedding banquet. The camel had teats and the couple had to “milk” the camel. The camel had a bucket for its head, and at the end, the camel dies and the party started.

Anyone heard about that one and know the reason behind it? Or maybe you have some Wedding Traditions that you would like to share with me? Please let me know via my comment box below!

Until next time,
Anna ❤