Every Day with Slovenian Idioms #001

A great way to discover and integrated into the Slovenian culture is through its idioms. And they are everywhere in my daily life.

Recently, we’ve been doing some significant shopping and indeed, price, quality and needs are three important factors. Then, the other day, my husband told me:

• Nisem dovolj bogat, da bi poceni kupoval –  I am not rich enough that I would buy cheap things
  At first, I found it quite contradictory because, logically, if you are tight on money, you would tend buy cheaper things, no?

But what we should really understand from it is that “I am not rich enough that I can afford to buy it again”, with the logic that “cheaper” things are not good quality and will break faster, thus needing to be replace.

Therefore, nisem dovolj bogata da, bi poceni kupovala.

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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.

Let’s speak like Slovenians,
Anna.

Understanding Slovenian Idioms #005

A fun way to explore the Slovenian culture is by getting familiar with its idioms, which is the essence of the language. Through the idioms, we can understand part of the Slovenian culture and heritage.

• Kaditi kot Turek – To smoke like a Turk
  It doesn’t point at a manner or any special way that a Turk smokes – it simply means to smoke a lot!
• Brez muje se še čevelj ne obuje – Without effort you can’t put a shoes on
  To achieve anything, it requires some efforts (even the simple task of putting a shoe on).
• Biti copata – To be a slipper
  (What can being a slipper possibly mean… 😛 ) In Slovene, “being a slipper” is used to describe someone who is submissive or bent at will.

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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.

Let’s speak like Slovenians,
Anna.

Understand Slovenian Idioms #004

One fun way to advance or master Slovene (or any new language) is to understand and use its idioms or expressions like the locals.

• Konjiček – Pony
  It can mean pony (the animal), but usually it refers to a hobby. So, be careful of how you will answer when asked “kateri je tvoj najljubši konjiček?” – “which is your favorite pony?” 😛
• Imeti krompir – To have a potato
  It can actually mean that you own a potato, but when locals say it, it means to have luck or to be lucky (imeti srečo).
• Tih kot miš – Quiet like a mouse
  Same as in English, it means that someone is very quiet and makes no noise.

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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.

Let speaks like Slovenians,
Anna.

Understand Slovenian Idioms #003

Exploring the Slovenian culture through its idioms and speaking Slovene like the locals are great way to discover the beautiful country of Slovenia.

• Imeti mačka (or tigra) – To have a cat (or a tiger).
  It can actually mean that you have a pet, but most Slovenians will understand you’re having a hangover (cat) or a terrible hangover (tiger).
• Vse je spavalo po vodi – Everything fell into the water.
  It means that something that was planned is cancelled.

  French equivalent: “Tomber à l’eau”, which means pretty much exactly the same as in Slovene.

• Živeti kot ptiček na veji – To live like a bird on a branch.
  It doesn’t refer that someone is actually living in a tree house – it means to be carefree or to be free.

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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.

Let’s speak like locals,
Anna.

Understanding Slovenian Idioms #002

An interesting way to discover Slovenia is through its idioms. Learning, understanding and using them are great ways to immerse into the Slovenian culture!

• Zdrav kot riba v vodi – Healthy like a fish in the water
  It simply means “very healthy and lively” – like a fish in the water.

  Chinese equivalent: “龍馬精神 – long ma jing shen”, which means to be full of energy. — French dissimilarity: “Être comme un poisson dans l’eau”, which means to be perfectly comfortable in a given situation.

• Ne vreči puške v koruzo – Don’t throw the gun in the cornfield
  It means “don’t give up” – like when a hunter goes on a hunt, but hasn’t catch anything yet, he shouldn’t throw his gun away, in case some prey would come by!
• Imeti slovnico v malem prstu – To have the grammar on the little finger
  It means to know very well your grammar – study well and practice often, we known how Slovene grammar can be tricky and one day you will be able to say “Imam slovnico v malem prstu“!

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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.

Let’s speak like Slovenians,
Anna.

Understanding Slovenian Idioms #001

Mastering a language’s idioms (sayings, proverbs, expressions) is embracing its culture and traditions, as well as discovering the very essence of the language – learning Slovene is also understanding and using Slovenian idioms! ❤

• Živeti na koruzi – To live in the cornfield
  It means “to live together in cohabitation” without being formally married, only for couples – it doesn’t actually mean camping in some cornfield.
• Šel je po gobe – Went for mushrooms
  It can actually be used to express that someone went pickup some mushrooms in the forest, but the locals might misunderstand that the person has passed away… so be careful with this phrase.
• Nedeljski vozniki – the Sunday’s drivers
  It doesn’t refer to people who are on the road during Sundays – at least not literally,  it actually means that the driver doesn’t drive very often (and has poor driving skills) and he usually drives when the traffic is more quiet (like on Sundays).

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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.

Let’s speak like Slovenians,
Anna.