Planning to settle in Slovakia? You will need to speak some Slovak

Free language courses available for foreigners living in the capital.

Illustrative stock photoIllustrative stock photo (Source: Gabriel Kuchta, SME)

“Ahoj, María, ako sa máš?”

A group of about 20 people, apparently way over high school age, sits in a high school classroom. María is doing well. She says that in Slovak. This is how the Slovak for foreigners lesson begins.

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The teacher then asks another student: “Anthony, ako sa volá americký prezident? Zabudol som.” (Anthony, what’s the name of American president? I forgot.) The class bursts into laughter and the teacher goes on asking more similar questions.

For some foreigners living in the Slovak capital this is a way of spending their evenings – learning to speak Slovak. In bigger cities, such as Bratislava or Košice, it is easy to find a Slovak for foreigners course. This course is special, though. It is organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Slovakia.

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“We do not require any registration or admission tests,” explains Marek Chomanič from IOM for The Slovak Spectator. The lessons are free of charge, however, open only to non-EU citizens who hold permanent, temporary or tolerated residence permit in Slovakia.

Who are the students?

Groups are divided into those who speak a Slavic language and others. The course is suitable for all age categories so the class contains young students, middle-aged people, even a married couple and a retired lady. Nations also vary. Today’s lecture contains foreigners from Iran, Egypt, Mexico, USA, India and Japan.

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