Topic
Slovak matters
Slovak matters is a column devoted to helping ex-pats and foreigners understand the beautiful but difficult Slovak language.
List of articles
Words that sound almost the same are always difficult.
Since that crash course in Slovak traditions, she became much more familiar with how the holiday is celebrated.
While Slovaks seem to naturally understand Czech, for foreigners who have learned Slovak, Czech is often unintelligible.
Though this article was originally written 21 years ago, has much changed?
By dint of huge effort, I managed to make up for my bad behaviour - with everyone but the ball organiser, that is.
"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?
In Slovak, you don't have a sore throat but the throat pains you. For a remedy, have you tried the drink with bacon grease, caramel, and slivovica?
The Slovak simplicity of the holiday is a relief for this American.
English words get absorbed into Slovak, but sometimes unrecognizably.
You may have learned Slovak, but it may not help you much when trying to understand its dialects.
As English has more words than Slovak, there are English words that have no equivalent.
Three Slovak words that can only be translated as whole sentences in English.
Greetings, comrades! Honour work!
The diminutive in Slovak applies not only to names, but also to activities like eating and things like juice.
From phrases expressing heat to pronunciation of zmrzlina, learn summer phrases in Slovak.
Slovak Matters: Not quite swearing
Slovak Matters: What's in a (sur)name?
A discussion on prefixes takes a journey from mistakes through to toilets and alcohol - because they are related of course.
The family warned me that eastern Slovakia was dangerous, but I thought it must be safer than continuing as the object of their hospitality.
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- 5. Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 6. In Bratislava, a ship-like art gallery on the Danube gives you a full-spectrum experience
- 7. Romanian coffee chain announces big plans in Slovakia
- 8. No other monument in Bratislava like this, its future uncertain
- 9. IBM to lay off hundreds in Bratislava
- 10. How to start Slovak family history research
- 1. Last Week: Fico does right by Ukraine, for once
- 2. Pellegrini is a farce of Trump
- 3. How to start Slovak family history research
- 4. IBM to lay off hundreds in Bratislava
- 5. Romanian coffee chain announces big plans in Slovakia
- 6. Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 7. Slovak Matters: I don't eat skirts, and other language mishaps
- 8. How a Slovak doctor helped a small Kenyan hospital
- 9. No other monument in Bratislava like this, its future uncertain
- 10. 10 projects that are changing the face of Bratislava
- 1. IBM to lay off hundreds in Bratislava
- 2. Speaking clearly
- 3. How to start Slovak family history research
- 4. Last Week: Fico does right by Ukraine, for once
- 5. Pellegrini is a farce of Trump
- 6. Slovak Matters: I don't eat skirts, and other language mishaps
- 7. Romanian coffee chain announces big plans in Slovakia
- 8. 10 projects that are changing the face of Bratislava
- 9. UPDATED: Anti-Ukrainian billboards pop up in Slovakia
- 10. Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners