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The game

Path — speak your way home

A new eastbound line each run. Construct a sentence at every city. The clock only bites when you miss. Paris · Rome · Tehran · Tashkent · Vientiane.

🔥 Good evening — your Slovak path

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A ~5-minute daily loop that keeps Slovak alive. Start anywhere.

Languages map

Click a country. Start the language.

A world map of courses we actually teach — not a booking map, and not Path.

🎯 Build Challenge

Build a sentence you've never seen

You already know two Slovak words. Can you construct a brand-new sentence from them?

I wantquiero

coffeecafé

So how would you say “I want coffee.”?

That's LanguagePath.

The LanguagePath Method™

Reason it out — don't cram it in

You won't memorize phrases. You'll construct real sentences, then listen and rebuild them. Every step reuses what you already built — so the language compounds.

1 · UNDERSTANDGet one piece of the language.

2 · CONSTRUCTBuild a sentence you've never seen.

3 · SAYSay it out loud before you reveal.

4 · HEARListen and compare with the target.

5 · REBUILDReuse those pieces in the next sentence.

Language Bridges™

You're not always starting from zero

Every language you already know hands you free bridges to a new one. Words stick on first contact when you spot the connection.

English — information
French — informations
Spanish — información
Portuguese — informação

Add the languages you already speak in the 🌐 Hub → Settings — then tap ✨ Bridge on any phrase to surface the real cognates and shared roots that make new words click.

Real sentences you'll learn to build in Slovak

Build real sentences from pieces you already know. Tap any phrase to hear it — then you'll build them yourself.

What you'll learn in Slovak

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Each lesson builds on the last, reusing what you already know. Tap a lesson to jump in.

Explore the Learning Library

Short, interactive pages on specific skills and situations — each one teaches you something real, then hands you straight into a course.

Learn practical Arabic for life in the UAEHow to say greetings in SpanishSpanish numbers 1–20Introduce yourself in SpanishSer vs Estar — the two Spanish 'to be' verbsArabic greetings (MSA)

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Frequently asked questions

Is LanguagePath free?

Yes, every lesson, course and tool is free to use, with no account or sign-up. Two things are optional and paid: LanguagePath Pro ($4.99 a month or $29 a year), which removes ads and adds extra AI practice, and printable Travel Phrase Pack PDFs ($9 per city, or $19 for all 8). Advertising only loads after you consent — the site stays fully usable if you reject it.

Do I need an account?

No. Your progress is saved in your own browser's local storage. Nothing is uploaded to a server.

How is LanguagePath different?

You don't memorize phrases — you reason them out. The teacher gives you a piece, you build real sentences yourself, say them aloud, then reveal and check. Every step reuses what you already built.

Which languages can I learn?

Nine flagship courses (Mandarin, Arabic, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Telugu, Farsi) plus dozens more in the picker. Each Path rolls a new eastbound line of cities from languages you can practise here.

What is Path?

Path is LanguagePath’s race: construct a sentence at each city. Misses cost days; a clean build costs nothing. The eighty-day clock is the rule, not the title. Explore → Path, or tap Play Path above.

🧠 How this works

Slovak — Slovak is built the reason-it-out way: you learn the pieces, then construct real sentences yourself. It starts with everyday, useful sentences.

The 3 rules of the method

🗣️ Say everything out loud. Silent reading doesn't build speech. Speak before you reveal.

⏸️ Always pause and try first. When you hit a challenge, actually work it out — getting it slightly wrong is how it sticks. Then tap Reveal.

🔁 Don't fear forgetting. Everything comes back through use in later steps. Keep moving; understanding beats memorizing.

Your course (≈10 min each)

Do roughly one a day. They build in order — each lesson reuses the last.

Planning a trip to Bratislava, Slovakia?

Learning Slovak for a trip? Use the phrases from this course on the ground, and sort the rest here.

✈️ Find flights 🏨 Find a hotel 🎟️ Tours & tickets 📶 Travel eSIM 🛡️ Travel insurance

Flight delayed or cancelled? Check compensation with AirHelp → · or Compensair →

Partner links: LanguagePath may earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. How this works.

⭐ LanguagePath Pro: no ads, the whole course offline, and more AI practice. $4.99/month or $29/year. See Pro →

🎧 Lessons

Tap to begin. Speak each answer aloud before revealing.

🔁 Spaced recall

Your daily warm-up. Sentences you've built come back at growing gaps — but don't recall them from memory. Rebuild each one from its pieces, every time; that's what makes them permanent. Read the English, work it out aloud, then reveal.

🧩 Build

The real test of the method: brand-new sentences you've never seen, made only from words and structures you've already learned. You can't recall these — you have to construct them. That's fluency in miniature.

👂 Listening drills

Real conversations hit your ear with no subtitles. Here you only hear the language — work out the meaning, then reveal. This trains the skill you'll actually use in real conversations.

🗣️ Shadowing

A powerful way to develop more natural rhythm and pronunciation: hear a line and repeat it immediately, copying the rhythm and melody — not translating. 10–15 focused minutes beats an hour of tired mimicry.

✚ Chunk builder

Heard a useful phrase out in the world? Capture it here. Every chunk you save joins your Recall, Listen, Shadow and Quiz automatically — so it actually sticks.

📺 Resources & daily plan

Free listening you can understand and enjoy — the comprehensible-input piece. Mix these with your lessons.

💬 Real conversations

Full exchanges you'll actually have, start to finish. Tap 🔊 on any line, or play the whole conversation. Try covering the English and reading the other language aloud.

🎯 Quiz

Test yourself across everything you've learned. Multiple-choice both ways, plus a typing challenge. You need 80% to call a set solid.

🤖 Conversation partner

The practice no drill gives you: a real back-and-forth. Chat with an AI partner that stays at a beginner level and gently corrects you — a powerful way to turn what you've learned into speech.

🌍 Culture & etiquette

Speaking well is half of it — these unwritten rules will make locals warm to you instantly.

🗂️ Pocket phrases

Grab-and-go reference for real situations — greetings, numbers, emergencies that you just need ready. Search or filter, tap 🔊.

🔊 Sounds

Quick grammar

🌐 Hub

Your command centre — progress across every language, one daily plan, a single review that spans them all, and a phrase explorer that shows how your languages connect.

Learning Slovak: a practical guide

This is a written companion to the free Slovak course on LanguagePath: what the language is like, how it sounds, the phrases you will use first, how the course is structured, and what to watch out for. Everything here comes from the same lessons you can practise interactively above.

What Slovak is like

Slovak is written almost exactly as it sounds — a real gift for learners. The marks on á, é, í, ó, ú simply make the vowel longer; the sound stays the same. ch is a breathy 'h', c is 'ts', č is 'ch', and š/ž are 'sh/zh'. ľ is a soft 'l', and ô slides from 'u' into 'o'.
Gender matters: nouns have masculine, feminine and neuter forms, and adjectives and past verbs agree with them — so chcel by som (a man speaking) vs chcela by som (a woman). Don't worry: you'll hear the rhythm right away.

Words you may already know

🇨🇿 Czech. Slovak is West Slavic and very close to its neighbour — Czechs and Slovaks understand each other with almost no effort. If you know Czech děkuji, that's ďakujem; Czech dobrý den is Slovak dobrý deň. 🇷🇺 Russian / Polish. Everyday words line up across the whole Slavic family — voda, matka, brat, čaj, chlieb will all look familiar.

Pronunciation notes

Slovak is written almost exactly as it sounds in Latin letters. Learn these special letters and you can read nearly any word aloud.

ľ — a soft "l", like "li" in million, as in ľúbim = LYOO-bim (I love).
ô — a glide from "u" into "o", like "wo", as in môžem = MWO-zhem (I can).
ä — a short "e" sound, between a and e, as in päť = pyaht (five).
š — "sh" as in shoe, as in šesť = shest (six).
ž — "zh" as in pleasure, as in žena = ZHEH-nah (woman).
č — "ch" as in church, as in čaj = chai (tea).
ch — a breathy "h", like Scottish loch, as in chlieb = khlyeb (bread).
c — "ts" as in cats, as in cena = TSEH-nah (price).

First phrases

The pocket phrases below are the ones learners reach for most often. Say each one out loud a few times before moving on.

Slovak	Pronunciation	Meaning
Ahoj	ah-HOY	Hi / bye
Dobrý deň	DOH-bree dyen	Good day
Dovidenia	doh-VEE-dyeh-nyah	Goodbye
Ako sa máš?	AH-koh sah maash	How are you?
Dobre, ďakujem	DOH-breh, DYAH-koo-yem	Well, thanks
Ďakujem	DYAH-koo-yem	Thank you
Ďakujem pekne	DYAH-koo-yem PEHK-nyeh	Thanks a lot
Prosím	PROH-seem	Please / you're welcome
Nech sa páči	nyehkh sah PAH-chee	Here you are
Prepáč	PREH-paach	Sorry
Áno / Nie	AA-noh / nyeh	Yes / No
Jeden	YEH-den	1
Dva	dvah	2
Tri	tree	3
Štyri	SHTEE-ree	4
Päť	pyaht	5
Desať	DEH-syaht	10
Voda	VOH-dah	water
Chlieb	khlyeb	bread
Káva	KAH-vah	coffee
Čaj	chai	tea
Jedálny lístok	YEH-daahl-nee LEES-tok	the menu
Kde je...?	gdyeh yeh	Where is...?
Vpravo	FPRAH-voh	to the right
Vľavo	FVLAH-voh	to the left
Rovno	ROV-noh	straight ahead
Stanica	STAH-nee-tsah	the station
Koľko to stojí?	KOL-koh toh STOH-yee	how much is it?
Toaleta	toh-ah-LEH-tah	the bathroom
Drahé	DRAH-heh	expensive

How the Slovak course is structured

The course has 16 short lessons that build on each other. Each one introduces a few new pieces and then asks you to construct sentences you have never seen, before revealing the answer:

Greetings & being friendly — ahoj · dobrý deň · ako sa máš?
Being polite: ďakujem & prosím — ďakujem · prosím · nech sa páči
Numbers 1–10 — jeden · dva · tri · desať
I want" — chcem / chcel by som — chcem · chcel by som · prosím si
Food & drink — voda · chlieb · káva · čaj
Directions & getting around — kde je · vpravo · vľavo · rovno
Questions & "may I…?" — čo · kedy · kde · prečo · môžem
Family & people — rodina · matka · otec · priateľ
Time, days & weather — dnes · zajtra · koľko je hodín
Your name — volám sa — volám sa · ako sa voláš · teší ma
Health & emergency — pomoc · lekár · nemocnica · nerozumiem
Tying it together — a capstone scene in Bratislava
Airport & tickets — letisko · pas · lístok · let
The taxi — taxi · ísť · hotel · zastavte
The hotel — rezervácia · izba · kľúč · noc
Ask for help — nerozumiem · pomalšie · anglicky

Inside the lessons

Here is how a few of the lessons explain the language, with worked examples and the word-by-word breakdown the course uses.

Greetings & being friendly

Key pieces: ahoj · dobrý deň · ako sa máš?

The word you'll use all day: ahoj — hi (and bye). Say it out loud.

ahoj (ah-HOY) — hi / bye
dobrý deň (DOH-bree dyen) — good day
dobré ráno (DOH-breh RAA-noh) — good morning
dobrý večer (DOH-bree VEH-cher) — good evening
dovidenia (doh-VEE-dyeh-nyah) — goodbye

To say “Hello, how are you?” in Slovak: Ahoj, ako sa máš? (ah-HOY, AH-koh sah maash). Built from ahoj = hi; ako sa máš? = how are you?.

To ask how someone is: ako sa máš? (informal). A common reply is dobre, ďakujem — well, thanks.

Ako sa máš? (AH-koh sah maash) — How are you?
Dobre, ďakujem (DOH-breh, DYAH-koo-yem) — Well, thanks
Mám sa dobre (maam sah DOH-breh) — I'm doing well

To say “Good morning” in Slovak: Dobré ráno (DOH-breh RAA-noh). Built from dobré ráno = good morning.

Being polite: ďakujem & prosím

Key pieces: ďakujem · prosím · nech sa páči

Two words carry a whole conversation: ďakujem (thank you) and prosím (please / you're welcome).

ďakujem (DYAH-koo-yem) — thank you
prosím (PROH-seem) — please / you're welcome
nech sa páči (nyehkh sah PAH-chee) — here you are
prepáč (PREH-paach) — sorry
áno / nie (AA-noh / nyeh) — yes / no

To say “Thank you very much” in Slovak: Ďakujem pekne (DYAH-koo-yem PEHK-nyeh). Built from ďakujem = thank you; pekne = nicely / very much.

prosím does double duty — it means 'please' and 'you're welcome'. Context tells you which.

To say “Yes, please” in Slovak: Áno, prosím (AA-noh, PROH-seem). Built from áno = yes; prosím = please.

To say “One water, please” in Slovak: Jednu vodu, prosím (YEHD-noo VOH-doo, PROH-seem). Built from jednu = one; vodu = water; prosím = please.

Numbers 1–10

Key pieces: jeden · dva · tri · desať

Numbers are the fastest win. Listen and repeat: jeden, dva, tri .

jeden (YEH-den) — 1
dva (dvah) — 2
tri (tree) — 3
štyri (SHTEE-ree) — 4
päť (pyaht) — 5
šesť (shest) — 6
sedem (SEH-dem) — 7
osem (OH-sem) — 8
deväť (DEH-vyaht) — 9
desať (DEH-syaht) — 10

To say “Two coffees, please” in Slovak: Dve kávy, prosím (dveh KAH-vee, PROH-seem). Built from dve = two; kávy = coffees; prosím = please.

To ask a price: Koľko to stojí? — how much does it cost?

To say “How much is it?” in Slovak: Koľko to stojí? (KOL-koh toh STOH-yee). Built from koľko = how much; to stojí = it costs.

To say “It's five euros” in Slovak: Je to päť eur (yeh toh pyaht eh-oor). Built from je to = it is; päť = five; eur = euros.

I want" — chcem / chcel by som

Key pieces: chcem · chcel by som · prosím si

To say what you want: chcem = I want. For most situations you'll want the more polite chcel by som — I would like.

The polite form matches your gender: chcel by som if you're male, chcela by som if you're female. Both mean 'I would like'.

To say “I'd like a coffee” in Slovak: Chcel by som kávu (khtsel bih som KAH-voo). Built from chcel by som = I would like; kávu = coffee.

To say “I'd like a tea” in Slovak: Chcel by som čaj (khtsel bih som chai). Built from chcel by som = I would like; čaj = tea.

To say “I want a water” in Slovak: Chcem vodu (khtsem VOH-doo). Built from chcem = I want; vodu = water.

Food & drink

Key pieces: voda · chlieb · káva · čaj

Eating and drinking: voda (water), chlieb (bread), káva (coffee), čaj (tea).

voda (VOH-dah) — water Memory hook: ≈ Russian / Polish voda.
chlieb (khlyeb) — bread
káva (KAH-vah) — coffee Memory hook: ≈ English coffee.
čaj (chai) — tea Memory hook: ≈ Russian chay.
reštaurácia (res-tow-RAH-tsyah) — restaurant Memory hook: ≈ English restaurant.

To say “Water and bread, please” in Slovak: Vodu a chlieb, prosím (VOH-doo ah khlyeb, PROH-seem). Built from vodu = water; a = and; chlieb = bread; prosím = please.

To say “I'd like the menu” in Slovak: Chcel by som jedálny lístok (khtsel bih som YEH-daahl-nee LEES-tok). Built from chcel by som = I would like; jedálny lístok = the menu.

To praise the food: výborné — delicious / excellent.

To say “It's delicious!” in Slovak: Výborné! (VEE-bor-neh). Built from výborné = excellent / delicious.

Directions & getting around

Key pieces: kde je · vpravo · vľavo · rovno

The most useful question in any town: Kde je…? — where is…?

Kde je...? (gdyeh yeh) — Where is...?
vpravo (FPRAH-voh) — to the right
vľavo (FVLAH-voh) — to the left
rovno (ROV-noh) — straight ahead
stanica (STAH-nee-tsah) — the station Memory hook: ≈ English station.

To say “Where is the station?” in Slovak: Kde je stanica? (gdyeh yeh STAH-nee-tsah). Built from kde je = where is; stanica = station.

To say “Where is the bathroom?” in Slovak: Kde je toaleta? (gdyeh yeh toh-ah-LEH-tah). Built from kde je = where is; toaleta = bathroom.

vpravo and vľavo say which way to turn, and rovno is 'straight ahead'.

To say “It's on the left” in Slovak: Je to vľavo (yeh toh FVLAH-voh). Built from je to = it is; vľavo = to the left.

Questions & "may I…?"

Key pieces: čo · kedy · kde · prečo · môžem

Question words unlock every conversation: čo (what), kde (where), kedy (when), prečo (why).

kto (ktoh) — who
kedy (KEH-dee) — when
kde (gdyeh) — where
prečo (PREH-choh) — why
čo (choh) — what

To say “What is this?” in Slovak: Čo je to? (choh yeh toh). Built from čo = what; je to = is it.

To ask permission politely: Môžem…? — may I…?

To say “May I pay?” in Slovak: Môžem zaplatiť? (MWO-zhem ZA-pla-tich). Built from môžem = may I; zaplatiť = to pay.

To say “Where are you from?” in Slovak: Odkiaľ si? (OD-kyaal see). Built from odkiaľ = from where; si = you are.

Family & people

Key pieces: rodina · matka · otec · priateľ

Family words: rodina (family), matka (mother), otec (father).

rodina (ROH-dee-nah) — family
matka (MAHT-kah) — mother Memory hook: ≈ Russian mat'.
otec (OH-tets) — father
brat (braht) — brother Memory hook: ≈ Russian / Polish brat.
priateľ (PREE-ah-tyel) — friend

To say “I have a brother” in Slovak: Mám brata (maam BRAH-tah). Built from mám = I have; brata = brother.

mám = I have. It's the key verb for saying what you've got: mám rodinu = I have a family.

To say “This is my mother” in Slovak: Toto je moja matka (TOH-toh yeh MOH-yah MAHT-kah). Built from toto je = this is; moja = my; matka = mother.

To say “I have a friend” in Slovak: Mám priateľa (maam PREE-ah-tya). Built from mám = I have; priateľa = friend.

Time, days & weather

Key pieces: dnes · zajtra · koľko je hodín

Today is dnes , tomorrow is zajtra .

dnes (dnyes) — today
zajtra (ZAI-trah) — tomorrow
včera (FCHER-ah) — yesterday
koľko je hodín? (KOL-koh yeh HOH-deen) — what time is it?
počasie (POH-chah-syeh) — weather Memory hook: ≈ Russian pogoda.

To say “See you tomorrow” in Slovak: Do zajtra (doh ZAI-trah). Built from do = until; zajtra = tomorrow.

Ask about the weather: Aké je počasie? — what's the weather like?

To say “It's raining” in Slovak: Prší (PRSHEE). Built from prší = it rains.

To say “What time is it?” in Slovak: Koľko je hodín? (KOL-koh yeh HOH-deen). Built from koľko = how much; je hodín = is the hour.

Your name — volám sa

Key pieces: volám sa · ako sa voláš · teší ma

Introduce yourself: Volám sa… = my name is…, and Teší ma = pleased to meet you.

To say “My name is Alex” in Slovak: Volám sa Alex (VOH-laam sah Alex). Built from volám sa = my name is; Alex = your name.

To ask someone's name: Ako sa voláš?

To say “What's your name?” in Slovak: Ako sa voláš? (AH-koh sah VOH-laash). Built from ako = how; sa voláš? = do you call yourself?.

To say “Pleased to meet you” in Slovak: Teší ma (TYEH-shee mah). Built from teší ma = pleased to meet you.

Health & emergency

Key pieces: pomoc · lekár · nemocnica · nerozumiem

If you need help: Pomoc! (help), lekár (doctor), nemocnica (hospital).

Pomoc! (POH-mots) — Help!
lekár (LEH-kaar) — doctor
nemocnica (nyeh-mohts-NEE-tsah) — hospital
Nerozumiem (nyeh-roh-ZOO-myem) — I don't understand
hasič (HAH-seech) — firefighter

To say “Help!” in Slovak: Pomoc! (POH-mots). Built from pomoc = help.

To say “I don't understand” in Slovak: Nerozumiem (nyeh-roh-ZOO-myem). Built from ne- = not; rozumiem = I understand.

To say you don't speak the language: Nehovorím po slovensky .

To say “I don't speak Slovak” in Slovak: Nehovorím po slovensky (nyeh-HOH-voh-reem poh SLOH-ven-skee). Built from nehovorím = I don't speak; po slovensky = in Slovak.

Tying it together

Key pieces: a capstone scene in Bratislava

Great — you've built a real toolkit. This capstone uses only words you've met. Build each line yourself before revealing.

To say “Hello, how are you?” in Slovak: Ahoj, ako sa máš? (ah-HOY, AH-koh sah maash). Built from ahoj = hi; ako sa máš? = how are you?.

To say “I'd like a coffee and bread, please” in Slovak: Chcel by som kávu a chlieb, prosím (khtsel bih som KAH-voo ah khlyeb, PROH-seem). Built from chcel by som = I'd like; kávu = coffee; a chlieb = and bread.

To say “Where is the station?” in Slovak: Kde je stanica? (gdyeh yeh STAH-nee-tsah). Built from kde je = where is; stanica = station.

To say “How much is it?” in Slovak: Koľko to stojí? (KOL-koh toh STOH-yee). Built from koľko to stojí? = how much is it?.

Airport & tickets

Key pieces: letisko · pas · lístok · let

You have landed. The building is the letisko . Your document is a pas .

letisko (LEH-tees-koh) — the airport
pas (pahs) — the passport
lístok (LEES-tok) — the ticket
let (let) — the flight
gáta (GAA-tah) — the gate

To say “Where is the airport?” in Slovak: Kde je letisko? (gdyeh yeh LEH-tees-koh). Built from kde je = where is; letisko = the airport.

To say “Here is my passport” in Slovak: Tu je môj pas (too yeh moy pahs). Built from tu je = here is; môj pas = my passport.

To say “A ticket, please” in Slovak: Jeden lístok, prosím (YEH-den LEES-tok, PROH-seem). Built from jeden lístok = a ticket; prosím = please.

To say “Where is the gate?” in Slovak: Kde je gáta? (gdyeh yeh GAA-tah). Built from kde je = where is; gáta = the gate.

The taxi

Key pieces: taxi · ísť · hotel · zastavte

The driver is waiting. taxi is the word you need. Tell them where to go with chcem ísť .

taxi (TAHK-see) — the taxi
vodič (VOH-deech) — the driver
chcem ísť (khtsem eest) — I want to go
zastavte tu (ZAH-stav-teh too) — stop here

To say “Taxi, please” in Slovak: Taxi, prosím (TAHK-see, PROH-seem). Built from taxi = taxi; prosím = please.

To say “I want to go to the hotel” in Slovak: Chcem ísť do hotela (khtsem eest doh HOH-teh-lah). Built from chcem ísť = I want to go; do hotela = to the hotel.

To say “Stop here, please” in Slovak: Zastavte tu, prosím (ZAH-stav-teh too, PROH-seem). Built from zastavte tu = stop here; prosím = please.

To say “How much is it?” in Slovak: Koľko to stojí? (KOL-koh toh STOH-yee). Built from koľko = how much; to stojí = it costs.

The hotel

Key pieces: rezervácia · izba · kľúč · noc

At the desk: Mám rezerváciu — I have a reservation.

hotel (HOH-tel) — the hotel
rezervácia (reh-zehr-VAA-tsyah) — the reservation
izba (IZ-bah) — the room
kľúč (klyooch) — the key
jedna noc (YED-nah nots) — one night

To say “I have a reservation” in Slovak: Mám rezerváciu (maam reh-zehr-VAA-tsyoo). Built from mám = I have; rezerváciu = a reservation.

To say “A room for one night, please” in Slovak: Izbu na jednu noc, prosím (IZ-boo nah YED-noo nots, PROH-seem). Built from izbu = a room; na jednu noc = for one night; prosím = please.

To say “The key, please” in Slovak: Kľúč, prosím (klyooch, PROH-seem). Built from kľúč = the key; prosím = please.

To say “Where is my room?” in Slovak: Kde je moja izba? (gdyeh yeh MOH-yah IZ-bah). Built from kde je = where is; moja izba = my room.

Ask for help

Key pieces: nerozumiem · pomalšie · anglicky

When the language is too fast: Pomalšie, prosím — slower, please.

pomalšie (POH-mal-shyeh) — slower
znova (ZNOH-vah) — again
anglicky (AHNG-lits-kee) — English
môžete mi pomôcť? (MWO-zheh-teh mee poh-MOHTS) — can you help me?

To say “I don't understand” in Slovak: Nerozumiem (nyeh-roh-ZOO-myem). Built from ne- = not; rozumiem = I understand.

To say “Slower, please” in Slovak: Pomalšie, prosím (POH-mal-shyeh, PROH-seem). Built from pomalšie = slower; prosím = please.

To say “Can you help me?” in Slovak: Môžete mi pomôcť? (MWO-zheh-teh mee poh-MOHTS). Built from môžete = can you; mi = me; pomôcť = help.

To say “Do you speak English?” in Slovak: Hovoríte po anglicky? (hoh-voh-REE-teh poh AHNG-lits-kee). Built from hovoríte = do you speak; po anglicky = in English.

Culture and etiquette

The Tatras

The High Tatras are Slovakia's alpine jewel — jagged peaks, lakes and some of the best hiking in Central Europe. In winter they become a ski and snowboard playground. Bratislava is on the Danube in the west, but the mountains are a short trip away.

Close to Czech

Slovak is West Slavic, a sibling of Czech. The two languages are so close that speakers understand each other with ease — older Slovak and Czech texts are even closer still. If you learn Slovak, Czech is nearly a free bonus.

Folk culture

Folk traditions run deep: vivid embroidery, wooden architecture, and the fujara, a long shepherd's flute that UNESCO lists as a masterwork. Villages keep their own songs, dances and costumes, and festivals celebrate them all summer.

Bryndzové halušky

The national dish is bryndzové halušky — potato dumplings with sheep's cheese and a little bacon. Hearty, cheap and everywhere. Other classics include goulash, sauerkraut soup and stuffed cabbage rolls.

A beer & wine nation

Beer is cheap and flows freely in pivnicas (beer rooms), and Slovakia also makes great wine — the most famous being the sweet Tokaj from the south-east. Ordering a local drink is a great way to connect.

A little Slovak goes far

Slovaks light up when visitors try their language. A 'dobrý deň' and 'ďakujem' open every door, and even a shaky attempt brings warm smiles. Effort matters far more than perfection.

Example dialogues

At a café

You: Dobrý deň! Jednu kávu, prosím. (DOH-bree dyen! YEHD-noo KAH-voo, PROH-seem) — Good day! One coffee, please.

Barista: Hneď. Tu alebo so sebou? (hnyed. TOO ah-leh-boh soh SEH-bow) — Right away. For here or to go?

You: So sebou, ďakujem. (soh SEH-bow, DYAH-koo-yem) — To go, thanks.

Barista: Nech sa páči. Je to jedno eur. (nyehkh sah PAH-chee. yeh toh YEHD-noh eh-oor) — Here you are. That's one euro.

You: Ďakujem pekne! (DYAH-koo-yem PEHK-nyeh) — Thank you very much!

At the station

You: Prepáčte, kde je stanica? (PREH-paach-tyeh, gdyeh yeh STAH-nee-tsah) — Excuse me, where is the station?

Local: Tam, vpravo. (tahm, FPRAH-voh) — There, on the right.

You: Ďakujem. Jeden lístok do Bratislavy, prosím. (DYAH-koo-yem. YEH-den LEES-tok doh BRAH-tee-slah-vee, PROH-seem) — Thanks. One ticket to Bratislava, please.

Ticket: Pätnásť eur. Vlak ide o deviatej. (PYAT-naasht eh-oor. vlahk EED-eh oh DEH-vya-tyey) — Fifteen euros. The train leaves at nine.

At a restaurant

Waiter: Dobrý večer! Máte rezerváciu? (DOH-bree VEH-cher! maa-teh REH-zehr-VAH-tsyoo) — Good evening! Do you have a reservation?

You: Áno, pre dvoch. (AA-noh, preh dvohkh) — Yes, for two.

You: Jedálny lístok, prosím. (YEH-daahl-nee LEES-tok, PROH-seem) — The menu, please.

You: Chcel by som bryndzové halušky a vodu. (khtsel bih som BRIN-dzoh-veh HAH-loosh-kee ah VOH-doo) — I'd like bryndzové halušky (potato dumplings) and water.

Waiter: Výborná voľba! Dobrú chuť. (VEE-bor-nah VOL-ba! DOH-broo khootch) — Excellent choice! Enjoy your meal.

Written by the LanguagePath editorial team from our own course material. Pronunciation guides are approximate English respellings; tap any phrase in the app above to hear it. Native-speaker review of every course is ongoing — tell us if you spot an error.