Reading Practice
Today’s lesson is a little reading exercise. Use this lesson to practice your pronunciation. Click on the audio icons next to each heading to hear the audio.
Dishes
[audio:dishes.mp3]slovenské recepty (Slovak recipes)
kapustnica (sauerkraut soup)
kyslá fazuľová polievka (sour bean soup)
bryndzové halušky (bryndza dumplings)
slivkové knedle (plum dumplings)
segedinský guláš (segedin goulash)
vyprážaná ryba (fried fish)
vyprážaný syr (fried cheese)
krupicová kaša (grits/farina)
zemiakový šalát (potato salad)
Ingredients
[audio:ingredients.mp3]
jablko (apple)
cesnak (garlic)
cibuľa (onion)
hrach (pea)
slivky (plums)
zemiak (potato)
paradajka (tomato)
paprika (pepper)
mrkva (carrot)
bryndza (bryndza cheese)
hovädzina (beef)
bravčovina (pork)
klobása (sausage)
ryba (fish)
rasca (caraway)
škorica (cinnamon)
vajce (egg)
pivo (beer)
Basic Phrases
[audio:basic_slovak_phrases.mp3]
Ahoj (Hi)
Dobrý deň (Good day)
Dobré ráno (Good morning)
Dobrú noc (Good night)
Dovidenia (Good bye)
Volám sa … (My name is …)
Prosím si … (I would like …)
For more basic phrases that can come in handy on your next trip to Slovakia, check out this list of useful phrases at bratislavaguide.com.
toto je teda naozaj dobra myslienka!
ten zvukovy doprovod je skvely!!!! :))
jeeeeeeeej konecne som nasla nieco pre mojho priatela je anglican a snazim sa ho ucit po slovensky 🙂
im sooo happy i did find something for my partner …he is english and he will love to know how to speak slovak 🙂 thank u sooooo much
This is a brilliant site; more language please: I’m halfway through James Naughton Colloquial Slovak and need reinforcement. I’m going back to Bratislava this summer – to CJOP to study language.
I love the food too; Zuzana, I miss your cooking!
Brett
Can I say what a wonderful site this is. I am like Brett, part way through James Naughton’s ‘Colloquial Slovak’-perhaps we should exchange email addresses or similar to see how we are getting on! I have engaged Dusan for an hour a week to help me. He has just returned from Bratislava and brought me a Slovakian bible, at least I have the translation to compare it with!
HONESTLY… I WOULD LOVE TO LEARN THE SLOVAKIAN LANGUAGE IN A ROSETTA STONE TYPE OF FORMAT. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY, MY PARENTS TRIED TO TEACH ME, BUT I FIGURED… “EVERYBODY I KNOW SPEAKS ENGLISH, CARTOONS ARE IN ENGLISH, MOVIES AND TELEVISION ARE IN ENGLISH AND I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH AN HOUR AND A HALF OF CHURCH ONCE A WEEK ON SUNDAYS, SO WHY BOTHER LEARNING THIS NEW LANGUAGE?
*ONE OF THE MANY MISTAKES I MADE AND… LEARNED FROM IN MY YOUTH
I HOPE IT ISN’T TOO LATE TO LEARN NOW!
It seems like many of us are alike in that a grandparent tried to teach us Slovak and we did not try to learn as a child. I tried Colloquial Slovak but did not get very far. BYKI sells a CD which I am using. I seem to get discouraged and stop and start. I wonder if we could use Skype or gotomeetings.com and set up some kind of group learning?
Hi Garrett, let me know if you set something up and I’ll gladly join you.
Ahoj!! I have a lot of Slovak in my blood. My grandparents used to know Slovak (but I think it’s only because they went to a Slovak Catholic High School), and they won’t teach me any. I am in my teenage years, and I am really getting interested in where my heritage came from. I wanna learn Slovak to get bacon touch with my roots. This site is great! But does anyone know any other great resources to help learn Slovak?
*back in
Jeremy, you had it right the first time “bacon touch with my roots”, as bacon is essential part of Slovak heritage:)
Other than that I don’t know, there are some links and resources posted in link thread.
Just hang around, come to some Slovak meet up groups if you have some close to you
Thanks!! I don’t really know if there are any around me.
And the stupid auto correct made me put ” bacon ” haha
Hi my partner of 6 years has tried to teach me the basics of the Slovak language but i find it very difficult , but wish to learn it to be able to carry on a conversation with her in her own tongue –i am a Welshman by the way.
I can only recommend the book + CD Colloquial Slovak by James Naughton. Stick at it.
In 2011 I went to summer school in Bratislava at Centrum Jazykovej a Odbornej Pripravy. Not cheap, but great fun and learned a lot being surrounded by the language.
In 2012 I went to Stará Ĺubovňa; no one spoke English. I was really proud to have many short pidgin conversations…the people were so nice. My grammar is still dreadful, but it’ll come..
Another good book is Slovak for You by Ada Bohmerova. It uses more linguistic jargon than the Colloquial Slovak book but it is still helpful. I am also struggling with Slovak. The ISBN number for Slovak for You is
0-86516-331-6.
Hello
I am trying to learn some Slovak songs and wonder if you know where I could learn the pronunciation of words. I am studying Biely Kvet at the moment.
thank you
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth, I am not really sure I can help with this. Have you tried some language courses, that’s the closest suggestion I can think of.
I see the term slivkove knedle in your glossary. Are they the same as Gule? Also a plum dumpling made with potato dough.
My daughters and I get together to bake for the holidays. Last week we made kolachki, zazvornicki, rohlichki and lekvar cake.