Language/Slovenian/Vocabulary/Idiomatic-Expressions

Slovenian Vocabulary - Idiomatic expressions

Hi Slovenian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on Slovenian vocabulary and more specifically on some commonly used Slovenian idiomatic expressions that will help you sound more like a native speaker. We will also provide cultural information and interesting facts to help you understand the use of these expressions.

Don't hesitate to practice and use these expressions in context with native speakers and ask them any questions you may have. And remember, making mistakes is part of the learning process, so don't be afraid to try!

Greetings

When it comes to greetings, Slovenians tend to be quite formal. Unlike in some countries where it is common to greet people with a hug or a kiss on the cheek, Slovenians will usually greet each other with a handshake, especially in formal situations. However, among close friends or family members, it is not uncommon to greet each other with a hug or a kiss on the cheek.

Here are some common greetings in Slovenian:

Slovenian	Pronunciation	English
Dober dan	doh-ber dahn	Good afternoon
Dober večer	doh-ber vay-cher	Good evening
Lahko noč	LAH-koh nohch	Good night
Zdravo	ZDRAH-voh	Hello
Nasvidenje	NAHs-vee-deh-nyeh	Goodbye

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Dober dan, kako ste? (Good afternoon, how are you?)
• Person 2: Dober dan, dobro hvala. Kako ste vi? (Good afternoon, I'm fine thank you. How are you?)
• Person 1: Tudi jaz sem dobro, hvala. (I'm also fine, thank you.)

Weather

Talking about the weather is a common small talk topic and Slovenians are no exception. Here are some idiomatic expressions used to describe the weather:

Slovenian	Pronunciation	English
Sončno je	SOHNCH-noh yeh	It's sunny
Dežuje	DEH-zhoo-yeh	It's raining
Megleno je	MEH-glehn-oh yeh	It's foggy
Oblačno je	oh-BLAHCH-noh yeh	It's cloudy
Vetrovno je	VEHT-row-vnoh yeh	It's windy
Toplo je	TOH-ploh yeh	It's warm
Mrzlo je	MRRZ-loh yeh	It's cold

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Kako je vreme danes? (How's the weather today?)
• Person 2: Oblačno je, lahko bi tudi deževalo. (It's cloudy, it might also rain.)
• Person 1: Upam, da bo vsaj jutri sončno. (I hope it will be sunny tomorrow.)

Food and drinks

Slovenia is known for its diverse cuisine and refreshing drinks. Here are some idiomatic expressions related to food and drinks:

Slovenian	Pronunciation	English
Dober tek!	DOH-ber tek	Bon appétit!/Enjoy your meal!
Na zdravje!	na ZDRAH-vyeh	Cheers!/Bless you!
Živijo!	zhee-VEE-yoh	Hi!/Hello!
Kaj boš pil?	kai bosh peel	What will you drink?
Lahko dobim račun, prosim?	LAH-koh DOH-beem RAH-choon, PROH-seem	Can I have the check, please?

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Dober tek! (Bon appétit!)
• Person 2: Hvala, zelo je okusno. (Thank you, it's really tasty.)
• Person 1: Kaj boš pil? (What will you drink?)
• Person 2: Rad bi si privoščil kozarec rdečega vina. (I would like a glass of red wine.)

Emotions

Expressing emotions in Slovenian can be challenging, especially when it comes to subtle nuances of feelings. Here are some idiomatic expressions related to emotions and their translations:

Slovenian	Pronunciation	English
Pustil me je na cedilu.	POO-stil meh yeh na tseh-DEE-loo	He left me in the lurch.
Imeti metuljčke v trebuhu.	ee-MEH-tee meh-TOOL-chkeh f treh-BOO-hoo	To have butterflies in one's stomach.
Biti v sedmih nebesih.	BEE-tee v SEHD-meeh NEH-beh-seeh	To be over the moon.
Vreči denar skozi okno.	VREH-chee DEH-nahr SKOH-zhee OH-knoh	To throw money out the window.
Biti na koncu z živci.	BEE-tee nah KOHN-tsoo z zhiv-tsi	To be at the end of one's tether.

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Kako se počutiš? (How do you feel?)
• Person 2: Imeti metuljčke v trebuhu. (I have butterflies in my stomach.)
• Person 1: Zakaj? (Why?)
• Person 2: Zmenila sem se za zmenek in sem malce nervozna. (I have a date and I'm a bit nervous.)

Miscellaneous

Here are some other idiomatic expressions that don't fit into a specific category:

Slovenian	Pronunciation	English
Narediti črno na belem.	na-REH-dee-tee CHRR-noh nah BEH-lehm	To make it black on white.
Živeti kot ptič pred zimo.	zhee-VEH-tee koht PTIHTS prehd ZEE-moh	To live like a bird before winter.
Imeti rdečo nit.	ee-MEH-tee rdeh-CHOH neet	To have a red thread.
Pojesti svoj kruh.	po-YEH-stee svoi krooh	To eat one's own bread.
Imeti dolge roke.	ee-MEH-tee DOHL-geh ROH-keh	To have long hands.

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Kaj pomeni "narediti črno na belem"? (What does "to make it black on white" mean?)
• Person 2: Pomeni, da se stvari jasno izrazijo in zapišejo. (It means to express and write things clearly.)
• Person 1: Razumem. In kaj pomeni "imeti dolge roke"? (I understand. And what does "to have long hands" mean?)
• Person 2: Pomeni, da so osebe spretno v reševanju praktičnih nalog. (It means that the person is skillful in solving practical tasks.)

That's all for now! We hope you enjoyed learning these idiomatic expressions and that you feel more confident using them in your conversations in Slovenian. Remember to practice and don't hesitate to ask questions and learn more about Slovenian culture and language!

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Other Lessons

• Clothes
• Count to 10
• Family
• Numbers
• Animal
• Useful phrases
• Love
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Education

Sources

• Slovenian Vocabulary - Idiomatic expressions
• Slovenian Idioms | Anna in Slovenia
• The 19 Funniest Slovenian Expressions (and How To Use Them)