Slovene for Foreigners

Brati = to read

Sosedova deklica rada bere pravljice.
Neighbours daughter likes to read fairy tales.

Šranga (The obstacle) 👰‍♀🤵💍💒

In the rural areas of Slovenia, it is still a tradition for the groom (ženin) to pick up the bride from her house on their wedding day (poročni dan). On the way to her house, the local young men prepare Šranga (a wooden obstacle), to block the road and stop the groom from getting to his bride (nevesta). When he arrives at the obstacle, he is given two options (dve opciji). He can either pay the local men or saw through the Šranga. Once he makes his way through, the young men try to trick (prevarati) him again. At the bride’s house, they dress an older person (starejša oseba) in the wedding dress (poročna obleka), and they try to pass him/her off as the bride. Again, the groom has to pay in order to get the bride and to get married.

Poroka = a wedding
Zakon = a marriage
Nevesta = a bride
Ženin = a groom

In love with roasted potatoes 😋🥔🥔♨️

For the past sixteen years, The Society for Acknowledging Roasted Potatoes (pečen krompir) as The Main Course has been organizing the International Festival of Roasted Potatoes.

What started as a small gathering (majhno srečanje) now brings together thousands of roasted potato lovers (ljubitelji pečenega krompirja) from Slovenia and abroad.

Each year the festival is held in a different city ( v drugem mestu), where restaurants (restavracije) and organized groups prepare the potatoes in over thirty different variations (trideset različnih načinov). As befits, the roasted potatoes are served as the main course (glavna jed) and meat is added as a side dish (stranska jed).

Slovenci obožujejo pečen krompir. 🥔♨️❤
Slovene people adore roasted potatoes.

The Day of the Deceased 🕯🪦💐

November 1st marks the Day of the Dead (Dan mrtvih) in Slovenia. On this day locals pay respects to the deceased by visiting the cemetery (pokopališče) where they light candles (prižgati sveče) and bring flowers to the graves.

Many people also visit family members (obiskati družinske člane) they don’t usually get to see throughout the year.

Around midday, locals visit the cemetery in silence, and after the priest is done blessing the graves, families gather together for a small meal.

These traditions make The Day of the Dead one of the most important family holidays in Slovenia (eden najbolj pomembnih praznikov v Sloveniji).

Grob = a grave
Sveča = a candle
Rože = flowers
Hrana = food

CELEBRATING THE CATTLE RETURN TO THE VALLEY ⛰🐄🐄🐄❤🧍‍♂️🎉🎊

The Cow Ball (kravji bal) started as a small celebration (praznovanje) where shepherds (pastiriji) were honored after returning from the mountains (gore) and bringing the cattle (živina) back to the village. Nowdays it is a celebration where locals of the Bohinj Valley gather every year in mid-September.

Over the last 60 years, the Cow Ball in Bohinj has become a well-known event and has been attracting visitors (obiskovalci) from all over Slovenia and the world. The shepherd’s return is celebrated with folk music, group performances, accordion orchestras, brass bands, delicious local food, and Slovenian wine.

Would you visit an event like this?
Ali bi obiskali tak dogodek?

🐄🇸🇮🐄🇸🇮🐄🇸🇮🐄🇸🇮🐄🇸🇮🐄🇸🇮🐄

Source: theculturetrip

BLESSING THE MOTORCYCLES 🏍❤😇

🌸Every spring, towns around Slovenia host the Blessing of the Motorcycles (žegnanje motorjev). Events are organized by the local Moto Clubs (lokalni motoristični klubi) and they vary in size.

🏍🛵At the smallest events, only a couple of motorcycles are blessed, and the larger ones can bring together up to ten thousand motorcycles.

😇The bikes are blessed by priests (duhovniki) in the hope of a safe driving season (sezono varne vožnje).

🏍🥰Jaz rad vozim motor.
I like to ride a bike.

🏍❤Motorji so mi od nekdaj všeč.
I have ways liked motorbikes.

Source: theculturetrip

WANT TO BECOME A WINE QUEEN? 🍷👸

Every year Slovenians pick a Wine Queen (vinska kraljica). Her duties are to promote Slovenian wines (promocija slovenskih vin), different wine regions, and the countries long wine producing tradition.

A panel of judges picks a queen (izbor kraljice) from the young, single, contestants (mlade, samske tekmovalke) who need to be knowledgeable about Slovenian wines and wine in general. They also need to have an extensive knowledge of proper wine serving (široko znanje o degustaciji vina) and wine tasting etiquette.

Vino = wine
Kraljica = a queen
Tekmovanje = a competition

Deli telesa = body parts

Kovter = a cover (for bed)

BONFIRE ON APRIL 30

The tradition (tradicija) of lighting bonfires (kres) in Slovenia goes back hundreds of years. Throughout history, the reasons for bonfires have changed.

🌞In the past, they were used as a tool in mystical rituals (mističnih ritualih) to help the sun gain more power in the spring (pomlad).

👷‍♀️👨‍🏭🔈Since 1890, when the world first celebrated Labor Day on May 1st (Praznik dela za prvi maj), bonfires were lit the day before to serve as reminders of worker’s rights (delavske pravice).

🎊Nowadays, bonfires are still lit all over Slovenia on April 30th, but not as much as a tool for the worker’s unions, but more as a social event.
⛰🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂️People gather at the top of the hills (se zberejo na vrhu hriba), around the bon fire at the night time, dance, eat, drink and spend a great time celebrating the fire infront of them.

Ali greš z mano na kresovanje?
Would you like to go see a bon fire with me?

Source:

Seneni nahod = hay fever

When meeting close friends and family in Slovenia, they may kiss twice on the cheek and give each other a little hug. 🤗😚

Poljub = a kiss
Objem = a hug
Družina = a family
Prijatelji = friends

How do you usually greet your friends and family?

DO YOU TIP WHEN IN SLOVENIA? 🧐💶

Although tipping is not obligatory, it is polite to round the bill up to a convenient figure in restaurants and when taking a taxi.

How much do you usually tip?

Slovenija ima obliko kokoši.
Slovenia has a shape of a chicken.

Sušiti lase = to dry hair

Karate je ena najbolj znanih borilnih veščin na svetu.
Karate is one of the most known martial arts in the world.

Blejsko jezero je zaklad Slovenije.
Bled lake is a treasure of Slovenia.

Slovenska zastava = Slovene flag

Pivo = a beer

Katero je najboljše slovensko pivo?
What is the best Slovenian beer?

TREAT YOUR FRIENDS TO A ROUND OF DRINKS, OR SPLIT THE BILL? 💵👫🍸☕

Who pays for the drinks (plačati pijačo) when meeting friends in Slovenia?

If you are a guest (gost), the person who invites you to a drink (pijača), might offer to pay for your drink. In this case, you can offer to split the bill (deliti si račun), but if the host insist, you can let them treat you.

Next time you meet again, you can return the favor (vrniti uslugo), and offer to pay their bill (plačati račun) in return.

If the host doesn't offer to pay, and you don't want to pay for the round (plačati rundo), it is polite to offer to split the bill.

👍Rule of thumb is, if other people treat you to a drink/food, than it is polite of you to also treat them once in a while.

What is your experience?
(Kakšne so vaše izkušnje?)

BRING A SMALL GIFT WHEN YOU ARE VISITING SOMEONE'S HOME. 🙍‍♀️💝🏡

When visiting (obisk) someone in their home (dom), it is polite (vljudno) to bring a small gift (majhno darilo) with you, especially if they invite you for lunch or a longer stay.

This could be a souvenir (spominek) from your country, or if you don't have one, you could bring them flowers (rože), coffee (kava), a bottle of wine (steklenica vina), or a box of chocolate (bonboniera).
You can also bring your gift of choice, as long as it is not a very expensive gift (drago darilo).

With this gesture, you express your gratitude (hvaležnost) to the host.

Trgovina = a store

Ali greš lahko ti danes namesto mene v trgovino?
Can you go to the store today instead of me?

Popraviti avto = to repair a car

Avto se mi je pokvaril. Moram ga peljati v mehanično delavnico.
My car broke down. I need to take it to the mechanical workshop.

Nogomet = soccer

Vsako nedeljo gledamo nogomet s prijatelji.
Every Sunday we are watching soccer with friends.

Predjamski grad = Predjama castle

Pred = before
Jama = cave

Moj najljubši kraj v Sloveniji je_______?
(My favourite place in Slovenia is______?)

Kje je Slovenija?
Where is Slovenia?

Ali ste vedeli? 👇🙍‍♀️🙍
(Did you know?)

In Slovenia, when greeting someone, you say: "Dober dan" (Hello - for formal), or "Živjo" (for casual), sometimes also "Zdravo" (casual, which means 'good health').

When you meet a person for the first time it is polite to shake hands (usually with one hand, the right one) and give a polite smile (nasmeh). This is taught form early years on even to children (otroci), so it is polite to greet them in this way too.

Usually people don't use hugging (objem) or bowing (poklon) with first encounter, but hugging may develope later on when you become friends (prijatelji).

Sometimes (especially older) people might take your one hand into their both hands. This means they are being extra caring (skrbni) and affectionate (ljubeznivi) towards your encounter (srečanje).