Greetings and politeness in Slovenian
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Slovenian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Slovenian phrases in this lesson
- Dober danDO-ber DAN
- Hello
- Dobro jutroDO-bro YOO-tro
- Good morning
- Dober večerDO-ber VEH-cher
- Good evening
- Nasvidenjenas-VEE-den-yeh
- Goodbye
- Se vidimoseh VEE-dee-moh
- See you
- ProsimPRO-seem
- Please
- HvalaHVA-la
- Thank you
- Ni za kajnee za KAI
- You're welcome
- Žal mi jeZHAL mee yeh
- Sorry
- Oprostiteo-pros-TEE-teh
- Excuse me
- Me veselimeh veh-SEH-lee
- Nice to meet you
Literally "good day", the polite daytime greeting for strangers and shops. Dobro jutro covers the morning and dober večer the evening.
Used until around midday. Slovenians appreciate this greeting at cafes and shops.
Said arriving anywhere in the evening.
Standard farewell in formal or neutral settings. Casual speakers also say "Adijo" (ah-DEE-yoh).
Literally "we see each other". Friends also say adijo. Nasvidenje is the polite goodbye.
Same word as "you're welcome." Place it at the end of a request to sound polite and natural.
Everyday thank you. The "hv" cluster is unique to Slovenian and requires a breathy "h" before the "v".
Literally "it is for nothing", and unambiguous. The alternative "prosim" also answers thanks, but it doubles as please and as "here you go", so context has to carry it.
Literally "it is a pity to me", the real apology.
The polite form, to get attention or to ask to pass. With friends: "oprosti".
Literally "it makes me glad".