So what is this song about? Here are the lyrics with as close to literal translation as I could muster. And don’t forget to sing along. I believe that songs are one of the best ways to learn a foreign language. Especially catchy ones like this one.

(VERSE 1)
biely kvet – darujem ti biely kvet
white flower – (I) gift you white flower
biely kvet – môžu ti ho závidieť
white flower – (they) may you it be-jealous-of
biely kvet – od šatnárky v kine Sen
white flower – from (the lady) attendant at cinema Dream
studený biely kvet ti na rozlúčku prinesiem
cold white flower (for) you for a farewall (I) bring

(CHORUS)
biely kvet – darujem ti biely kvet
white flower – (I) gift you white flower
biely kvet – posledný je, viac ich niet, niet
white flower – the last-one it-is, more of-it is-not, is-not
biely kvet – dlhá ryha smútku v ňom
white flower – long crease of sadness in it
studený biely kvet ti dávam navždy s úsmevom
cold white flower you (I) give forever with a smile

(VERSE 2)
Tak sa priprav na život s ním, priprav na život s ním
So get ready for the life with him, get ready for the life with him
Prežiješ s ním možno pár zím, možno pár dlhých zím
(You may) live-through with him maybe few winters, maybe couple long winters
Na svetlo vždy vyjdeš s tmou, nechám ti v ňom smútok slov
To the light you will come-out with darkness, (I’ll) leave for-you in it sadness of words
Tak sa priprav na život s ním – priprav na život s ním
So get ready for the life with him, get ready for the life with him

(CHORUS)

(VERSE 2)

(CHORUS)

Do you like this song? Find out more about popular Slovak songs from the 80s in the blog section of this website…

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Juraj passes by. After a short introduction, he asks if we shall have coffee.
Mišo: Juraj, nazdar!
Juraj: Hej Mišo, nazdar! Čo je nové?
Mišo: Nič moc. Tu je môj známy, Michael.
Juraj: Michael? Vy ste Angličan?
You: Nie, ja som Američan. A vy, vy ste Slovák?
Juraj: Áno, som. Dáme si kávu?
You, Mišo: Dobrý nápad!

Mišo flags down the waiter and asks how much is coffee.
Mišo: Pán čašník, koľko stojí káva?
Čašník: Káva je jedno euro (€1).
Mišo: Dobre, doneste štyri (4).

It’s time to pay. Mišo calls the waiter again.
Mišo: Zaplatíme. Koľko je to?
Čašník: Dokopy dvadsať päť eur (€25).
Mišo: Dobre, tu máte tridsať (30).

Juraj has to get going. He thanks for the coffee and says goodbye.
Juraj: Ďakujem za kávu. Už musím.
Mišo: Tak dovi.
Juraj: Dovidenia!

The Dialog, in details:

This dialog starts off with Mišo noticing his friend Juraj. He calls to him: nazdar means something like salut. It’s a common greeting used between friends. Juraj is pleasantly surprised to run into Mišo. Hej Mišo, nazdar! means Oh hey Mišo, howdy!. Juraj then asks what’s happening. Čo je nové? means what is new?. Not a whole lot: nič moc means (bit colloquially) nothing much. He then introduces you. Známy means an acquaintance, and tu je môj známy is here is my acquantance. You guys then talk bit about your nationalities, stuff you learned back in Lesson 1 (Greetings). Piece of cake. Juraj finally suggests to have a coffee. Dáme si …? means Will we have …?. The Slovak word for coffee is káva, but due to the various conjugation rules, it becomes kávu in sentences like this one. For those interested in grammar, this is because coffee is in the accusative case in this sentence. You all think this is a good idea, dobrý nápad.

Mišo thus calls over the (Mr.) waiter pán čašník. It’s customary to show bit of formality when addressing the wait staff. After all, they are the ones in carrying your food. Also, back in the day, the level of customer service was quite different from what you may be used to in the United States. Instead of the waiter coming by every few minutes asking if you need anything, or offering you free refills (which are very rare in Slovakia), you had to go out of your way to flag the waiter down. Things are changing, especially in the big cities, but don’t be surprised if you have to work a bit to get service in a restaurant. This doesn’t mean you are not welcome there, this is just the way things are.

To ask how much something costs, you use koľko stojí …?. Literally, this phrase means how much stands …?. Coffee is one euro, jedno euro. Until January 1st, 2009, the official currency of Slovakia was the Slovak Crown, slovenská koruna. Then Slovakia became the first country of the former eastern block to switch to the euro. The first former communist country to switch was Slovenia (which was part of Yugoslavia), but since Yugoslavia was not as “tight” with the Soviets as was, let’s say, Czechoslovakia, they are not generally considered to had been in the Soviet block. Mišo tells the waiter bring four (coffees), doneste štyri.

Since there never is a free lunch (unless somebody else pays, that’s it), it’s time to pay. Mišo tells the waiter that we will pay, zaplatíme. He again asks how much is it, but this time the phrase is slightly different. Since we are not asking for the price of something in particular, but rather something abstract, we use koľko je to?, how much is it?. Dokopy (altogether) the bill comes to 25 euro. Mišo gives the waiter little extra. Tu máte tridsať is here you have thirty. When I was growing up, tipping consisted of leaving just few pieces of coin on the table – perhaps just the change the waiter brought back. But things are changing, partly due to the influx of foreign tourists who are used to tip the 15% in their home countries.

Finally, it’s time to say good bye. Juraj thanks for the coffee, and says (he) already must (get going), už musím (ísť). The word for goodbye in Slovak is dovidenia, which translates as “to (the next) seeing”. Friends will often use the abbreviated form, dovi, when parting. Tak means in that case. Zatial dovidenia, goodbye for now!

Now continue onto the grammar and vocabulary sections to learn the basics of using numbers and the numbers in Slovak.

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V hoteli (in the hotel)
Mišo: Michael, ste hladný?
You: Yes, I am hungry. A vy?
Mišo: Ja som tiež hladný. A čo ty, Lucia?
Lucia: Nie, ja nie som hladná. Ja som smädná. Poďme!

Na ulici (on the street)
Lucia: Tu je Stará Radnica.
You: Oh yes, here is the Old Town Hall. It is pretty.
Lucia: Áno, je pekná. Je aj stará.
You: That’s right. It says here that the tower dates back to the 13th century.

V reštauracií (in the restaurant)
Mišo: Prosím si bryndzové halušky a jedno pivo.
You: That sounds good! I will also have bryndzové halušky and a beer.
Waiter: A vám?
Lucia: Dám si kapustnicu a Kofolu.

Pár minút neskôr (few minutes later)
You: How is your meal?
Mišo: Bryndzové halušky sú výborné. A kapustnica?
Lucia: Kapustnica je tiež dobrá.
You: And how is your beer?
Mišo: Pivo je skvelé! Je studené.
You: A Kofola?
Lucia: Kofola je vždy super!

The dialog, dissected:

Time to go out and sample the excellent Slovak cuisine. Along the way, let’s learn how to describe things using adjectives. After this lesson, you should be ready to make simple dialogs and order your first meal, in Slovak!

The conversation starts with Mišo asking you ste hladný? (are you hungry?). This is the short form of vy ste hladný? As you learned in the previous lesson, ste is the form of the verb to be used with the plural you which is used when addressing somebody formally. You will see that the pronoun is typically omitted. There really is no need for it – you can figure out what you are referring to from the form of the verb. Often when it is used it is done to emphasize the subject.

Good that Mišo asked because you are hungry! Turns out, so is he. Ja som tiež hladný means I am also hungry. This sentence should be quite familiar. It is very similar to the sentences you studied in the previous dialog. He then asks his friend, Lucia: a čo ty? is and what (about) you?. Turns out she is not hungry (hladná), but she is thirsty (smädná). Let’s go! (poďme!)

On your way to the restaurant, you pass by the Old Town Hall, one of the oldest buildings in Bratislava. Tu je Stará Radnica means here is the Old Town Hall. One thing to note is that in Slovak, we don’t have any articles. So tu je Stará Radnica translates directly as here is Old Townhall. Lucia agrees that it is pretty, áno, je pekná (yes, (she) is pretty). She also tells you that it is also old: je aj stará ((she) is also old). Notice that again the pronouns are skipped. And notice those pesky genders! A town hall is feminine? Who would have though?

You finally made it to the restaurant. Mišo goes for a real Slovak dinner: bryndzové halušky with beer. Prosím si means I would like. This phrase comes from ja si prosím, I (for self) beg/ask. This is how you ask for just about anything in Slovakia. Just substitute the noun with whatever it is that you want. In this case, you order the bryndza dumplings and jedno pivo (one beer). They go really well together! The waiter then asks Lucia what would she like. A vám? means and (for) you?. I guess Lucia changed her mind, and orders something to eat, the sauerkraut soup, kapustnica. She also orders Kofola. Dám si means I’ll have.

What on earth is Kofola? The short answer is that it is the most amazing soda ever! One of the side effects of Czechoslovakia becoming a communist country after World War II was that trade with “the West” became severely restricted. This doesn’t mean that there were food shortages. At least I have never experienced grocery stores not having food during my lifetime. But the selection was limited to brands made either locally or imported from other Soviet block countries. As such, there was no Coke. Instead, we had the local alternative, Kofola. It tastes nothing like coke, but I love it! It is also the cheapest drink you can order in a restaurant, cheaper than beer and much cheaper than water (which is typically more expensive than beer!). Western items like Coke were actually available, but only in special stores called “Tuzex”. These stores were built so that government officials who frequently traveled oversees could continue buying the goodies they may have come accustomed to on their trips. To prevent locals from getting hooked on Swiss chocolate, you couldn’t use regular money in these stores. Instead, you had to use something called “bony”. But, there was always a supply of shady characters hanging outside these stores more than willing to trade your Czechoslovak crowns for bony. This is for instance how my mom bought me Legos for Christmas, even though Lego was not available in regular stores.

Alright your meal came out. Mišo says his bryndza dumplings are great (výborné). And what about Lucia’s kapustnica? It is also good (dobrá). And the beer? It is also excellent (skvelé). (It) is cold, (ono) je studené. Note that pivo is neuter. And Kofola? Kofola is always amazing (kofola je vždy super)!

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Mišo: Ahoj! Vy ste američan?
You: Yes, I am American. And you, are you Slovak?
Mišo: Áno, ja som Slovák. Volám sa Mišo.
You: Hi Mišo. My name is also Michael.
Mišo: No tak ahoj Michael! A tu je Lucia. Ona je tiež slovenka.
You: Hi Lucia! My name is Michael.
Lucia: Ahoj Michael! Tam je Bob, on je tiež američan.
Lucia: Bob, vy ste američan, že?
Bob: Áno, som. Prečo?
Lucia: Tu je Michael, on je tiež američan.
Bob: Oh, hi Michael, nice to meet you!
You: Nice to meet you, Bob!

Notes

Let’s go over this dialog. You are approached by a Slovak guy named Mišo. This is a very common Slovak name. It’s the short form of Michal, just like Mike is the short form of Michael. He says hi (ahoj), and asks if you are American. Vy ste means you are. Note that you don’t have to reverse the verb and the noun as is done in English. Instead, the fact you are asking a question is indicated by your intonation.

Mišo next tells you that he is Slovak. Áno mean yes and ja som is i am. To say my name is … you say volám sa …. Literally this phrase means (I) call myself …. Neat, you guys have the same first names! No tak ahoj is a little embellishment which the Slovak language is full off. It means, roughly, well, in that case, hi. Mišo next introduces his (female) friend Lucia. A tu je is and here is. Ona je tiež Slovenka means She is also Slovak. Note that the female form of “Slovak” (slovenka) is different from the male one (slovák). This is very common in our language. The endings of most words change based on whether they are referring to male, female or neuter items, and also based on what form they serve in the sentence. This behavior is called conjugation.

Lucia next introduces her friend Bob. Tam je means there is. Bob has been living in Slovakia for a while, and speaks good Slovak. Lucia double checks his origin. The že added to the end of the sentence serves the same role as right in you are American, right?. Bob confirms. Note that he just says som, and not ja som. You will notice that the pronouns (ja, on, ona, my, vy, etc…) are not used very often. This is because the form of the verb indicates which pronoun it refers to. This is just as if you were saying “Am Slovak” instead of “I am Slovak”. You could do this in English with the verb “to be” (but it would sound strange) . In Slovak, you can get away with not using the pronoun with ANY verb. Pretty neat, right? Finally, prečo simply means why.

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