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…

On Twitter or Facebook? Connect with us. Prefer email? Subscribe to the newsletter.

Zero through 10

nula (0)
jeden (1)
dva (2)
tri (3)
štyri (4)
päť (5)
šesť (6)
sedem (7)
osem (8)
deväť (9)
desať (10)

Eleven through nineteen

jedenásť (11)
dvanásť (12)
trinásť (13)
štrnásť (14)
pätnásť (15)
šesťnásť (16)
sedemnásť (17)
osemnásť (18)
deväťnásť (19)

Twenty through ninety-nine

dvadsať (20)
dvadsať jeden (21)
dvadsať dva (22)
tridsať (30)
štyridsať (40)
päťdesiať (50)
šesťdesiat (60)
sedemdesiat (70)
osemdesiat (80)
deväťdesiat (90)
deväťdesiat deväť (99)

Some big numbers

sto (100)
tisíc (1000)
milión (one million, 10⁶)
miliarda (one billion, 10⁹)
bilión (one trillion, 10¹²)

On Twitter or Facebook? Connect with us. Prefer email? Subscribe to the newsletter.

jeden (1)
dva (2)
tri (3)
štyri (4)
päť (5)
päťnásť (15)
dvadsať (20)

Let’s use these in some sentences. Let’s go back to the sentence from the dialog, koľko stojí káva? (how much for coffee?):

You: Koľko stojí káva?
Cheap restaurant: Káva stojí jedno euro
Less cheap restaurant: Káva stojí dve eurá
Not a cheap restaurant: Káva stojí tri eurá
Definitely not a cheap restaurant: Káva stojí štyri eurá
Expensive restaurant: Káva stojí päť eur
Really really expensive restaurant: Káva stojí dvädsať eur

Alright, what’s going on here?! I just told you that one and two are jeden and dva, respectively, but I used jedno and dve in the example. Typo? Nope, these two numbers change their form based on the gender of the noun they refer to. The forms for one are jeden, jedna, and jedno for masculine, feminine and neuter nouns, respectively. Since the word euro is neuter, we use jedno. For two you have dvaja for living masculine nouns and dve otherwise. Ok, what about dva? This form is used only as the numeral, when counting. In all practical sentences you will use one of the other two forms.

The word dollar, dolár, is masculine. On the other hand, Libra, the British pound, and koruna (crown), the currency in the Czech republic and formerly also in Slovakia, are feminine. Here are few examples for you to practice numbers with:

Hranolky stoja dva doláre (French fries cost two dollars)
Hamburger stojí päť dolárov (Hamburger costs five dollars)
Polievka stojí štyri libri (Soup costs four dollars)
Coca-cola stojí pätnáť českých korún (Coke costs 15 Czech crowns)

Any questions or something not clear? Just leave a comment and I’ll get back to you in a day or two.

On Twitter or Facebook? Connect with us. Prefer email? Subscribe to the newsletter.

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.

On Twitter or Facebook? Connect with us. Prefer email? Subscribe to the newsletter.

New Adjectives

hungry: hladný (masc.), hladná (fem.), hladné (neut.)
thirsty: smädný (M), smädná (F), smädné (N)
pretty: pekný, pekná, pekné
ugly: škaredý, škaredá, škaredé
old: starý, stará, staré
new: nový, nová, nové
warm: teplý, teplá, teplé
hot: horúci, horúca, horúce
cold: studený, studená, studené
good: dobrý, dobrá, dobré
excellent: výborný, výborná, výborné
bad: zlý, zlá, zlé

New Nouns

beer: pivo (N)
soda: malinovka (F)
soup: polievka (F)
Kofola: Kofola (F)
breakfast: raňajky (fem plural)
lunch: obed (M)
dinner: večera (F)
sauerkraut soup: kapustnica (F)
potato dumplings: halušky (fem plural)

New Phrases

Ja som hladný. A vy? (I am hungry. And you?)
Ja som tiež. A čo ty, Lucia? (I am too. And what about you, Lucia?)
Nie, nie som hladná. Ja som smädná. Poďme! (Nope, I am not hungry. I am thirsty. Let’s go!)

Prosím si bryndzové halušky. (I would like bryndza potato dumplings)
A ja si prosím jedno pivo. (And I would like one beer)
A vám? (And for you?)
Dám si kapustnicu a Kofolu. (I’ll have the sauerkraut soup and Kofola)

Kapustnica je výborná! (Sauerkraut soup is excellent!)
Malinovka je tiež dobrá. Je studená. (Soda is also good. It’s cold.)

On Twitter or Facebook? Connect with us. Prefer email? Subscribe to the newsletter.