Language/Slovenian/Grammar/Questions
Hi Slovenian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will take a closer look at questions in Slovenian, from the basic to more complex expressions. You will learn about the different question words, how to form questions, and common question patterns used in everyday conversations.
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Gender, Perfect tense, Conditional and future tense & Conditional Mood.
Basic Questions[edit | edit source]
Asking questions is critical to communication in any language. In Slovenian, basic questions follow the subject-verb-object word order, just like in English. To ask a basic question, you simply need to raise your voice at the end of the sentence.
Example:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ali imaš rad/a kavo? | ['ali 'imaʃ 'ɾat/a 'kavɔ] | Do you like coffee? |
| Kje živiš? | ['kje 'ʒiʋiʃ] | Where do you live? |
| Kaj delaš? | ['kaɪ 'dɛlaʃ] | What are you doing? |
| Kdaj prideš? | ['kdaɪ 'pɾi:dɛʃ] | When will you come? |
Notice how the emphasis is on the final word, particularly the rising intonation at the end of the sentence. This helps signal to your listener that you are asking a question.
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Kje si? ('Where are you?')
- Person 2: Sem v kuhinji. ('I am in the kitchen.')
Question Words[edit | edit source]
In Slovenian, question words are used to ask particular information. The most common question words in Slovenian are: kaj (what), kdo (who), kje (where), kdaj (when), kako (how), zakaj (why), and koliko (how many).
To form a question using a question word, you typically place the question word at the start of the sentence followed by the subject and verb.
Example:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Katero knjigo bereš? | ['katɛɾɔ 'kɲiɡɔ 'bɛɾɛʃ] | What book are you reading? |
| Koliko mačk imaš? | [kɔ'likɔ ma:ʧk 'imaʃ] | How many cats do you have? |
| Kako si prišel/a sem? | ['ka:kɔ si 'pɾiʃɛl/a sɛm] | How did you get here? |
| Zakaj si žalosten/a? | [za'ka:j si ʒalɔstɛn/a] | Why are you sad? |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Kako se po slovensko reče "hello"? ('How do you say "hello" in Slovenian?')
- Person 2: "Zdravo" ali "Dober dan". ('"Zdravo" or "Dober dan".')
Yes/No Questions[edit | edit source]
In Slovenian, Yes/No questions are formed by adding a question particle ali before the verb of the sentence. This is similar to the usage of "do" in English to form a question.
Example:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ali imaš avto? | ['ali 'imaʃ 'avtɔ] | Do you have a car? |
| Ali ti je všeč film? | ['ali ti je 'vʃɛtʃ 'film] | Do you like the movie? |
| Ali si že jedel/a? | ['ali si ʒɛ 'ʤɛdɛl/a] | Have you eaten yet? |
| Ali smem vstopiti? | ['ali smɛm 'ʋstɔpiti] | Can I come in? |
Notice how the usage of ali (whether) in these questions. It can be translated as "whether" or left out of the sentence, but it is important to include it in order to distinguish between statements and questions.
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Si živčen/a? ('Are you nervous?')
- Person 2: Ne, nisem živčen/a. ('No, I am not nervous.')
Tag Questions[edit | edit source]
In Slovenian, tag questions are formed in a similar way to English. A tag question is a statement with a mini question at the end, used to confirm or clarify intent.
Example:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Lepo vreme, kajne? | ['lɛpɔ 'ʋɛɾmɛ 'ka:jnɛ] | Nice weather, isn’t it? |
| Greva na pico, kaj ne? | ['ɡɾɛʋa na 'pit͡sɔ, 'ka:j nɛ] | Let's go for pizza, shall we? |
| Je to tvoj avto, a ni? | [ʤɛ tɔ tʋɔj 'avtɔ, a ni] | That's your car, right? |
Notice how tag questions often end with "kaj ne?" or "a ni?", depending on the context. These expressions are used similarly to the English expressions "isn't it?" or "right?", respectively.
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Rad/a imaš italijansko hrano, kaj ne? ('You like Italian food, right?')
- Person 2: Seveda, obožujem testenine in pico. ('Of course, I love pasta and pizza.')
Complex Questions[edit | edit source]
In Slovenian, it is also possible to create more complex questions by combining different question words or using more complex grammatical structures.
Example:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kaj bi rad/a jedel/a in kje? | ['kaɪ bi 'ɾad/a 'ʤɛdɛl/a in kje] | What would you like to eat and where? |
| Kdaj prideš domov, in zakaj si bil/a tako dolgo odsoten/a? | ['kdaɪ 'pɾi:dɛʃ 'domɔʋ, in za'ka:j si bil/a 'takɔ 'dɔlɡɔ 'ɔdsɔtɛn/a] | When are you coming home, and why have you been away for so long? |
| Koliko časa si potreboval/a za pripravo, ter kako je bilo? | [kɔ'likɔ 'tʃasa si pɔtɾɛ'bɔʋal/a za pɾi'pɾaʋɔ, tɛɾ 'ka:kɔ jɛ 'bilɔ] | How long did it take you to prepare, and how was it? |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Ali menite, da bo vreme jutri lepo, in bi radi šli na sprehod? ('Do you think the weather will be nice tomorrow, and would you like to go for a walk?')
- Person 2: Se strinjam. ('I agree.')
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
In Slovenian, there are various ways to form questions, from basic to more complex expressions. By using different question words, intonation, or grammatical structures, you can effectively communicate with native speakers in a more meaningful way. Don't be afraid to practice forming questions, and remember to always keep learning!
To improve your Slovenian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
Congratulations on finishing this lesson! Explore these related pages to keep learning: Conditional perfect tense, Future perfect tense, Past Tense & Conjugation.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- How to Use Be
- Negation
- How to Use Have
- Conditional Mood
- Conjugation
- Give your Opinion
- Pronouns
- Nouns
- Adjectives