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Parts of speech and inflexion

Substantives denote persons, animals, objects, properties and processes.

They are classified as follows:

  • General
    Names of persons, animals, objects... of the same kind. They are written with small initial letters.
    človek, učiteľ, pes, dom, strom, kniha, škola, mesiac, leto, pondelok, január
  • Proper
    Names of unique persons, animals, objects, geographic names, holidays... They are written with LARGE initial letters. Names of days in the week and months are not regarded as proper nouns!
    Zuzana, Dunčo, Vysoké Tatry, Bratislava, Slovensko, Vianoce, Veľká noc
  • Concrete
    Names of persons, animals, objects. They are tangible and are observable with sense organs.
    brat, Karol, mačka, pes, ryba, zajac, stôl, dom, kniha, škola
  • Abstract
    Names of properties, processes. They are intangible and are not observable with sense organs.
    zdravie, múdrosť, šťastie, láska, leto, prázdniny, matematika

Declension of nouns

Slovak nouns follow several different declension patterns. Each gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) has its own patterns of declension, represented by model nouns. In order to use Slovak nouns correctly, we need to know both the gender of the noun, and also the declension pattern that it follows.

Example: The noun //mama// is declined according to the model of //žena//.

Singular Plural
N žena ženy
G ženy žien
D žene ženám
A ženu ženy
L (o) žene ženách
I (so) ženou ženami
Singular Plural
N mama mamy
G mamy mám
D mame mamám
A mamu mamy
L (o) mame mamách
I (so) mamou mamami

Also: babka, vnučka, dcéra, rodina, priateľka

The noun chlapec is declined according to the model of chlap.

Singular Plural
N chlap chlapi
G chlapa chlapov
D chlapovi chlapom
A chlapa chlapov
L (o) chlapovi chlapoch
I (so) chlapom chlapmi
Singular Plural
N chlapec chlapci
G chlapca chlapcov
D chlapcovi chlapcom
A chlapca chlapcov
L (o) chlapcovi chlapcoch
I (so) chlapcom chlapcami?

Also: vnuk, dedko, otec, syn, priateľ, študent, muž

Noun declensions

Masculine Singular

Living nouns
N chlap hrdina
G chlapa hrdinu
D chlapovi hrdinovi
A chlapa hrdinu
L chlapovi hrdinovi
I chlapom hrdinom
Non-living nouns
N dub stroj
G duba stroja
D dubu stroju
A dub stroj
L dube stroji
I dubom strojom
Nouns of foreign origin
N kuli
G kuliho
D kulimu
A kuliho
L kulim
I kulim

Masculine Plural

Living nouns
N chlapi hrdinovia
G chlapov hrdinov
D chlapom hrdinom
A chlapov hrdinov
L chlapoch hrdinoch
I chlapmi hrdinami
Non-living nouns
N duby stroje
G dubov strojov
D dubom strojom
A duby stroje
L duboch strojoch
I dubmi strojmi
Nouns of foreign origin
N kuliovia
G kuliov
D kuliom
A kuliov
L kulioch
I kuliami

Hint:

Living nouns

  • Ending in a consonant or -o
    chlap, chlapec, otec, brat, syn, učiteľ, spolužiak, priateľ, pes, lev, dedo, Jano, Martin
  • Ending in -a
    hrdina, hokejista, huslista, cyklista, vodca, sluha

Non-living nouns

  • Ending in a hard or bilabial consonant
    dub, dom, strom, obraz, hrad, plot, stôl, vlak
  • Ending in a soft consonant
    stroj, kôš, oheň, nôž, čaj, počítač

Living masculine nouns are declined in the singular according to the model of chlap, and in the plural according to the model of dub (if the noun ends in a hard or bilabial consonant), or according to the model of stroj (if the noun ends in a soft consonant).

Model chlap

The following nouns are declined like //chlap//:

  • living masculine nouns ending in a consonant or -o:
    chlapec, otec, syn, dedo, Jano, pes, vnuk, spolužiak
  • only in singular form - animal nouns:
    pes, vlk, vták, lev, medveď, kôň

Note: Words in the nominative plural can also end with -ovia (synovia, otcovia, dedovia…) and -ia (učitelia, bratia…).

Model hrdina

The following nouns are declined like //hrdina//:

  • (Living) masculine nouns ending in -a:
    sudca, sluha, hokejista, huslista

Note: Words ending in –ista have the ending -i (huslisti, hokejisti…) in the nominative plural.

Model dub

The following nouns are declined like //dub//:

  • (non-living) masculine substantives ending with a hard or bilabial consonant:
    potok, dom, strom, obraz, autobus, trolejbus, pondelok, utorok, štvrtok, piatok
  • only in plural form — animal nouns ending with a hard or neutral consonant:
    slon, had, vlk, lev
Model dub

The following nouns are declined like //stroj//:

  • (non-living) masculine nouns ending in a soft consonant:
    kôš, oheň, nôž, čaj, počítač, dážď, máj, kameň
  • only in plural form — animal nouns that end in a soft consonant:
    medveď, kôň, mravec
Model kuli

The following nouns are declined like //kuli//:

  • masculine nouns that are foreign loanwords, masculine names and surnames ending with the vowels i, y, í, e, é, ä, ű, ö, ő:
    pony, grizly, abbé, Škultéty, Goethe, Krčméry, Nietsche

Feminine Singular

N žena
G ženy
D žene
A ženu
L žene
I ženou
N ulica
G ulice
D ulici
A ulicu
L ulici
I ulicou
N dlaň
G dlaňe
D dlaňi
A dlaň
L dlaňi
I dlaňou
N kosť
G kosťi
D kosťi
A kosť
L kosťi
I kosťou
N gazdiná
G gazdinej
D gazdinej
A gazdinú
L gazdinej
I gazdinou
N idea
G idey
D idei
A ideu
L idei
I ideou

Feminine Plural

N ženy
G žen / žení
D ženám
A ženy
L ženách
I ženami
N ulice
G ulíc / ulící
D uliciam
A ulice
L uliciach
I ulicami
N dlane
G dlaní
D dlaniam
A dlane
L dlaniach
I dlaňami
N kosti
G kostí
D kostiam
A kosti
L kostiach
I kosťami
N gazdiné
G gazdín
D gazdinám
A gazdiné
L gazdinách
I gazdinami
N idey
G ideí
D ideám
A idey
L ideách
I ideami

Hint:

Ending in -a

  • a is preceded by a hard or bilabial consonant
    žena, voda, hlava, ruka, noha, chata, Bratislava, Nitra, rodina
  • {1} is preceded by a soft consonant
    ulica, práca, stanica, schôdza, tabuľa, ruža, cibuľa, vaňa, nedeľa

Ending in a consonant

  • in the nominative plural, they end in -e
    dlaň, pieseň, loď, báseň
  • in the nominative plural, they end in -i
    kosť, noc, krv, vlasť
Model žena

The following nouns are declined like //žena//:

  • feminine nouns ending in -a. The -a ending is preceded by a hard or bilabial consonant.:
    mama, dcéra, vnučka, rodina, kniha, cesta, voda, ruka, noha, hlava, streda, sobota

Note: When we add no ending in the genitive plural, the root is elongated.

  • mamamám
  • knihakníh
  • rukarúk
  • nohanôh
Model ulica

The following nouns are declined like //ulica//:

  • Feminine nouns ending in {1}. The vowel {1} is preceded by a soft consonant.:
    práca, stanica, schôdza, tabuľa, ruža, cibuľa, vaňa, fľaša, nedeľa, chvíľa

Note: When we add no ending in the genitive plural, the root is elongated.

  • stanicastaníc
  • tabuľatabúľ
  • fľašafliaš
  • chvíľachvíľ
Model dlaň

The following nouns are declined like //dlaň//:

  • Feminine nouns ending with a consonant. In the nominative plural, they end in -e (dlane).:
    pieseň, loď, báseň, reportáž, posteľ, predpoveď
Model kosť

The following nouns are declined like //kosť//:

  • feminine nouns ending ina consonant. In the nominative plural, they end in -i (kosti).:
    vec, noc, step, pomoc, zmes, radosť, krv
Model gazdiná

The following nouns are declined like //gazdiná//:

  • feminine nouns – only a few words that always designate people, mostly from the feudal period.:
    princezná, kráľovná, cisárovná, šľachtičná, stryná
Model idea

The conjugation pattern of //idea// is sometimes used. The following nouns are declined like //idea//:

  • Feminine nouns that are foreign loanwords ending in -ea, -oa, -ua:
    orchidea, Andrea, aloa, Nikaragua, Ikea

The words //mať// (mother) and //pani// (Mrs.) have their own declensions.

Singular Plural
N mať matere
G matere materí
D materi materiam
A mať matere
L (o) materi materiach
I (so) materou materami
Singular Plural
N pani panie
G panej paní
D panej paniam
A paniu panie
L panej paniach
I paňou panami

Note: The noun //pani// is declined only when it stands alone. When combined with a proper noun it is not declined.

  • to je pani Malá
  • ideme od pani Malej
  • ideme k pani Malej
  • vidím pani Malú

Neuter Singular

N mesto
G mesta
D mestu
A mesto
L meste / mestu
I mestom
N srdce
G srdca
D srdcu
A srdce
L srdci
I srdcom
N vysvedčenie
G vysvedčenia
D vysvedčeniu
A vysvedčenie
L vysvedčení
I vysvedčením
N dievča
G dievčaťa
D dievčaťu
A dievča
L dievčati
I dievčom

Neuter Plural

N mestá
G miest / mestí
D mestám
A mestá
L mestách
I mestami
N srdcia
G sŕdc
D srdciam
A srdcia
L srdciach
I srdcami
N vysvedčenia
G vysvedčení
D vysvedčeniam
A vysvedčenia
L vysvedčeniach
I vysvedčeniami
N dievčatá / dievčence
G dievčat / dievčeniec
D dievčatám / dievčencom
A dievčatá / dievčence
L dievčatách / dievčencoch
I dievčatami / dievčencami

Hint:

  • Ending in -o, -on or -um
    mesto, auto, jablko, Slovensko, epiteton, múzeum
  • Ending in -e
    srdce, vajce, more, nástupište, pole
  • Ending in -ie
    vysvedčenie, lístie, stretnutie, námestie, umenie
  • Ending in -a or -ä
    dievča, dieťa, zviera, kura, žriebä
Model mesto

The following words are declined according to the model of //mesto//:

  • Neuter nouns ending in -o:
    auto, koleso, jablko, Slovensko, kakao, drevo, dielo, vedro, oko, ucho, brucho, mydlo
  • Foreign loanwords ending in -on or -um:
    epiteton, múzeum
Model srdce

The following words are declined according to the model of //srdce//:

  • Neuter substantives ending in -e:
    vajce, more, nástupište, pole
Model vysvedčenie

The following nouns are declined like //vysvedčenie//:

  • Neuter nouns ending in -ie:
    lístie, stretnutie, zahraničie, námestie, umenie

Note: The suffixes are always long, the rhythmic rule is not observed.

Model dievča

The following nouns are declined like //dievča//:

  • Neuter nouns ending in -a or -ä:
    dieťa, zviera, páža, knieža, mláďa, kura, žriebä

Note: The word //dieťa// has the following forms in the plural::
deti, detí, deťom, deti, o deťoch, s deťmi

Plural-only nouns (pluralia tantum)

Some nouns only have a plural form, though they refer to a single object.

  • tie nohavice
  • tie plavky
  • tie šaty
  • tie okuliare
  • tie nožnice
  • tie pľúca
  • tie Košice
  • Čo je to? To okuliare.
  • Aké okuliare? Okuliare nové.
  • Čie to okuliare? Okuliare mamine.
  • Tie okuliare nové a mamine.

These nouns do not have a singular form; they only have a plural form They are called plural-only nouns or pluralia tantum, and are only declined in the plural.

Plural-only nouns (pluralia tantum):

jedny nohavice
dvoje nohavice

Distinguish between:

One item (plural-only noun)
  • nohavice
  • plavky
  • nohavičky
  • slipy
  • rifle
  • šaty
Several items
  • rukavice ( jedna rukavica, dve rukavice)
  • topánky ( jedna topánka, dve topánky)
  • čižmy ( jedna čižma, dve čižmy)
  • ponožky ( jedna ponožka, dve ponožky)

Plural-only nouns (pluralia tantum) are often used in geographic names.

  • mesto Košice
  • mesto Levice
  • mesto Trenčianske Teplice
  • pohorie Vysoké Tatry
  • pohorie Nízke Tatry
  • Alpy, Benátky, Atény, Piešťany, Donovaly, Kúty...

Names of professions in the feminine

Names of professions in the feminine are formed using the suffix {1}:

  • lekárlekárka
  • predavačpredavačka
  • kuchárkuchárka
  • učiteľučiteľka
  • podnikateľpodnikateľka
  • kuchárkuchárka
  • pekárpekárka
  • manažérmanažérka
  • sekretársekretárka
  • policajtpolicajtka
  • prekladateľprekladateľka
  • fotograffotografka

If a profession in the masculine has the ending {1}, the consonant {1} will change to {2}, followed by the suffix {3}:

  • právnikprávnička
  • pokladníkpokladníčka
  • čašníkčašníčka
  • tanečníktanečníčka
  • lekárniklekárnička
  • informatikinformatička
  • chemikchemička

Diminutives

In conversations with children, we often use diminutives and informal names. Diminutives are words that name small and tiny things. In addition to the substantive meaning, the diminutive suffix also has an expressive meaning, it expresses the speaker's positive or ironically negative emotional attitude. They occur in children's speech as well as in adults' speech.

auto - autíčko
= car – little car
dom - domček
= house – little house
dieťa - dieťatko
= child – little baby
mama - mamička
= mother - mum
  • Kde máš autíčka, Janko?
  • Páči sa ti tento domček pre bábiky?
  • Aké krásne dieťatko!
  • Kde máš mamičku?
  • etc.
dom
domček
strom
stromček
auto
autíčko
posteľ
postieľka

More than one diminutive can sometimes be derived from one word, e.g.:

  • ZuzanaZuzka, Zuzička, Zuzanka
  • rukarúčka, ručička
  • mamamamka, mamička, mamulienka
  • otecotecko
  • tatotatko, tatíčko

Verbal nouns

Verbal nouns represent actions (like verbs), but have the form of nouns. Verbal nouns usually end in -ing in English. They are very easy to form in Slovak: detach the –ť ending from the infinitive form of the verb písať (to write), and add the suffix -nie or –tie to construct the verbal noun //písanie// (writing). All verbal nouns have neuter gender and are declined like vysvedčenie. The rhythmic rule applies: zapnúť - zapnutie.

písať + A To je program na písanie + G
písať text To je program na písanie textu.
It is a program for writing texts.
počúvať + A To je program na počúvanie + G
počúvať hudbu To je program na počúvanie hudby.
It is a program for listening to music.

Attention:

  • kresliťkreslenie
  • vidieťvidenie
  • zapnúťzapnutie
  • vypnúťvypnutie
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