Learning Slovak is a tough nut to crack for many foreigners. The grammatical rules, pronunciation, and folk phrases can challenge even linguistically gifted individuals. Where did Slovak come from, and what doors can it open for you today? Discover the most important things you need to know about this language.
The emergence of modern Slovak language
Slovak evolved on the territory of today’s Slovakia over centuries, influenced by various cultures and ethnic groups, including Hungarians, Germans, and Czechs. A milestone taught to children in schools is the year 1843. That year, Ľudovít Štúr, together with colleagues Jozef Hurban and Michal Miloslav Hodža, codified the modern form of the Slovak literary language.
The codification was based on the Central Slovak dialect, which was considered the most understandable to the majority of Slovaks at the time. Today, Slovak is the official language of the Slovak Republic, spoken by around 5 million people in Slovakia and another approximately 1 million people abroad. Interestingly, due to a shared history, Slovak is very close to Czech, and many Slovaks have no problem reading books or watching films in this language.
Strč prst skrz krk – What?
Slovak is objectively not one of the easiest languages. Declining nouns and adjectives, conjugating verbs, and using prepositions are particularly complex at the beginning. Proper use of gender can also be tricky. While it plays no role in English, it affects almost everything in Slovak, from nouns to adjectives.
Pronunciation and the melody of the language can also be challenging. Some struggle with the soft ‘ľ’ and ‘ň’, while others find it difficult to pronounce multiple consonants together. Just try the well-known Slovak tongue twister: “Strč prst skrz krk…” Quite a workout, isn’t it?
Slovak as an opportunity
So why learn Slovak when it doesn’t seem like a walk in the park? Because knowing it can offer you interesting opportunities in business. Slovakia as a country offers a strategic location in the heart of Europe and open doors for business thanks to the European Union. Interesting opportunities are in the automotive, electrical, mechanical engineering, energy, tourism, and IT sectors.
Knowing Slovak allows you to communicate better directly with local partners, suppliers, clients, or colleagues. And you will earn their respect, even friendship. So why learn Slovak if you’re a foreigner? Because it’s an investment that will pay off manifold in both your personal and professional life. Learn Slovak with us online and take advantage of all the benefits that knowing Slovak brings.