Understanding Personal Pronouns in Slovak for English Speakers

What Are Personal Pronouns in Slovak?

Personal pronouns are words that replace nouns referring to people or things. In Slovak, personal pronouns change form depending on their grammatical case, gender, and number, which is different from English where pronouns mostly stay the same.

The Slovak Personal Pronouns in the Nominative Case

The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence. Here are the Slovak personal pronouns in the nominative case:

• ja (I)
• ty (you - singular informal)
• on (he)
• ona (she)
• ono (it)
• my (we)
• vy (you - plural or formal)
• oni (they - masculine animate)
• ony (they - feminine and masculine inanimate)

Differences Between Slovak and English Personal Pronouns

Unlike English, Slovak personal pronouns change form depending on the case (nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, locative, instrumental). Also, Slovak distinguishes gender in the third person singular and plural, which English does not always do.

Examples of Slovak Personal Pronouns in Sentences

Here are some examples showing Slovak personal pronouns in use:

• Ja som študent. (I am a student.)
• Ty si učiteľ. (You are a teacher.)
• On je doktor. (He is a doctor.)
• Ona je študentka. (She is a student.)
• My ideme do školy. (We are going to school.)
• Vy ste moji priatelia. (You are my friends.)
• Oni sú doma. (They are at home.)

Using Formal and Informal 'You' in Slovak

Slovak has two forms of 'you': ty for informal singular use, and vy for formal singular or plural use. Use vy to show respect or when addressing more than one person.

Practice: Matching English and Slovak Personal Pronouns

Tips for Learning Slovak Personal Pronouns

• Memorize the nominative forms first, then learn other cases.
• Practice using pronouns in simple sentences.
• Pay attention to gender distinctions in the third person.
• Remember the formal and informal 'you' distinction.
• Listen to native speakers to get familiar with pronunciation.