How to Use Prepositions and Their Cases in Slovak for English Speakers

Understanding Slovak Prepositions and Their Role

In Slovak, prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. Unlike English, Slovak prepositions require the noun or pronoun that follows them to be in a specific grammatical case. This means that the form of the noun changes depending on the preposition used.

The Six Cases in Slovak and Their Functions

Slovak has six main grammatical cases: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Locative, and Instrumental. Each case serves a different function in the sentence and is triggered by certain prepositions.

• Nominative (subject of the sentence)
• Genitive (possession, negation, and after some prepositions)
• Dative (indirect object)
• Accusative (direct object and after some prepositions)
• Locative (used with prepositions indicating location)
• Instrumental (means or accompaniment)

Common Slovak Prepositions and Their Required Cases

Here are some frequently used Slovak prepositions along with the cases they require:

• s/so (with) - Instrumental case
• k/ku (to, towards) - Dative case
• na (on, onto) - Accusative or Locative case depending on movement or location
• v/vo (in, into) - Accusative or Locative case depending on movement or location
• z/zo (from, out of) - Genitive case
• o/ohľadom na (about, concerning) - Accusative case

Movement vs. Location: Accusative and Locative Cases with Prepositions

Some Slovak prepositions can take either the accusative or locative case depending on whether the sentence implies movement or location. For example, the preposition na means "on" or "onto":

• Movement (direction towards): uses Accusative case. E.g., "Idem na trh." (I am going to the market.)
• Location (static position): uses Locative case. E.g., "Som na trhu." (I am at the market.)

Examples of Prepositions with Their Cases in Sentences

Let's look at some example sentences to see how prepositions affect the case of the following noun:

• S kamarátom idem do kina. (I am going to the cinema with a friend.) - s + Instrumental case
• Dám to na stôl. (I will put it on the table.) - na + Accusative case
• Rozprávame sa o škole. (We are talking about school.) - o + Accusative case
• Prichádzam z práce. (I am coming from work.) - z + Genitive case

Tips for English Speakers Learning Slovak Prepositions and Cases

English speakers often find Slovak prepositions challenging because English prepositions do not change the form of the noun that follows. Here are some tips to help you:

1. Memorize common prepositions with their required cases.
2. Practice with example sentences to see how cases change after prepositions.
3. Pay attention to whether the preposition implies movement or location to choose the correct case.
4. Use Slovak grammar exercises focusing on prepositions and cases.
5. Listen to native speakers and try to notice preposition usage in context.