How to Tell Time and Dates in Slovak for English Speakers

Understanding the Basics of Telling Time in Slovak

Telling time in Slovak involves understanding both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock systems. Slovak speakers commonly use the 24-hour clock in formal contexts like schedules and transportation, while the 12-hour clock is used in everyday conversation.

Numbers for Hours and Minutes

Before telling time, it's important to know the numbers from 1 to 59 in Slovak, as they are used to express hours and minutes. For example, jeden means one, dva means two, and so on.

Expressing Hours

To say the hour, Slovak uses the nominative case of the number followed by the word hodina (hour) in the appropriate form. For example, je jedna hodina means "it is one o'clock." For hours from two to four, the word changes to hodiny, and for five and above, it becomes hodín.

Expressing Minutes

Minutes are added after the hour using the word a (and). For example, je jedna hodina a pätnásť minút means "it is 1:15." The word minút is the plural form of minúta (minute).

Using the 12-Hour Clock with AM and PM

In informal speech, Slovaks often use the 12-hour clock without specifying AM or PM, relying on context. However, to clarify, you can use phrases like ráno (in the morning), popoludní (in the afternoon), večer (in the evening), or v noci (at night). For example, je osem hodín ráno means "it is eight o'clock in the morning."

Telling Dates in Slovak

Days of the Week

The days of the week in Slovak are:

• Pondelok (Monday)
• Utorok (Tuesday)
• Streda (Wednesday)
• Štvrtok (Thursday)
• Piatok (Friday)
• Sobota (Saturday)
• Nedeľa (Sunday)

Months of the Year

The months in Slovak are:

• Január (January)
• Február (February)
• Marec (March)
• Apríl (April)
• Máj (May)
• Jún (June)
• Júl (July)
• August (August)
• September (September)
• Október (October)
• November (November)
• December (December)

Expressing Dates

Dates in Slovak are usually expressed in the format: day + month + year. The day is given as a cardinal number, and the month is in the genitive case. For example, 5. mája 2024 means "the 5th of May, 2024." The dot after the day number indicates an ordinal number.

Asking About the Date and Time

Here are some useful phrases to ask about the date and time in Slovak:

• Koľko je hodín? (What time is it?)
• Ktorý je dnes deň? (What day is it today?)
• Aký je dátum? (What is the date?)

Tips for Practicing Time and Dates in Slovak

Practice telling time and dates by listening to Slovak radio, watching Slovak TV, or using language apps. Try to use the vocabulary in daily conversations to become more comfortable.