som z toho jeleň [ˈsom ztoho jeleɲ] – I’m at sixes and sevens over it; I’m very confused
(Literally: I’m a deer from it)
ja som [ˈja som] – I am
z toho [ˈztoho] – out of it; from it
to [ˈto] – it
jeleň [ˈjeleɲ] – deer; stag
Photo: Rainhard Wiesinger (Pixabay)
kov [ˈkov] – metal (in Slovak and Czech) 🇸🇰 🇨🇿
kovář [ˈkovaːr̝̊] – smith (in Czech) 🇨🇿
kováč [ˈkovaːtʃ] – smith (in Slovak) 🇸🇰
kovács [ˈkovaːtʃ] – smith (in Hungarian) 🇭🇺
kova [ˈkovɑ] – flint (in Hungarian) 🇭🇺
kovakő [ˈkovɑkøː] – flint; silex; chert (in Hungarian) 🇭🇺
nežný [ˈɲeʒniː] – tender; gentle (in Slovak) 🇸🇰
neha [ˈɲeha] – tenderness; gentleness (in Slovak) 🇸🇰
néha [ˈneːhɑ] – sometimes (in Hungarian) 🇭🇺
plameň [ˈplameɲ] – flame 🔥
prameň [ˈprameɲ]
1) spring
2) source 🌊
3) strand; ply; wisp
prameňitá voda [ˈprameɲitaː voda] – spring water 🌊
prameňiť [ˈprameɲic]
1) to rise; to start; to spring
2) to originate (in); to come (from); to result (from)
chudý [ˈxudiː] – poor (in Czech) 🇨🇿
chudý [ˈxudiː] – thin; skinny; lean (in Slovak) 🇸🇰
chudobný [ˈxudobniː] – poor (in Slovak) 🇸🇰
kanál [ˈkanaːl] – sewer; drain; gutter; canal (in Slovak) 🇸🇰
kanál [ˈkɑnaːl] – spoon (in Hungarian) 🇭🇺
kanális [ˈkɑnaːliʃ] 🇭🇺
1) sewer; drain; gutter (in Hungarian)
2) canal; channel (in Hungarian)
iskra [ˈiskra] – spark 💥 (in Slovak) 🇸🇰
szikra [ˈsikrɑ] – spark 💥 (in Hungarian) 🇭🇺
Uhorsko [ˈuhorsko] (896–1946) 🇭🇺 👑
– Uhorské kniežatstvo [ˈuhorskeː kɲi̯ɛʒatstvo] – Principality of Hungary (896–1000)
– Uhorské kráľovstvo [ˈuhorskeː kraːlʲovstvo] – Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1918, 1920–1946)
Maďarsko [ˈmaɟarsko] – Hungary (1918–1920, since 1946) 🇭🇺
There are more precious namings for some historical eras and forms of the state, but these two are essential.
Maďar [ˈmaɟar] – Hungarian (person)
maďarský [ˈmaɟarskiː] – Hungarian (adjective)
maďarský jazyk [ˈmaɟarskiː jazik] – Hungarian language
maďarčina [ˈmaɟartʃina] – Hungarian language
Gašpar [ˈgaʃpar] – Caspar
Melichar [ˈmelixar] – Melchior
Baltazár [ˈbaltazaːr] – Balthazar
Traja králi [ˈtraja kraːli] – (the) Three Kings
traja [ˈtraja] – (the) three
tri [ˈtri] – three
kráľ [kraːlʲ] – king
mačacie hlavy [ˈmatʃatsie hlavi] – setts; Belgian blocks; cobblestones
(Literally: cat-heads; cat’s heads)
The phrase in Slovak is probably either coming from the Hungarian macskakő [ˈmɑtʃkɑkøː] (cat-stone) – the short version of the word macskafejkő [ˈmɑtʃkɑfɛjkøː] (cat-head-stone); or the German word Katzenkopfstein with the same meaning. Where the naming is based on the little stone blocks reminding people of a cat’s head because of their size or shape.
mačka [ˈmatʃka] – cat
mačací [ˈmatʃatsiː] – cat(‘s); catlike; cattish; catty
hlava [ˈhlava] – head
hlavy [ˈhlavi] – heads
Illustration: © Michaela Mašánová
Daily Slovak 