Our online service is a tutorial and simulator for those who need to learn the Slovak language from scratch. In this review, we will talk about its distinctive features, but first, very briefly about the Slovak language itself and about its study by Russian-speaking people.
When talking to potential clients about the benefits of Slovakia, immigration support professionals often downplay the difficulty of learning a language. In fact, in terms of complexity for foreigners, it is not much inferior to Russian - it has almost the same variety of verb and case forms, the number of exceptions to the rules, and not the simplest phonetics.
But it is still much easier for a Russian-speaking person to learn the Slovak language than, for example, for a native speaker of English. Slovak and Russian belong to the same language group. They have a lot of similar words and coincidences in grammar, which, of course, must be taken into account and used when studying. But there are also many similar words that have a different meaning than in Russian. In such cases, it can be difficult to get rid of their perception of the usual Russian meaning. It will take effort and development of the correct pronunciation.
In general, anyone who wants to speak Slovak correctly without distorting the language will need systematic classes. But the progress made in mastering the language will certainly be appreciated, including by those on whom the success of the plans depends. Proper use of even a modest vocabulary and correct pronunciation indicate that a person has certain abilities and qualities that are useful not only in studies, but also in work and business. Conversely, glib but illiterate speech can cause a condescending attitude, which, however, well-mannered people do not openly demonstrate. Those who believe that in the Slovak language environment the language will be learned “by itself”, usually speak with errors, which, of course, they themselves do not notice.
Any language can be learned in different ways, or a combination of them. Including using free Internet resources. There are resources of this kind for learning the Slovak language, although not in such a huge amount as for English. The most convenient of them, in our opinion, is a free online textbook on Slovake.eu (link on the left in the full version of our site). There are also free or near-free mobile apps whose creators make money not by providing basic services, but by selling ads and consumer behavior data. Therefore, most of these applications are just phrasebooks with voiced words and phrases. In addition, when choosing a method, one must keep in mind that it is not so easy to properly organize the process of independent language learning using such resources, and not everyone has enough skill, perseverance, and desire for this. Otherwise, language schools, courses, tutors would have been left without clients long ago.
Now about the features of our online service. It was created on the software platform of the Learnen.org service for English learners (link on the left or menu item in the mobile version of the site). This is a simplified version that is designed to be used on a tablet or smartphone. Nevertheless, the main methodological principles and many advantages of the basic platform are preserved here. Let's list what exactly they are.
This is an online self-taught simulator that allows you to learn vocabulary and practical grammar at the same time as developing and consolidating all the necessary skills (understanding the language in the text and by ear, spelling, correct pronunciation, speaking). But before continuing the description of its advantages, we recall once again that the service is intended only for language learners from scratch or almost from scratch. The passage of the program is not from the very beginning and in random order is not available.
Unlike some colleagues, we cannot promise that the desired result can be achieved quite easily and quickly. Unfortunately, it is unrealistic for a person who has left early childhood to master a foreign language at a decent level and in a relatively short time without some minimum of cramming and training. When studying with a teacher or in courses, this usually has to be done additionally outside of school hours, and when learning a language on your own, you need to properly organize the whole process yourself and force yourself to study regularly.
Learning the same language with the help of our service does not require anything from the user, except for the regular "mechanical" performance of exercises according to a given program. In particular, it will not require a separate memorization of the translation of words and phrases, the use of any dictionaries and other aids. In this sense, it's "all inclusive". The rules and exceptions to the rules that are explained during training on the simulator will not need to be memorized the first time, repeated and tried to remember when doing the exercises. In comments on new lexical material, the simulator simply recalls the rules that are relevant to this material until it is no longer necessary. And the program of repetitions of the material in different exercises provides a gradual, but strong practical assimilation of the rules and exceptions without their preliminary memorization in a theoretical form. Terminology, generalizations, logic, of course, are used, but only when it becomes possible to support this with specific examples from an already understandable vocabulary. All this facilitates the study of the language and those people who have already lost the habit of learning.
The technique is based on the use of the natural properties of human memory and the synergy of various memorization mechanisms. Almost everything that is in various advertised methods of learning languages is present here in one form or another. The material is repeated in exercises of various types according to graphs with increasing intervals. It is well known that this is how it is most effectively fixed in long-term memory. Vocabulary is memorized in the process of reading and listening to educational phrases. Such phrases contain, along with the new learned word, only already familiar words and have a clear construction, therefore they are understandable without translation. However, they are provided with hidden clues in case something is forgotten. And translation exercises from Slovak into Russian and vice versa are deliberately excluded. They impede the development of the skill of direct understanding of the meaning of phrases (without mental translation of words into Russian and a delay in recall). It is with this skill that the development of the ability to think in the target language begins, without which fluency in it is impossible.
Many words similar to Russian are put into circulation in a simplified manner, which saves considerable time and effort. They are spent on fixing the material that really requires it.
The program consists of exercises of various types, providing not only memorization of vocabulary, but also the development of all language skills. The exercises are grouped into seven groups, which are repeated cyclically. It is desirable to pass each complete training cycle, if not during one session (training), then at least within one day. We use the word "training" rather than "lesson" because it more accurately reflects the essence of the process. Each workout usually takes a total of approximately 1.5 hours, but sometimes more, especially if the exercises are done slowly. The minimum number of repetitions in each exercise is set by the program, the maximum is not limited. Regular classes with an average load (10-20 cycles per month) are much more effective than classes with many days of breaks or, conversely, at an excessively high pace. Apart from the planned classes, additional listening to a selection of audio recordings from the last completed cycle is always available, which is very useful for better consolidating the skill of understanding speech by ear.
Groups of exercises are sometimes preceded by prefaces, and as the exercises progress, comments are added with explanations to ensure understanding of the methods used, to create the right mood. Some groups of exercises are not present from the very first cycle, but are added later, as the prefaces to them warn about.
The service differs from other online language resources in the order of learning vocabulary. After the formation of the most elementary vocabulary, first of all, the vocabulary that can be used in informal everyday communication with someone, or at least "with oneself" is mastered. This is a vocabulary that makes it possible to get used to expressing one's thoughts in Slovak, without spending specially allotted time on this, but along the way, in the course of any ordinary classes. In particular, it is very useful to use the words and phrases of the active vocabulary formed on the service to mentally designate and describe the surrounding objects, objects, people, what is happening, your actions, intentions, desires, assessments, attitude towards something or someone, exchange of phrases with an imaginary interlocutor, etc. etc. It is even better if there is an opportunity to use the mastered vocabulary in real communication with those who speak Slovak or are also studying it. For example, in a family that is preparing for immigration.
Such an "incubation" period at the initial stage of learning a language helps to get used to expressing one's thoughts in it and to gain sufficient confidence to move on to using it in "external" contacts. We do not consider it appropriate to start the study of vocabulary with phrases, from which phrasebooks for foreigners are compiled. Of course, the development of phrases for communication in the "external environment" is provided for by the program, but a little later, after the necessary basic training. Well, the vocabulary "to communicate with yourself" is the basis for any real communication. In general, the program corresponds to the resource programs recommended by the Migration Information Center, but is further adapted for the step-by-step integration described in the section dedicated to it. The specificity of the service makes it possible to explain and illustrate some of the features of vocabulary and grammar at an earlier stage than is done in textbooks.
The practical use of the language after mastering a certain minimum and as you progress through the program will become more and more accessible. It should become an integral part of the self-learning process. This is the only way to not lose, but on the contrary, to activate the knowledge and skills acquired on the service. And it is best to practice in real communication, combining "useful with useful", and reading, listening, watching in the Slovak language is exactly what is interesting and practically necessary in itself.
This is especially true for those who are looking for work in Slovakia in order to stay in this country. For such people, being isolated in a circle of Russian or Ukrainian speakers is a dead end. And the transition to direct communication with employers in the Slovak language, on the contrary, can be a breakthrough both in mastering the language and in solving the problem of employment. At a certain stage of training, the service program provides for the development of vocabulary for independent obtaining of information and communication with employers, officials, etc. on issues related to work, study, finances, residence permits, etc. This will allow those who have long-term plans in Slovakia to solve all the most important issues personally, without intermediaries. After completing 60 training cycles, an interactive step-by-step instruction in Slovak will be available for self-preparation of documents for a residence permit (employment or individual entrepreneur + family reunification), which is updated with changes in the legal framework and taking into account practice.
Note that a service intended for adults may also be suitable for adolescents who do not have an overly developed so-called. clip thinking and who are able to independently assimilate the material in text form. And in young children, the mechanisms for mastering a foreign language work differently. Getting into a new language environment, they adapt much faster than adults, although it is rarely possible to completely avoid problems and difficulties. But parents who learn a language with the help of our service will be able to give their children the most elementary preliminary preparation and thereby greatly facilitate the initial stage of adaptation.
Let's talk about reading. The accumulation of sufficient vocabulary will allow you to read everything really useful and interesting in Slovak without much difficulty. Of course, you will need an online or software dictionary, but when a significant part of the text is understandable, you will not have to refer to it very often. Independent reading of unadapted texts will be very useful for better assimilation of familiar vocabulary, understanding all the nuances of the language and expanding the passive vocabulary. A passive reserve is something that is well understood (if not by ear, then at least in the text), but which is not required to be fluent for active use. The passive vocabulary necessary for a comfortable existence of a person in the Slovak language environment is much wider than his ordinary vocabulary. Well, the vocabulary that is most in demand in specific conditions gradually moves from a passive to an active reserve by itself.
The service is not free, but the price is very affordable. Payment is made periodically - for every ten actually completed training cycles. This makes it possible to go through the first 10 cycles without prepayment, and then decide whether to continue the classes on a paid basis. This is different from most other paid options, where, with the help of tempting advertising, demos, "discounts", the user is persuaded to purchase the entire product or prepaid service package. Up-to-date payment information is available in the "Conditions and Contacts" section. The tariff may vary slightly depending on the market situation, but the services of a "robot tutor" will always be an order of magnitude cheaper than the online services of live tutors. Recall that the simulator also gives complete freedom in planning classes and eliminates homework, without which language learning under the guidance of teachers is indispensable.
The service is optimized for use on mobile devices (with a touch screen). One of the reasons for this decision is the ease of installation of the Slovak keyboard, which is necessary for writing exercises. It is also possible to use the service on a PC, but less convenient.
To start using the service on a tablet or smartphone, you must register the email address used on this mobile device. A link will be sent to it for automatic authorization on the user's personal page. Registration on the site means unconditional acceptance of all the terms of the User Agreement, which can be found in the "Terms and Contacts" section. If the email address has already been registered, you can order a link for a new authorization from here. Additional Information
More about the Slovak language
Wikipedia: "Slovak language (self-name: slovenský jazyk (inf.), slovenčina, slovenská reč) is the language of the Slovaks, one of the Slavic languages. It is close to the Czech language, with which it is combined into a Czech-Slovak subgroup within the West Slavic group of languages. It is the official language Slovak Republic and one of the 24 official languages of the European Union.Distributed mainly in Slovakia, also native speakers of Slovak live in the Czech Republic, Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Austria, Croatia, Canada, USA, Australia, Ukraine and other countries.In a number of states Central and Eastern Europe, in which Slovaks are usually settled compactly, Slovak has the status of a regional language. ..." Benefits of learning a language online
Learning any foreign language, including Slovak, online has serious advantages over traditional methods. This not only allows the language learner to independently plan the schedule and time of classes, regardless of the teacher or educational institution. The functionality of our service allows you to automate the routine process of cramming and training skills that make up fluency in the Slovak language. The service eliminates the need to constantly think about what, when and how many times to repeat during language learning classes. Useful links for learners of the Slovak language
Slovak-Russian/Russian-Slovak online dictionary
As a rule, citizens traveling abroad are interested in what language the inhabitants of the state they have chosen for the trip speak. At the same time, our compatriots are often concerned about the question of whether communication in Russian is possible in a particular country. Slovakia is a small Slavic country located in the center of Europe, bordering Hungary and Austria. However, it has the longest borders with Poland, Ukraine and the Czech Republic (with the latter it was part of a single state for a long time). This suggests that the language in Slovakia is close and understandable to Russian. In just a few days, you will be able to understand others without much difficulty, which means that in this country you will be comfortable traveling, living and working.
What language is considered the official
The Slovak language in Slovakia is considered native by more than 80% of the population. It is very similar to Czech and Ukrainian, so Russian speakers understand it well. Half a million people (about a tenth of the population) are Hungarians who prefer the Hungarian language. By law, in places where the Hungarian population is more than 20%, their mother tongue is used along with Slovak and is considered official.
If you are interested in what language is spoken in Slovakia besides Slovak, Czech and Hungarian, it should be noted that the Gypsy dialect and the Ruthenian language, which people from Transcarpathia speak, are also in use.
The processes of globalization and rapprochement with the EU contribute to the fact that the Slovak language has a lot of borrowings from German, Hungarian, Italian and even Russian vocabulary. And yet, despite all its tolerance for representatives of other nationalities living in the country, the official and state language of Slovakia is Slovak.
Popular languages of Slovakia
Since a significant part of the country's population was born and raised in Czechoslovakia, many Slovaks speak Czech.
Slovak and Czech are so close that speakers of these two languages understand each other well, read common newspapers, and translation of documents is not required even in official institutions.
Until the 19th century, Czech was considered a literary variant of Slovak, so the differences between Slovak and Czech languages are insignificant. Almost throughout the entire twentieth century, Czechoslovakia was a single country (1918-1939, 1945-1992). This contributed to the fact that both languages, in contact in everyday life, formed common syntactic constructions. Both Czechs and Slovaks use the Latin alphabet, the stress in words falls on the first syllable, the systems of declensions and conjugations are also very similar
The most noticeable difference between the Czech and Slovak languages is in vocabulary: representatives of these two Slavic peoples name some modern objects and concepts differently, in addition, Slovak has a group of dialects that are absent from the Czechs. Yet these differences are minor. So there can be only one answer to the question of whether the inhabitants of Slovakia speak Czech or not: the vast majority of the country's population perfectly understands and speaks Czech. In general, Czech and Slovak form a common subgroup within the group of West Slavic languages, therefore they are close and understandable to both Czechs and Slovaks.
How to choose language courses for study
Many immigrants from Russia and other CIS countries would like to move to Slovakia or send their children to study at local universities. However, for this you need to learn the Slovak language. And it's not as difficult as it seems.
For example, at the Comenius University there are one-year preparatory language courses for schoolchildren and students, allowing them to comprehend the features of the Slovak language. There are also language schools for adults that offer one or two years of study - they can be found both on the Internet and in many cities of the country.
Where and how they speak: the geographical distribution of languages
Different languages prevail in certain regions of the country:
- the northeast is the area of residence of Ukrainian-Rusyns. The center of their culture is the city of Pryashev, as well as small villages: Bardejov, Svidnik, Staraya Lubovna. There are national schools, museums, clubs;
- compact settlements of Hungarians are located in the southern part of the country - this is the region of Komarno and Dunayska Streda. And although most of the locals are bilingual, these regions publish newspapers and broadcast television in Hungarian.
What language is spoken in Bratislava is often asked by those who are going to move to this country to live and work. Answering this question, it should be noted that almost all residents of the capital speak Slovak. English and German, recognized as the languages of international communication, are poorly known by most of the population.
Where else is Slovak spoken?
Despite the fact that the Slovak language as an independent linguistic unit took shape relatively recently - in the 19th century, today more than 5 million people speak it in the world. Mostly these are Slovaks living in different countries who do not forget their native language.
The following diasporas are considered the most numerous:
- the USA, where about 800,000 Slovaks have settled;
- Czech Republic - according to various estimates, 200-300 thousand native speakers live here;
- Hungary, Canada, Poland, Australia, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Romania.
According to various estimates, about a million Slovaks live abroad.
How popular are the languages of the CIS countries in Slovakia?
Many residents of this Slavic country have a good command of the languages of their closest neighbors - first of all, Russian and Ukrainian, since there is a lot in common between them. So they will understand you very quickly.
In Russian, many Slovaks, especially representatives of the older generation, speak tolerably, as they taught it at school. Residents of the country often communicate with Ukrainians during short trips to Ukraine for cigarettes, gasoline and other goods, in addition, many Ukrainians come to Slovakia to work, so the Ukrainian language is also understood here and can even be spoken. So if you have chosen this country for study or permanent residence, you will not have any language problems.
How we learned Slovak: Video
Hello, I would like to make the next video about Slovakia on the topic of the Slovak language. Many who were interested have probably heard that the Slovak language is similar to Russian and even more to Ukrainian - in fact, it is. But this does not mean that if you speak Russian, Ukrainian, then you will immediately understand the Slovak language; however, if you start learning it, it will be much easier for you to do it than for a non-Russian or non-Ukrainian speaker, or if you learn some other complex foreign language.
I do not think that it will be difficult for someone to learn such new Slovak words as chlieb, syr, smotanou, klobása. But there are also many words that have nothing in common with the Russian language, but they are similar or the same as Ukrainian ones, for example: ďakujem, týždeň, počkať – and many similar ones. Although there are words that, on the contrary, are confusing, that is, those that are in our language and are present in Slovak, but in the latter they denote a different concept, for example: stigliy (Ukrainian) - ripe, mature, and in Slovak it means thin. But the worst of all are words that are completely opposite in meaning, for example: čerstvý, we all know that stale bread is not good, and we don’t want to buy it, but here čerstvý means fresh. Everything in the store is always "stale", especially bread.
There is also a lot of confusion with the word vegetables, in Ukrainian it is ovochi, and in Slovak there is the word ovocie, which means fruit. And if you want to talk about vegetables, then this is zelenina. And such words are very confusing.
To the ear, of course, Slovak is similar to our languages, because, for example, being somewhere in Germany, you immediately hear when people walk aside and speak Russian, because their speech stands out against the background of German or Turkish; and in Slovakia, at first it seemed to me that everyone around was speaking Russian, when you didn’t hear any individual words, but just the general background of speech or some fragments of phrases. Probably, intonations, words, sentences are similar in Slovak and Russian.
I note that the ease of the language does not mean that it is not necessary to learn it. It needs to be done. There are a lot of language courses in Bratislava, even free ones, which are provided by the immigration center. To get into these courses, you do not need to have any documents - you can just be a tourist who came, sat down and started classes. The teacher met you, asked your name, and that's enough.
Everyone knows that a language is much easier to learn by plunging into its environment. This is true, but the situation in our country is such that there is no need for everyday communication in the Slovak language. If we don’t talk about shops, then, in principle, we don’t communicate with anyone, so we created artificial conditions for ourselves: we got to know the locals and, one might even say, made great friends, we talk with them. And our communication looked like that on the first day, most of our conversations were in English, we asked some words, learned and tried to somehow find common phrases for explanation. And now, when we talked for five evenings maximum, English is not present, all conversations are held only in Slovak, but, of course, with the phrases: “Speak more slowly, please, - or. “What does that mean?” - and then the Slovaks can explain the meaning in other words or with the help of gestures. After a month of dating, you can already communicate with these people. I think that everything will go faster and better, and I am sure that it is impossible to achieve such results in German or Spanish.
In general, what I want to conclude from all this: the Slovak language is good, pleasant, interesting and easy enough for our people to learn. None of the European languages will come to you as easily as Slovak. Of course, this is a plus, the faster you learn the language, the faster you will join the new society, the easier it will be for you to adapt and the more pleasant it is to be and live here. Therefore, learn the language, develop yourself and come to Slovakia.
Who will be interested in the following videos, subscribe to the channel, always be aware, and I will try to upload interesting and useful materials more often. Bye.
Formed in 1993 after the collapse of Czechoslovakia. Russian tourists are increasingly going to and from local ski resorts and, when preparing a trip, they are interested in what the state language is. The vast majority of the country's inhabitants consider Slovak native. It is preferred as a means of communication by more than four million citizens of the republic, or 80% of the population.
Some statistics and facts
- The official language of Slovakia belongs to the Slavic group.
- Popular in the Republic and Hungarian. More than 9% of the population or about half a million people prefer to communicate on it. In the regions of Slovakia, where Hungarians make up more than 20% of the population, their language is used as an official language along with Slovak.
- About 2.5% of Slovak citizens are ethnic gypsies who use their own dialect in everyday life.
- Slightly more than 1% of the inhabitants of the republic called the Rusyn language their native language. Rusyns are a group of Eastern Slavs living not only in Slovakia, but also in western, and.
Slovak: history and modernity
The state language of Slovakia is close to Czech and together they form a subgroup in the West Slavic language group.
Back in the 10th century, part of the Slavs living on the territory of the Great Moravian state used Old Church Slavonic, but later Czech and Latin were proclaimed as literary languages on the territory of modern Slovakia. Slovak began to take shape literary only in the middle of the 18th century and received due recognition in the 19th century. Today, Slovaks use the Latin alphabet for writing.
The lexical fund of the state language of Slovakia contains many borrowings, mainly from Latin, German and Hungarian. The vocabulary of the inhabitants of the republic also contains Italian, Romanian and even Russian words.
Slovak is spoken by ethnic Slovaks in both Romania and Serbia. In total, there are at least 5.2 million Slovak speakers in the world.
Note to the tourist
As a foreign language, Slovaks are increasingly learning English, and therefore tourists usually do not have problems with understanding. All important information in tourist centers is provided in many languages, and for sightseeing you can enlist the support of English-speaking and Russian-speaking guides.
