Episode 8: Be Yourself in Slovak
The verb to be – byť is one of the most essential Slovak verbs. From “ja som” to “oni sú”, we walk you through all the singular and plural forms, including how to build their negative versions with nie e.g. “ja nie som”.
We’ll also show you how to use byť in simple but practical sentences like “ja som žena” or “my nie sme študenti”. It’s a solid step forward in understanding how to describe people, places, and situations around you – a true essential for everyday communication.
Vocabulary
Byť = to be
Ja (nie) som = I am (not)
Ty (nie) si = You are (not)
On, ona, ono (nie) je = He, she, it is (not)
My (nie) sme = We are (not)
Vy (nie) ste = You are (not)
Oni/ony (nie) sú = They are (not)
Ja som žena = I am a woman
On je muž = He is a man
My nie sme študenti = We are not students
Bonuses:
My nie sme deti = We are not children
Note 1:
The verb “byť” (to be) is irregular, and so is its negative form. Instead of adding a prefix like “ne-”, the word “nie” (no/not) is placed in front of the verb e.g. “ja nie som” (I am not).
Note 2:
In Slovak, there are two forms of “they” – “oni” and “ony”. “Oni” is used for groups of men or mixed groups, while ony refers to groups of women or children.
You can hear the correct pronunciation in the radio recording below. (For a quick recap, skip to 3:45.)
SSCH_Ep8_final
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