Episode 9: Have It Down
In this episode of Slovak Sound Check, we dive into the verb “mať” – to have – and explore its different forms through practical, real-life examples. Along the way, we revisit demonstrative words you’ve learned earlier — like “Ona má ten papier” (She has the paper) and “My máme tú knihu” (We have the book). Plus, we explain the two Slovak forms of “they” — “oni” for men or mixed groups and “ony” for women or children. Tune in and add “having” to your Slovak toolkit, one phrase at a time!
Vocabulary
Mať = to have
Ja mám = I have
Ty máš = You have
On, ona, ono má = he, she, it has
My máme = We have
Vy máte = You have
Oni/ony majú = They have
Ty máš to rádio = You have the radio
Ona má ten papier = She has the papier
My máme tú knihu = We have the book
Recap
Ahoj(te) = Hello
Ja sa mám dobre = I feel good
(to) rádio (neutral) = radio
(ten) papier (masculine) = paper
(tá) kniha (feminine) = book
Note 1:
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.
Note 2:
The verb “mať” means “to have” in the possessive sense — for example, „Ja mám knihu“ (I have a book). But when you add the reflexive pronoun “sa”, the meaning changes (check episode 7)! “Mať sa” becomes a phrase used to describe how someone feels — similar to “to feel” in English. For example: “Mám sa dobre” (I’m feeling good) or “Ako sa máš?” (How are you?)
Note 3:
The verb “mať” (to have) always takes its object in the accusative case. This means that the form of the noun or pronoun following “mať” will often — though not always — change depending on its gender and number. F.e.: The nominative (dictionary) form of “the book” is “tá kniha” (feminine). But when used with “mať”, it becomes “tú knihu” in the accusative: “Ja mám tú knihu” (I have the book). This shift is an essential part of Slovak sentence structure when expressing possession.
You can check the correct pronunciation directly in the radio recording below. (For the recap, skip to 3:55.)
Veronika_SSCH_Ep9_Final
Máte problém s prehrávaním? Nahláste nám chybu v prehrávači.
