The Winter Olympics are in full swing, so it’s the perfect time to talk about winter sports in Slovak! In this episode of Slovak Sound Check, Veronika and Sean explore winter sports vocabulary, learn how Slovak handles international sports names, and discover how masculine and feminine forms work for athletes. From “ľadový hokej” (ice-hockey) to “krasokorčuľovanie” (figure skating), you’ll pick up practical words and phrases you can use right away — whether you’re watching the Games or just chatting about sport in Slovak.
Vocabulary
šport = sport
športovať = to do sport
Ja športujem. = I do sport.
zimné športy = winter sports
zimné olympijské hry = Winter Olympic Games
zimná olympiáda = Winter Olympics
hokej = hockey
ľadový hokej = ice hockey
boby = bobsleigh
zjazdové lyžovanie = alpine skiing
krasokorčuľovanie = figure skating
biatlon = biathlon
curling = curling
športovec = sportsman / male athlete
športovkyňa = sportswoman / female athlete
Môj obľúbený športovec je … = My favourite sportsman is …
Moja obľúbená športovkyňa je … = My favourite sportswoman is …
lyžiar = skier (male)
lyžiarka = skier (female)
hokejista = hockey player (male)
hokejistka = hockey player (female)
Note 1: Slovak often creates related words from one root. A great example is “šport” (sport), “športovať” (to do sports), “športový/-á/-é” (sports-related/sporty), “športovec/športovkyňa” (sportsman/sportswoman). Recognizing these derivations makes vocabulary learning much easier, because many words are connected by meaning and form.
Note 2: Just like in English, Slovak has a full official name “zimné olympijské hry” (Winter Olympic Games), where “olympijské”functions as an adjective, just like Olympic in English. In everyday speech, however, Slovaks usually shorten it to “zimná olympiáda” (the Winter Olympics). In this case, “olympiáda" is a noun meaning Olympics.
Note 3: In Slovak, sports, professions, and nationalities usually show gender. This is often done with specific suffixes. Common patterns include -kyňa: “športovec → športovkyňa” (sportsman → sportswoman), -ka: “učiteľ → učiteľka” (teacher male → teacher female). In sports vocabulary, for example: “lyžiar → lyžiarka” (skier male → skier female), “hokejista → hokejistka” (hockey player male → hockey player female)
Note 4: In Slovak, adjectives and possessive pronouns must agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Examples: “zimné športy” (winter sports: masculine, plural, nominative), “môj obľúbený športovec” (my favourite sportsman: masculine, singular, nominative), “moja obľúbená športovkyňa” (my favourite sportswoman: feminine, singular, nominative).
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