The best way to learn Slovak is a mix: mostly Slovak you can understand, plus review and real conversation, with the balance set by your goal. Slovak you can mostly understand is called comprehensible input. Below, you'll see what each way of learning builds and the mix that suits six common goals.
Which Ways of Learning Slovak Work Best?
Reading and listening to Slovak at your level works best, and each other method adds one skill on top of it.
| Method | What it builds | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and listening at your level | Words, grammar and listening | Most of your time |
| A structured course | An order for the basics | Your first months |
| A tutor or conversation partner | Speaking and quick replies | Using what you know |
| Flashcards or other review | Words that stay with you | A few minutes each session |
| Radio, podcasts and shows | Slovak at natural speed | Fun, once you follow most of it |
| Grammar study | Which ending a word needs | Endings that confuse you |
Input is the base of the mix: a 2016 review of 49 studies in Reading in a Foreign Language, a University of Hawaii journal, found that reading a lot of easy material improves reading in a new language.
What Is the Best Way to Learn Slovak for Your Goal?
For every goal, the best way is the same base of reading and listening, with the rest of your time on the skill that goal needs most.
- Talk With Family or FriendsRead and hear lots of everyday conversations, and spend the rest of your time talking with them or with a tutor.
- Travel in SlovakiaSpend most of your time on short dialogues about ordering food and getting around, and say each one out loud.
- Live in SlovakiaRead and hear Slovak about everyday life most of the time, such as shopping and visits to the doctor, and practice those talks with a tutor.
- Pass the Residence ExamThe IOM Migration Information Centre says people who apply for long-term residence in Slovakia usually need to pass a Slovak exam at level A2. Read and listen at your level most of the time, and work through the free A2 course on slovake.eu as the exam gets close.
- Follow Slovak NewsStart with news stories retold in easy Slovak on the Comprehensible Slovak podcast, and move on to Správy STVR once those feel easy.
- Work in SlovakiaRead and hear Slovak about your field most of the time, and practice formal Slovak, which uses vy for “you”, with a tutor.
To see how many hours each stage takes, read how long it takes to learn Slovak.
What Are the Best Resources for Each Part?
Each part of the mix has a good free option, such as slovake.eu for a course or AUDIO STVR for radio, and an app or service for when you want more. Bubblegum, which appears in two rows, is a language app where Poppy, an AI tutor, writes Slovak lessons at your level about things you like.
| Part | Free option | App or service |
|---|---|---|
| A first course | slovake.eu, whose course goes from A1 to B2, or the lessons on Comenius University's e-Slovak | Ling, whose short lessons take you through Slovak in order |
| Reading and listening at your level | Stories in easy Slovak on Learn Slovak with Stories, and slow, simple stories on Learn Slovak Through Stories with Robert | Bubblegum, LingQ or Fluent Fiction |
| Radio, podcasts and news | AUDIO STVR for radio and podcasts, and Správy STVR for the news | Readlang, which shows what a word means on any Slovak web page |
| Review | Clozemaster, which you can play for free | Bubblegum's Regenerative Review™, which brings saved words back in new lessons |
| Conversation | A language exchange on HelloTalk | A tutor on italki or Preply |
| Grammar | The grammar section on slovake.eu | Mango Languages, whose lessons come with grammar notes and which many public libraries offer for free, or the Krížom-krážom textbooks from Comenius University |
What Should You Avoid?
Avoid anything that keeps you from reading real Slovak sentences you can follow.
- Reading Slovak Like EnglishLetters like ch and ô have their own sounds in Slovak, as in chlieb (bread) and kôň (horse), so play the audio as you read.
- Case Tables With No SentencesLearn each ending from lines you have read, such as Idem do školy (I'm going to school), so it comes with an example of how it is used.
- Films You Can't Follow YetSave Slovak films for when you can follow a simple conversation, and watch videos made for learners, such as Joyful Slovak, before that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to learn Slovak with an app or a teacher?
Use an app for the hours of reading and listening, and a teacher for speaking and corrections. Lessons with a tutor on italki or Preply are paid, so spend that time talking, and do your reading and listening on your own. Some Preply tutors focus on the Slovak you need for work or travel.
Should I learn Slovak grammar first?
No. Start reading and listening right away, and look an ending up when it confuses you. A rule is easier to learn once you have seen it a few times: after Pijem kávu (I'm drinking coffee) and Čítam knihu (I'm reading a book), it is easy to see that káva and kniha change their last letter to -u after verbs like these.
Which Slovak app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Slovak, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Our Slovak app comparison covers courses, tutors and speaking apps too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Jeon and Day (2016), The effectiveness of ER on reading proficiency: A meta-analysis, Reading in a Foreign Language 28(2), University of Hawaii
- IOM Migration Information Centre, Long-term residence (Slovak at level A2 since 15 July 2025, shown by passing an exam at a language school or public university)
- slovake.eu: Learn Slovak online and for free (courses from A1 to B2, with exercises, tests, dictionaries and grammar)
- e-Slovak, Studia Academica Slovaca, Comenius University in Bratislava (free online lessons)
- Clozemaster, Slovak sentences (free to play)
- HelloTalk (free language exchange)
- Studia Academica Slovaca, Comenius University: Krížom-krážom A1 to B2 textbooks
