pán / pani

Mr and Mrs: Pán and Pani

Level 2

Use pán (Mr) and pani (Mrs or Ms) before a surname or a title: pán Novák, pani Nováková, pán doktor, pani učiteľka. Pán changes like other masculine nouns, but pani before a name or title stays pani in every case.

How It Works

pán. Pán is a masculine animate noun (see animate masculine nouns): pán, pána, pánovi, pána, o pánovi, s pánom; plural páni. The surname or title after it changes as well: Poznáte pána Nováka? Hovoril som s pánom riaditeľom.

pani before a name or title. Here pani does not change. Only the name or title after it takes case endings:

  • bez pani Novákovej
  • k pani Novákovej
  • pre pani Novákovú
  • o pani Novákovej
  • s pani Novákovou

pani on its own. With no name or title after it, pani has its own endings, even when a word like tá or an adjective comes before it: genitive and dative panej, accusative paniu, instrumental paňou, plural panie. Spýtaj sa tej panej. Rozprával som sa s jednou paňou.

Addressing people. Standard Slovak uses the nominative when you speak to someone: Dobrý deň, pán Novák! Pani doktorka, mám otázku. The old form pane survives only on its own, as in Áno, pane; see old address forms. Titles are common in address: pán profesor, pani inžinierka. Letters open with Vážený pán or Vážená pani.

Pán and pani go with polite vy. They are written in lowercase unless they begin a sentence. For how a woman's surname is formed, see women's surnames in -ová.

Examples (6)

  1. Dobrý deň, pán Novák.

    Hello, Mr Novák.

    Word by Word: Good day, Mr Novák.

    In address Slovak uses the nominative pán Novák.

  2. Hovoril som s pánom Novákom.

    I spoke with Mr Novák.

    Word by Word: Spoke I-am with Mr Novák.

    Both pán and the surname take the instrumental ending -om.

  3. Toto je kniha pre pani Novákovú.

    This book is for Mrs Nováková.

    Word by Word: This is book for Mrs Nováková.

    Pani stays the same; only Nováková changes to the accusative Novákovú.

  4. Idem k pani doktorke.

    I'm going to see the doctor.

    Word by Word: I-go to Mrs doctor.

    Before a title, pani also stays the same, while doktorka takes the dative.

  5. Pani Kováčová, máte chvíľu?

    Mrs Kováčová, do you have a moment?

    Word by Word: Mrs Kováčová, you-have moment?

  6. Spýtaj sa tej panej.

    Ask that lady.

    Word by Word: Ask of-that lady.

    With no name after it, pani takes its own endings: the genitive is panej.

Common Mistakes

  • Changing pani before a name.

    Stretol som sa s paňou Novákovou.
    Stretol som sa s pani Novákovou.

    Before a name, title or job, pani never changes. Only Nováková takes the instrumental ending.

  • Using the Czech-style address form.

    Dobrý deň, pane Novák.
    Dobrý deň, pán Novák.

    Standard Slovak addresses people in the nominative. Pane is used only on its own, as in Áno, pane.

  • Leaving pán unchanged after a preposition.

    Idem s pán Novák.
    Idem s pánom Novákom.

    Unlike pani, pán and the surname after it both take case endings. After s they are instrumental.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

pán / paniLevel 2Mr and Mrs: Pán and Pani

Learn This First

Before Mr and Mrs: pán and pani, learn Informal ty and Polite vy. pán and pani are used with polite vy.

Words in This Pattern