Neuter Declension Types
The ending of the nominative tells you the model: -o follows mesto (town), -e follows srdce (heart) and -ie follows vysvedčenie (school report).
How It Works
Choosing the model.
- mesto (town): nouns in -o: auto, okno, divadlo, leto
- srdce (heart): nouns in -e: more, pole, vajce, plece
- vysvedčenie (school report): nouns in -ie: námestie, stretnutie, počasie, prízemie
The singular side by side.
- Genitive: mesta, srdca, vysvedčenia
- Dative: mestu, srdcu, vysvedčeniu
- Locative: v meste, v srdci, na vysvedčení
- Instrumental: mestom, srdcom, vysvedčením
For neuter nouns the nominative and accusative are always the same: Vidím mesto. Mám nové auto.
The plural side by side. Nominative: mestá, srdcia, vysvedčenia. Genitive: miest, sŕdc, vysvedčení. Dative: mestám, srdciam, vysvedčeniam. Locative: v mestách, v srdciach, vo vysvedčeniach. Instrumental: mestami, srdcami, vysvedčeniami.
Locative in -u. Mesto-type nouns whose stem ends in k, h or ch take -u instead of -e: jablko → v jablku, ihrisko → na ihrisku, ucho → v uchu.
Short after a long syllable. The rhythmic law shortens the plural -á after a long syllable: mesto → mestá, but číslo → čísla and miesto → miesta.
Neuter nouns for young beings, like dievča and mláďa, follow a separate model: see nouns like dievča.
Examples (6)
- Bývam v malom meste.
I live in a small town.
Word by Word: I-live in small town.
Mesto takes -e in the locative singular.
- Cez leto sme boli pri mori.
In the summer we were at the seaside.
Word by Word: Over summer we-were by sea.
More follows srdce, so the locative is mori.
- Stretneme sa na námestí.
We'll meet on the square.
Word by Word: We-meet ourselves on square.
Námestie follows vysvedčenie: the locative ends in -í.
- Deti sa hrajú na ihrisku.
The children are playing at the playground.
Word by Word: Children themselves play on playground.
Ihrisko ends in -ko, so the locative takes -u.
- Na vysvedčení mám samé jednotky.
I got top grades on my school report.
Word by Word: On report I-have only ones.
Vysvedčenie takes -í in the locative singular. In Slovak schools, 1 (jednotka) is the best grade.
- V srdci som stále mladý.
I'm still young at heart.
Word by Word: In heart I-am still young.
Srdce takes -i in the locative singular.
Common Mistakes
Using the mesto ending for an srdce noun.
Boli sme pri more.Boli sme pri mori.More ends in -e and follows srdce, so the locative ends in -i.
Using the accusative for a location.
Stretneme sa na námestie.Stretneme sa na námestí.A meeting place is a fixed location, so na takes the locative námestí.
Using -e after k in the locative.
Deti sú na ihriske.Deti sú na ihrisku.Mesto-type nouns whose stem ends in k, h or ch take -u in the locative singular.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Neuter Declension Types, learn Dative, Locative and Instrumental Plural. The declension types bring all singular and plural endings together.
Related Patterns
- Neuter Nouns
Introduces the neuter nouns that these models sort.
Level 1 - Locative Singular Endings
Covers the locative singular, where the three models differ most.
Level 2 - Neuter Nouns Like dievča
The fourth neuter model, for nouns like dievča and mláďa.
Level 3 - Genitive Plural Endings
Covers the plural forms miest, sŕdc and vysvedčení.
Level 2 - The Rhythmic Law
Explains čísla and miesta, which have a short -a.
Level 1 - Vowels That Come and Go
Covers genitive plurals with an added vowel, such as okno → okien.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Neuter Declension Types in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Slovak lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
