No Words for A and The

Level 1

Mám knihu. (I have a book.) Kniha je na stole. (The book is on the table.) The same word works for both.

How It Works

No articles: kniha = a book, the book or just book. Mám psa. (I have a dog.) Pes je doma. (The dog is at home.)

Word order shows new and known: Na stole je kniha. puts the book last because it is new: "There is a book on the table." Kniha je na stole. starts with the book because we already know it: "The book is on the table." See existenčné je / sú.

Pointing words are not articles: ten, tá, to mean "that" or "this". Use them only when you really point something out: Ten film bol dobrý. (That film was good.)

jeden counts: jeden, jedna, jedno means "one". It adds the idea of a single item: Mám jednu otázku. (I have one question.)

Endings still matter: No articles does not mean nouns stay the same. They still change for case: Kniha je tu. but Mám knihu. (see akuzatív ženského rodu na -u).

Examples (6)

  1. Mám knihu.

    I have a book.

    Word by Word: I-have book.

  2. Kniha je na stole.

    The book is on the table.

    Word by Word: Book is on table.

  3. Na stole je kniha.

    There's a book on the table.

    Word by Word: On table is book.

    The new item comes last, which gives the meaning of English "a".

  4. Je tu reštaurácia?

    Is there a restaurant here?

    Word by Word: Is here restaurant?

  5. Reštaurácia je zatvorená.

    The restaurant is closed.

    Word by Word: Restaurant is closed.

  6. Otvor okno, prosím.

    Open the window, please.

    Word by Word: Open window, please.

Common Mistakes

  • Thinking a noun without an article never changes.

    Mám kniha.
    Mám knihu.

    Slovak has no articles, but nouns still take case endings. As the object, kniha becomes knihu.

  • Adding ten where English says "a", as in "This is a house."

    Toto je ten dom.
    Toto je dom.

    Ten dom means that particular house, one you have already talked about. For a plain "a house", use just the noun.