Slovak Dialect Regions

Level 6

West (Záhorie, Trnava, Nitra, Trenčín), center (Liptov, Orava, Turiec, the Zvolen area) and east (Spiš, Šariš, Zemplín, Abov). The standard language grew mainly out of central Slovak.

How It Works

Three main groups. Slovak dialects are usually divided into three groups:

  • Western (Záhorie, Trnava, Nitra, Trenčín): close to the neighboring Moravian dialects of Czech.
  • Central (Liptov, Orava, Turiec, Tekov, Hont, Novohrad, Gemer and the Zvolen area): the main basis of the standard language.
  • Eastern (Spiš, Šariš, Zemplín, Abov): the furthest from the standard, with some features shared with Polish and Rusyn.

Slovak communities in Serbia, Hungary and Romania speak lowland (dolnozemské) dialects, which grew out of western and central Slovak.

What standard Slovak took from the center. Several features of the standard are typically central Slovak: the sound ä, the diphthongs ia, ie, iu and ô, and the rhythmic law, which shortens the second of two long syllables.

Eastern features. Eastern dialects have no long vowels and put the stress on the second-to-last syllable, while the standard stresses the first syllable. They also often say c, dz where the standard has soft ť, ď: dzeci for deti (children).

Why it matters. Many Slovaks still speak their regional variety at home. You will hear it on trips, in family talk and in films. Some regional words, such as dačo, also reach everyday speech. For writing, use the standard language. See colloquial versus standard forms.

Examples (5)

  1. Spisovná slovenčina vychádza najmä zo stredoslovenských nárečí.

    Standard Slovak is based mainly on the central Slovak dialects.

    Word by Word: Standard Slovak comes-out mainly from central-Slovak dialects.

  2. Moja stará mama hovorí po šarišsky.

    My grandma speaks the Šariš dialect.

    Word by Word: My old mother speaks in Šariš-way.

  3. Na východe hovoria dzeci namiesto deti.

    In the east, people say dzeci instead of deti.

    Word by Word: In east they-say dzeci instead-of deti.

  4. Východniari dávajú prízvuk na predposlednú slabiku.

    Easterners put the stress on the second-to-last syllable.

    Word by Word: Easterners give stress on second-to-last syllable.

  5. Záhorácke nárečie je blízke moravským nárečiam.

    The Záhorie dialect is close to the Moravian dialects.

    Word by Word: Záhorie dialect is close to-Moravian dialects.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing a dialect-group adjective as two words.

    Hovorí východo slovenským nárečím.
    Hovorí východoslovenským nárečím.

    Východoslovenský, stredoslovenský and západoslovenský are compound adjectives written as one word.

How It Connects

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

Slovak Dialect RegionsLevel 6

Learn This First

Before Slovak Dialect Regions, learn Stress on the First Syllable and Colloquial Versus Standard Forms. Dialects differ from standard first-syllable stress. Dialect forms contrast with the standard.