Slovene language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slovene |
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| Slovenian slovenski jezik, slovenščina |
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| Native to | Slovenia, Italy (in Friuli Venezia Giulia), Austria (in Carinthia and Styria), Hungary (in Vas); emigrant communities in various countries | |||
| Native speakers | 2.5 million (date missing) | |||
| Language family |
Indo-European
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| Dialects |
Prekmurje dialect
Resian
approx. 32 unstandardised dialects
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| Writing system | Latin (Slovene alphabet) Slovene Braille |
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| Official status | ||||
| Official language in |  Slovenia European UnionRegional or local official language in |
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| Recognised minority language in |  Austria Italy Hungary |
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| Regulated by | Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts | |||
| Linguasphere | 53-AAA-f (51 varieties) | |||
Slovene-speaking areas
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Slovene (or Slovenian) is a language spoken by over two million people. It is the official language of Slovenia, a country in Central Europe.
Slovene is a Slavic language, which means it is part of a larger family of languages spoken across Eastern Europe. People have been writing in Slovene for more than 1,000 years!
It is also one of the official languages of the EU. The Slovene alphabet is very similar to the English alphabet.
Contents
What is the Slovene Language?
Slovene is a language that belongs to the South Slavic group. This group also includes languages like Croatian and Serbian. Even though they are related, Slovene has its own unique features.
The language uses the Latin alphabet, just like English. This makes it easier for English speakers to recognize the letters.
Where is Slovene Spoken?
Most people who speak Slovene live in Slovenia. It is the main language used in schools, government, and daily life there.
However, Slovene is also spoken by groups of people in nearby countries. You can find Slovene speakers in parts of Italy, especially in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is also spoken in some areas of Austria, like Carinthia, and in parts of Hungary.
Many Slovene people have moved to other countries over the years. Because of this, you can find communities of Slovene speakers all around the world!
Learning Slovene Words
Like any language, Slovene has its own words for numbers and common phrases. Here are a couple of examples:
Images for kids
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The Freising manuscripts, dating from the late 10th or the early 11th century, are considered the oldest documents in Slovene.
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Tombstone of Jožef Nahtigal in Dobrova with archaic Slovene onikanje in indirect reference. Literal translation "Here lie [počivajo] the honorable Jožef Nahtigal ... they were born [rojeni] ... they died [umerli] ... God grant them [jim] eternal peace and rest."
See also
In Spanish: Idioma esloveno para niños
