Slovene language Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Slovene

Slovenian
slovenski jezik, slovenščina

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)

Balto-Slavic
- Slavic
  - South Slavic
    - Western South Slavic
      - Slovene

Dialects

Prekmurje dialect

Resian

approx. 32 unstandardised dialects

Writing system Latin (Slovene alphabet)
Slovene Braille

Official status

Official language in Slovenia
European Union
Regional or local official language in

Recognised minority language in Austria
Italy
Hungary

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. It is the official language of Slovenia.

More than two million people speak Slovene. It is a Slavic language, written for more than 1000 years.

It is one of the official languages in the EU. The alphabet is almost like the English alphabet.

Examples :

Images for kids

The Freising manuscripts, dating from the late 10th or the early 11th century, are considered the oldest documents in Slovene.
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."