Slovak Proverbs and Sayings

There are no silent letters in Slovak. If the consonant is alone, slide it into the next word and pronounce it, because it is a preposition; example: s means with; ským means with you.

Slovak	English	Phonetical
Nie ten majster, ktorý začne, ale ktorý dokoná	Not he who begins but he who finishes is the master.	Knee-eh tehn my-stehr, k-tho-ree zah-chneh, ah-leh k-tho-ree doh-koh-nah.
Horšia dlžoba ako chudoba.	Debt is worse than poverty.	Hohr-sheh dl-shoh-bah ah-koh chuh-doh-bah.
Silný si utiera čelo, chytrý ústa.	The strong wipe their brows, the crafty their lips.	Sill-knee sea u-tie-rah cheh-loh-, chy-tree u-stah.
Svoje veci nechváľ, a cudzie nehaň.	Don’t praise what is yours; don’t belittle what is another’s.	Svoy-eh veh-cih neh-kvahl, a cud zieh neh-hahn.
S pravdou najd’alej zajdeš.	With truth you can travel the farthest.	S pr hv-dohu neye-dah-lay zeye-desh

Ked Pán boh nechce, môže človek robiť , čo chece.	If God be unwilling, man can do nothing.	Ked Pahn Boh neh-tseh mo-ze (as in treasure) chlo- vehk roh-bith, cho tseh.
človeka pri pijatyke a pri hre poznáš	You learn to know a man when you play or drink with him.	Chlo-veh-kah pree pee-yah-teh-keh ah pree hreh pohz(as in treasure)nahsh.
Čoho sa kto bojí, o tom sa mu najskôr sníva	The thing we fear, we soon dream about.	Cho-hoh sah ktoh boyee, oh tohm sah muh nahy-score snee-vah.
Ženu a plátno nedobre kupovať pri svieci.	Cloth or a wife should never be selected by candlelight.	Zeh (as in treasure)nuh ah plaht-noh neh doh-breh ku-poh-vaht pree syet-si.
Lepšie chudé pokonanie, ako tučný proces.	Better a lean settlement than a fat litigation.	Leh-shie who-deh poh-koh-nah-nie, ah-koh tuch-nee proh ces.

I veľký dub bol kedysi len žalud´om.	Even a giant oak was once an acorn.	Ee vehl-kee duhb bohl keh-dee-see lehn zah (z as is treasure) luh-dohm.
Nič nepovažuj za svoje, čo môžeš ztratiť.	Do not regard as your own anything you may lose.	Nich neh-poh-vah-zuee (z as in treasure) zah svoy-eh, cho mo (ô as in wonder)-zesh (z as in treasure) ztrah-tith.
Keby nebolo hriechu, nebolo by pekla.	If there was no sin, there would be no hell.	Keh-bee neh-boh-loh hreh-who, neh-boh-loh bee pehk-lah.
Jednaj ako cigáň, ale plať ako pán.	Barter like a gypsy, but pay like a gentleman	Yehd- neye ah-koh cih-ganh, ah-leh plath- a-koh pawn.
Iskra najkrajšie vtedy zasvieti, ked’ hasne.	A spark produces its brightest glow just before it dies out.	Eh-skrah neye-krah-shie vteh-dee zaj-svee-eh, ked kah-sneh.
Silená modlitba nejde do neba.	Compulsory prayers never reach heaven.	Sih-leh-nah mod-leth-bah nehy-deh doh neh-bah.
Pán Boh nie náhlivý, ale pamätlivý.	God is not impatient but mindful.	Pahn Boh knee-eh nah-lee-vee, ah-leh pah-met-lee-vee.
Natiahni si uši a počúvaj!	Tighten your eardrums and give heed! (pay attention)	Nah-tee-ah-knee see uh-she ah poh-chuh v-eye.
Len sa mi tak na jazyku pletie.	It keeps floating about on my tongue (attempt at recollection).	Lehn sah me thak nah yah-zee-kuh pleh-tee-ah.
Krúti hlavou ako neveriaci Tomáš.	He shakes his head like a doubting Thomas.	Kruh-tee hlah-vohu ah-ko neh-veh-ree-ah-see Toh-mash
Pravda výjde na vrch ako olej na vodu.	The truth rises to the surface like oil on water.	Prahv-dah vee-deh nah vrch (roll them all together) ah-koh oh-lay nah voh-du.
čnosť a peknosť je milá spoločnosť	Virtue and beauty are a blessed association.	Chno-st ah pehk-nost jeh (ye) mil (as in ill)-ah spoh (o short as in or)-loch nohst.
Dobrá práca sama sa chváli.	Fine work is its own flattery.	Doh-bra (roll the r) prah-tsah sah-mah sah chvah-lee (ch as in Bach).
Dobré svedomie je mäkkíá poduška	A good conscience makes a soft pillow.	Dob-reh sveh-doh-myeh jeh mehk-kah poh-du-shkah.
Spravedlivá práca ako modlitba.	Honest labor is a form of prayer.	Sprah-vehd-lee-vah prah-tsah ah-ko mohd (o as in or)-liht-bah.
Láska nepotrebuje zákona.	Love need no laws	Lah-skah neh-poh-treh-buj-eh zah-koh-nah.
Na zajtra je len hnev dobre odkladať.	Anger is the only thing to put off until tomorrow.	Nah zeye-trah jeh lehn hnev doh-breh od-klah-dahth.
Kto si málo neváži, viacej nezaslúži.	Who is not grateful for a little does not deserve more.	Ktoh see mah-loh neh-vah-dzee (as in jaw), vee-aht-say neh zah sluh dzee.
čo máme, o to nedbáme a za iným sa zháňame.	We disregard what we've got, always chasing what we've not.	Cho mah-meh, oh toh nehd-bah-meh ah zah ihnyem sah shah-nah meh.
Bieda nejlepši majster.	Want is the most resourceful master.	Bee-eh-dah nigh-lehp-sheh my stehr.
Ani nevidí, ani nepočuje od radost.	He can neither see nor hear from joy.	Ah-knee, neh-vee-dee. Ah-knee neh-poh chuh-yeh ohd rah-dohst.
Teši sa, len tak mladne.	So pleased. He keeps getting younger.	Teh-she sah, lehn tahk mlahd-neh.
Dobrý ako leto.	(As pleasant) a person as a summer day.	Doh-bree ah-koh leh-toh.
Tvár - duše obraz.	The face - the picture of the soul.	Tvahr duh-seh ohb-raz .
Do domu, kde láska byva, slniečko sa rado diva.	The sun loves to peer into the home where love is.	Doh doh-muh, kdeh lah-skah bee-vah, sl-nih ech-ko sah rah-doh dih-vah.
Okuliare na nos!	Spectacles on the nose! (pay attention).	Oh-kuh-liah-reh nah nohs!
Dobré slovo lepšie od peňazí.	A kind word is better than cash.	Doh-reh sloh-voh lep-she-eh ohd peh-nah- zee.
Lepšia hrsť priateľstva, ako voz dukátov.	A handful of friendship is better than a wagon load of gold.	Lep-she-eh hrst (roll the r) pree-ah-tehl-stvah, ah koh-vohz duh-kah-tohv.
Každý je sám svojho šťastia kováč.	Each of us is the forger of his own happiness.	Kah-zdee jeh sah-mah svoh-hoh shtah-stee-ah koh-ach.
Človek na tvár, ale Boh na srdce hľadi.	Others read your face, God your heart.	Cloh-vehk nah tvahr, Boh nah scd-ceh hlah-dee.
Čas a trpelivosť ruže donáša.	Time and patience bring roses.	Chahs ah tr-peh-lih-vost ruh-zeh doh-nah-sha.
Vd'vačnosť a pšenica iba v dobrej zemi rastú.	Gratitude and wheat grow only in good soil .	V dvah chnost ah pshe-nih-sah ih-bah v doh-breh zeh-mee rah-stuh
Kto nemá v hlave, má v pätách.	If you don’t use your head you have to use your feet.	Ktoh neh-mah v hlah-veh, mah v peth-tahch
Horši strach, než sama bieda.	Fear is worse than misfortune itself.	Hohr-sheh stahr-ch, neh z sah-mah bee-eh-dah
Ani Pán Boh všetkým ľud’om nevyhovie.	Even God does not satisfy all people.	Ah-knee Pahn Boh vsheh-kim luh-dohm neh-vee-ho-vee-eh
Dobrý počiatok, polovica práce.	A good beginning is half the job	Doh-bree poh-chee-ah-, poh-loh-vih-tscah prah-tse
Nešťastie ťa nauči modliť sa.	Misfortune teaches us to pray.	Neh-shtah-tee-eh tah nah-uh-chee mohd-lit sah.
Múdry sa nik nenarodil.	No one is born wise.	Muh-dree sah nihk nah-nahroh-dill.
Keby mladosť znala a starosť mohla.	If youth knew and old age could.	Keh-bee mlah-dohst znah-lah ah stah-rosht moh-hlah.
Ľahšie haniť ako spraviť.	It is easier to criticize than to create.	L( as in million)sh she-yeh hah-knee-ith ah-koh sprah-vith.
Premôž svoj hnev, pokým je malý.	Kill your anger while it is small.	Preh-moz (o as in wonder z as in treasure) svoj-hoh hnev, poh-kim jeh mah-lee.
Nie je dobre toho hnevať, koho musiš zajtrá odprosovať	Don’t anger one to whom you must apologize tomorrow.	Neh-yeh yeh doh-breh toh-hoh hneh-vahth, koh-hoh muh-shish zeye-trah ohd-proh-doh-vaht.
Kto sa s prácou oberá, o noviny málo dbá.	The busy care little about gossip.	Ktoh sah s prah-stou oh behr-rah, oh noh-vi-knee mah-loh dbah.
Lepšia je hodinka na rozmýšľanie, ako rok na banovanie.	Better an hour of thought than a year of regret.	Lehp-sh-yah jeh ho-din-kah nah roh-zyshlah-knee-eh, ah-koh rohk nah bah-noh-vah-knee-eh.
Kto najbližšie kostola býva, ten najneskoršie doň chodieva.	He who lives nearest the church, always comes the latest.	K-toh neye-blih z (as in treasure) shee-eh koh-stoh-lah bee-vah, tehn neye-neh-skorh-shee-eh do n (as the ny in canyon) choh-dee-eh-vah.
To mu už davno z hlavy vyšumelo.	It oozed out of his head long ago.	Toh muh uz (as in treasure) dah-vnoh z hlah-vee vee-shu-meh-loh.
Padol mu rozum za sáru.	His reason (judgment) has fallen down into his boots.	Pah-dohl muh roh-zum zah sah ruh
Považuj každý deň ako svoj najlepši.	Consider each day as your best day.	Poh-vah-dzuee kah-zdee den (n as in knew) ah- koh svoy nigh-lehp-sheh.
Nevieš kto sa ti ešte zíde.	You never know whom you may need.	Neh-vehsh ktoh sah tea eh-shteh dzi-deh.
Kde nieto poriadku, ide všetko do úpadku	Where there is no order, everything is headed toward collapse.	Kdeh neek-toh poh-ree-ahd-ku (u as in put), i(I as in hill)-deh vsheth-ku doh u( as in moon)-pahd-ku (u as input).
Blázon iba nad svojou škodou zmúdrie.	A fool learns only at his own expense.	Blah-zohn ee-bah nahd svoy-ou zmud (o as in moon) ree.
Dal rozum do árendy.	Rented out his common sense.	Dahl roh-zum doh a-rehn-dee.

a á as in Father	ia as in yo in yonder
e é as in bed, let	iu as in you or ew in pew
i y as in hill	ou as in ow in know
í ý as in police, meet	ie as in ye in yes
o as in bore, more short o sound	ô as in wo in wonder
u as in put	ú as in too, moon

c as the ts in cats, never as c in cut	r rolled more than in English
č as ch in chin, change	š as sh in shut
d’ much like the d in duty, mildew	ž as the s in treasure
j as y in yet, never as j in juice	dz as ds in pads
ľ much like the double ll in million	ň as the ny in canyon, the n in knew
dž as j in jaw, John	ch rougher than h, like the Bach
h as in hoop

Ked Pán boh nechce, môže človek robiť , čo chece.

If God be unwilling, man can do nothing.

Ked Pahn Boh neh-tseh mo-ze (as in treasure) chlo- vehk roh-bith, cho tseh.

človeka pri pijatyke a pri hre poznáš

You learn to know a man when you play or drink with him.

Chlo-veh-kah pree pee-yah-teh-keh ah pree hreh pohz(as in treasure)nahsh.

Čoho sa kto bojí, o tom sa mu najskôr sníva

Cho-hoh sah ktoh boyee, oh tohm sah muh nahy-score snee-vah.

Ženu a plátno nedobre kupovať pri svieci.

Zeh (as in treasure)nuh ah plaht-noh neh doh-breh ku-poh-vaht pree syet-si.

Lepšie chudé pokonanie, ako tučný proces.

Leh-shie who-deh poh-koh-nah-nie, ah-koh tuch-nee proh ces.