Nouns definie people, places, or things in Slovenian.

Contents

1 Case 2 Declensions 2.1 Feminine Declensions (Ženske sklanjatve) 2.1.1 First (Prva) 2.1.2 Second (Druga) 2.1.3 Third (Tretja) 2.1.4 Fourth (Četrta) 2.2 Masculine Declensions (Moške sklanjatve) 2.2.1 First (Prva) 2.2.2 Second (Druga) 2.2.3 Third (Tretja) 2.2.4 Fourth (Četrta) 2.3 Neuter Declensions (Srednje sklanjatve) 2.3.1 First (Prva) 2.3.2 Fourth (Četrta) 2.4 Mass Noun (Množinski samostalnik)

Case

In Slovenian, a noun can either be the subject or object of a sentence which is makred by cases. There are six cases in Slovenian:

1. Nominative (imenovalnik (nominativ))
2. Genitive (rodilnik (genitiv))
3. Dative (dajalnik (dativ))
4. Accusative (tožilnik (akuzativ))
5. Locative (mestnik (lokativ))
6. Instrumental (orodnik (instrumental))

The nominative case defines a subject of a sentence; all other cases define an object as either direct or indirect.

Case	Slovenian (Semi)	English
Nominative	Moj stol je v sobi	My chair is in the room
Genitive	Mojega stola ni v sobi	My chair is not in the room
Genitive	Košček papirja mi je ostal v dlani	A piece of paper remained in my palm
Genitive	Tipkovnica računalnika je vhodna enota	A computer's keyboard is an input device
Dative	Beraču je dal denar	He gave money to a beggar
Accusative	Vidim zvezde	I see the stars
Locative	Mnogo je rečenega o novem sodniku	A lot is being said about the new judge
Instrumental	Na sprehod grem s svojim psom	I am going for a walk with my dog

Declensions

There are 10 distinct declensions in Slovenian. These are the following, with their model noun inflected. Please note that there are many exceptions for each of the declensions, not all of which are noted.

Endings in the following tables are marked as bold.

Feminine Declensions (Ženske sklanjatve)

First (Prva)

The model of this declension is lipa, lime (or linden) tree.

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	lipa	lipi	lipe
2	lipe	lip	lip
3	lipi	lipama	lipam
4	lipo	lipi	lipe
5 (pri/o)	lipi	lipah	lipah
6 (z)	lipo	lipama	lipami

The notable exceptions to this model are nouns ending in -ev instead of -a in nominative singular such as breskev (peach), lestev (ladder), žetev (harvest), and the nouns gospa (lady, madam), hči (daughter) and mati (mother), which have a very peculiar inflexion.

Some nouns, in addition to those ending in -ev, change their stem in the genitive of dual and plural. Namely, the schwa (-e-) (or -i- in front of -j-) is inserted. For example: vožnja (fare) - voženj, igra (game) - iger, ladja (ship) - ladij.

Second (Druga)

The model of this declension is perut, wing (of a bird).

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	perut	peruti	peruti
2	peruti	peruti	peruti
3	peruti	perutma	perutim
4	perut	peruti	peruti
5 (pri/o)	peruti	perutih	perutih
6 (s)	perutjo	perutma	perutmi

Some nouns of the second feminine declension have special endings in instrumental of singular and dative of dual and plural, such as pesem (song) (s pesmijo; pesmima; pesmim).

Some one syllable nouns of this declension have special endings in dative and locative of dual and plural, such as stvar (thing) (Dative: stvarema, stvarem; Locative: pri stvareh, pri stvareh).

Some nouns have peculiarities in the stem upon inflexion, by omitting the schwa sound (e). Bolezen (illness, nominative singular) - bolezni (genitive singular).

The noun kri (blood) has in all cases but nominative and dative singular a different stem (krv-). Thus: kri - krvi - krvi - kri - pri krvi - s krvjo.

Third (Tretja)

The model of this declension is mami, or mummy (a nickname for mother).

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	mami	mami	mami
2	mami	mami	mami
3	mami	mami	mami
4	mami	mami	mami
5 (pri/o)	mami	mami	mami
6 (z)	mami	mami	mami

Fourth (Četrta)

The model of this declension is dežurna, a person on-duty. This word is an adjectival noun (posamostaljeni pridevnik), and also the pattern for declension of adjectives.

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	dežurna	dežurni	dežurne
2	dežurne	dežurnih	dežurnih
3	dežurni	dežurnima	dežurnim
4	dežurno	dežurni	dežurne
5 (pri/o)	dežurni	dežurn'ih	dežurnih
6 (z)	dežurno	dežurnima	dežurnimi

The forms given here are used in the declension of all adjectives standing next to feminine nouns (of any declension), as well as for all adjectives acting as nouns. Province names also abide by this declension.

For example:

1. lepa pisava (nice handwriting)
2. dolga nit (long thread)
3. gobčna Ines (garrulous Ines)
4. Kranjska (= kranjska dežela, 'land of Kranj' - 'Carniola')
5. ženska (female; this stands for ženska oseba, female person)

Masculine Declensions (Moške sklanjatve)

First (Prva)

The model of this declension is korak (step).

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	korak	koraka	koraki
2	koraka	korakov	korakov
3	koraku	korakoma	korakom
4	korak	koraka	korake
5 (pri/o)	koraku	korakih	korakih
6 (s)	korakom	korakoma	koraki

Animate nouns (nouns that represent living beings) have a different ending in accusative singular (-a: fant (boy) - fanta). Some other, inanimate, nouns also adhere to this rule, and using this rule for all first masculine declension nouns is typical in language used by small children.

Nouns ending in C, Č, Ž, Š, J (A mnenomic : Cene češnje že še je. = Literally: Cene cherries already still eats) are subject to the so called preglas. The letter -o- in endings is replaced by -e-. Thus: stric (uncle) - s stricem, and not 's stricom'.

Some one syllable nouns may have the ending -u instead of -a in genitive singular (grad (castle) - gradu). Nouns taken from other languages may have the ending -o or -e in nominative singular. For example, avto (car) or finale (finale).

The nouns mož (husband, also man), zob (tooth) and las (hair) have the ending -je in nominative plural instead of -i: možje, zobje, lasje. Some other nouns allow for either: fant (boy), gost (guest ), škof (bishop). In inflexion of some nouns of the first masculine declension, the schwa in the stem is omitted: vrelec ((thermal) spring) - vrelca.

Some nouns add to their stem -j- (if ending in -r), -t- (names ending in -e) or -n- (if ending in -lj) from genitive singular on. Thus: redar (security guard at a public event) - redarja; Zvone - Zvoneta; nagelj (carnation) - nageljna.

One syllable nouns normally get an extension in their stem with -ov- in dual and plural. zid (wall) - zidova - zidovi

A peculiar irregularity is the noun otrok (child). In nominative plural and locative dual, -k is replaced with -c. (otroci, otrocih)

The noun človek (human) has a different stem in the plural and in genitive and locative of dual: ljud-. Thus: ljudje - ljudi - ljudem - ljudi - pri ljudeh - z ljudmi (plural); človeka - ljudi - človekoma - človeka - pri ljudeh - s človekoma (dual).

Second (Druga)

The model of this declension is vojvoda, duke.

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	vojvoda	vojvodi	vojvode
2	vojvode	vojvod	vojvod
3	vojvodi	vojvodama	vojvodam
4	vojvodo	vojvodi	vojvode
5 (pri/o)	vojvodi	vojvodah	vojvodah
6 (z)	vojvodo	vojvodama	vojvodami

You will have noticed that the second masculine declension shares its endings with the first feminine declension. All nouns belonging to this declension may also be inflected as per the first masculine declension.

Thus, for the noun Luka (Luka, a name):

1. Luka
2. Luke or Luka
3. Luki or Luku
4. Luko or Luka
5. pri Luki or pri Luku
6. z Luko or z Lukom

Third (Tretja)

The model of this declension is H₂O, or any other acronym and symbol.

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	H2O	H2O	H2O
2	H2O	H2O	H2O
3	H2O	H2O	H2O
4	H2O	H2O	H2O
5 (pri/o)	H2O	H2O	H2O
6 (s)	H2O	H2O	H2O

All acronyms and symbols belong to this declension, but they may also be declined as per the first masculine declension, with an obligatory hyphen (-).

Thus, for the noun ATP (meaning adenozin trifosfat, adenosine triphosphate):

1. ATP
2. ATP or ATP-ja
3. ATP or ATP-ju
4. ATP or ATP
5. pri ATP or pri ATP-ju
6. z ATP or z ATP-jem

Fourth (Četrta)

The model of this declension is dežurni, a person on-duty (this is an adjectival noun (posamostaljeni pridevnik), and also the pattern for declension of adjectives).

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	dežurni	dežurna	dežurni
2	dežurnega	dežurnih	dežurnih
3	dežurnemu	dežurnima	dežurnim
4	dežurnega	dežurna	dežurne
5 (pri/o)	dežurnem	dežurn'ih	dežurnih
6 (z)	dežurnim	dežurnima	dežurnimi

The forms given here are used in the declension of all adjectives standing next to masculine nouns (of any declension), as well as for all adjectives acting as nouns. However, in accusative singular, adjectives only have the ending -ega if the noun is animate or omitted; otherwise they get the ending -i or no ending at all.

See also the section on adjectives for usage of definite and indefinite forms for property adjectives.

For example:

• koristen napotek (a useful direction)
• vladajoči vojvoda (the ruling duke)
• čist O₂ (pure O₂)
• moški (male; this stands for moški človek, male human)

Neuter Declensions (Srednje sklanjatve)

First (Prva)

The model of this declension is mesto, city.

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	mesto	mesti	mesta
2	mesta	mest	mest
3	mestu	mestoma	mestom
4	mesto	mesti	mesta
5 (pri/o)	mestu	mest'ih	mestih
6 (z)	mestom	mestoma	mesti

Nouns of which the stem ends in C, Č, Ž, Š or J are subject to the so called preglas. The letter -o- is replaced by -e- in endings in nominative, accusative and instrumental singular, dative and instrumental dual and dative plural. Examples: polje (field), sonce (sun).

Some nouns have no ending in nominative singular, such as kolo (bicycle), ime (name), telo (body), and dekle (girl). These nouns extend their stem by -n-, -s- or -t- from genitive singular onwards (ime - imena, kolo - kolesa, dekle - dekleta).

Some nouns change their stem in the genitive of dual and plural. Namely, the schwa (-e-) (or -i- in front of -j-) is inserted. For example: okno (window) - oken, veselje (gaiety) - veselij.

Fourth (Četrta)

The model of this declension is dežurno, a thing on-duty (this is an adjectival noun (posamostaljeni pridevnik), and also the pattern for declension of adjectives).

CASE	Singular	Dual	Plural
1	dežurno	dežurni	dežurna
2	dežurnega	dežurnih	dežurnih
3	dežurnemu	dežurnima	dežurnim
4	dežurno	dežurni	dežurna
5 (pri/o)	dežurnem	dežurn'ih	dežurnih
6 (z)	dežurnim	dežurnima	dežurnimi

In nominative and accusative singular, the ending is -e instead of -o for adjectives ending in c, č, ž, š and j ("preglas").

The forms given here are used in the declension of all adjectives standing next to neuter nouns, as well as for all adjectives acting as nouns. An important example here are certain town names, such as Krško or Grosuplje (although this latter may also be declined using the first neuter declension).

Mass Noun (Množinski samostalnik)

In Slovene, mass nouns are either singular or plural.

Uncountable nouns used in the singular only can be split into three groups, denoting the following:

• matter (voda (water) (though plural when talking about rivers, lakes and seas), kri (blood), pesek (sand))
• groups (drevje (trees), mladina (youth), pohištvo (furniture))
• concepts (ljubezen (love), zdravje (health), mir (peace), znanje (knowledge))

Plural nouns are, for example, the following: pljuča (lungs), sani (sleigh), norice (smallpox), možgani (brain). In addition, normally the plural is used instead of the dual for body parts (roke (arms), ušesa (ears)), clothes (nogavice (socks)), devices (rolerji (rollerblades), and for biological pairs (starši (parents)), except when stressing that there are only two (or one).

It is permissible to use plural or dual forms for uncountable singular nouns when stressing the diversity or the number. (Obstaja več ljubezni. (Literally: 'There are more loves.') -- but this is better said "Obstaja več vrst ljubezni. (There are more types of love.))