Language
Moving to a new country, learning the local language is key to integrating—helping you find work, feel at home, and build meaningful connections. It takes time and effort, but even if you don’t need Slovene for work or are staying short-term, it’s worth learning. It helps you navigate daily life, understand culture nuances and humour, and truly experience your new home - both beneath the surface and beyond the obvious.
About Slovene Language
Slovene language belongs to the south slavic group of languages, together with croatian, bosnian, macedonian, serbian and bulgarian languages. There are further sub divisions, with slovene language belonging to western subgroup.
It is official language of Republike Slovenije and one of the offical languages of the European Union. Around 2,5 million people speak the language. Slovene language is considered as one of the hardest european languages, due to its complex grammar and rich vocabulary. In border areas where Hungarian and Italian minories live, official language is also hungarian and italian.
First writen scrips were found around 10th century in manustrip called Brižinski spomeniki. And recent important findings of early Slovene language is found in 12th century in Heiligenkreuz Codex in Austria.
First grammar book of slovene language was issued in latin language in 1584 by Adam Bohorič.
Language schools
Centre for Slovene as a second and foreign language,
Faculty of arts, Univeristy of Ljubljana
Almost all the courses are organised at all levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Prior to the beginning of each course, participants are tested and placed in an appropriate group based on their results.
Cene Štupar in Ljubljana
Ljubljana Public Education Centre - Cene Štupar (CILJ) is one of the biggest organizations in the field of adult education in Slovenia. The centre has been noticeable locally as well as regionally for its varied offer of formal and non-formal programmes for all generations for more than 50 years.
Offers free courses and paid courses, depending on your nationality and status. For example, if you are an expat parent (EU and third country nationals) or third country national or EU member state citizen searching for a job.
Slovene language learning programs at a survival level and Slovenian language proficiency tests at a survival level are free of charge for those with the Certificate of fulfilment of the conditions for participation in the program of Slovenian language learning and for a free of charge first proficiency test of the Slovenian language. (269,70 eur per A1.1 level (36 teaching hours)
Maribor Adult Education Centre is a public institution established by the Maribor Municipality in 1922. They provide educational programmes and organize free language courses for foreigners moving to Slovenia (for Third Country Nationals only). Once a year they organise as well language course Basics of competences regardless the nationality. Get in touch with them for more information.
In 2025 centre organized a unique language course for foreigners to learn through culture and arts. Apart from learning the language, the course includes theater performance, learning about culture and city of Maribor.
They organise state funded language courses for Third County nationals. Click here and contact the supervisor for the next open course.
Free Slovene Language courses
Third Country Nationals
The Initial Integration of Immigrants – ZIP and Learning Sloveneian for Survival are both an informal language courses providing an integrated approach and funded by the government across different municipalities in Slovenia.
Program consists of 180 hours, and or additional 60 hours.
The aim of our informal education programmes is to enable third-country nationals to develop the ability to communicate at the most basic level in Slovenian as their non-native language.
To attend the Slovenian language course, you must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility for the participation in a single programme, issued by the administrative unit (Upravna enota). These courses are organised in Ljubljana, Maribor and Koper.
For more information and to apply, check above for the city you live.
Free program funded by the city of Ljubljana and organised at the Cene Stupar institute, the course is meant for any expat regardless nationality, but who is a parent of a child in kindergarten or primary school pupil in city of Ljubljana, who in everyday life encounter problems with expression in Slovene language.
This course is meant for expats who live in Slovenia and are active job seekers. They have to enrol through Slovenian governmental office of employment office , european network EURESS, follow the course and obtain a certificate at the end.
Online Courses & Platforms
Available online through different platforms, you will find below a variety of free interactive online courses and modules to learn Slovene language on your own pace and time.
Slovene language course online for foreigners was developed at the Centre for Slovene as a Second and Foreign language (University of Ljubljana) in cooperation with the company DigiEd.
Different modules of Slovene e-learning, from basic expressions to grammar explanations.
Slo na Dlani is interactive wepsite to learn, improve and test your knowledge of slovene language. Site is in Slovene language with slovene instruction therefore it is ment for someone who already knows about basic slovene language.
Test and learn the grammar of Slovene language with online help and tools. Knowledge level of A1 Slovene is required to follow this webpage.
A quiz to test your knowledge of Slovene language based on real examples. You can help yourself with the automatic teaching tool Amebis Besana and free online dictionary Termania.
Quick learning (Youtube and Instagram)
Learning through social media is quick and first step towards learning a new language fast and for fun. Below you will find a variety of options for interactive and free learning provided by expats and Slovenian teachers. For next level, some teachers also offer private lessons and online group courses. Have a look in srečno!
Nina is a teacher of Slovene language and creates materials, quizzes and exercises about Slovene language and culture on Instagram. She also offers private language course.
Online english and slovene language courses organised by Nina with great explanation and affordable prices. Information available on Instagram and bilingual.disorder@gmail.com.
Anja offers free learning and improving of Slovene language with one word a day approach through Instagram. For a good price you can also order her excellent product - physical cards with Slovene language and explanation.
Offers free learning of Slovene language on instagram. Run by Sara Planinšek , she organises online Slovene courses to foreigners by bringing Slovenian language closer to everyone with innovative, practical and efficient approach.
Youtube channel with with Slovene language explanation about grammar, pronunciation, basic phrases and everyday expressions. Created by expat Anna, Canadian born Chinese married to Slovenian.
Youtube channel for english speakers with interactive videos about basics of Slovene language. Made by expat Sandra.
Youtube channel with with Slovene language explanation only about grammar, pronunciation, basic phrases and everyday expressions - interactive and friendly way.
Other useful tools
Audio short storytellings in Slovene and other languages for children and adults spoken by professional writers, illustrators and artists. At the end of the story, there is a short exercise to practice and repeat certain words and phrases that can be used in every day life. Available online or by app.
News available in readable in simple Slovene language by RTV Slovenija, an independent news organisation created by law (RTV Slovenija Public Act ) and funded by the government. It produces programs for national, regional (and international) TV and radio channels.
Did you know?
Alphabet
Is latin, called Gajica and consists of 25 letters of which three stand out:
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č (ch)
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š (sh)
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ž (zh or j: french j - jean)
Dialects matter
Slovene language has more than 40 dialects and sub dialects. For example, 8 different names for a party: zabava, žur, žurka, fešta, gavda,čaga, šagra, veselica.
We may be small in population and size, but dialect and regional belonging matters.
Dual form & more
The use of dual* form and additional forms looks like this:
ena riba = one fish
dve ribi = two fish
tri ribe = tree fish
štiri ribe = four fish
pet rib = five fish
*most of Slovenia, but in the south west region dual form is mostly neglected