Slovak sentence structure

Slovak language has different word order according to different types of sentences. In this lesson we will tell you something about the word order, which case to use in a sentence and more. Let's have a look at it!

Declarative sentence

This is the usual word order in a declarative sentence:

• subject + verb + other components of the sentence +  .

Example:

• Adam (subject) + ide (verb) + zajtra (adverb) + do práce (adverb) + sám (adverb).
• (Adam + goes + tomorrow + to work + alone.)

However, in Slovak language the order can be slightly changeable. It depends on the meaning of the sentence and what would we like to point out.

The word you want to emphasize, is usually at the end of the sentence.

Here are the examples of how the sentence changes its meaning with changing the order:

• Adam ide zajtra do práce sám. (the emphasis on "sám"= alone)
• Adam ide do práce sám zajtra. (emphasis on "zajtra"=tomorrow)
• Sám do práce ide zajtra Adam. (emphasis on "Adam")

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Interrogative sentence

This is the usual word order in an interrogative sentence:

• Interrogative pronoun + verb + subject + other components + ?

Example:

• Prečo (interrogative pronoun) + ide (verb) + Adam (subject) + zajtra (adverb) +  sám (adverb) + do práce (adverb)?
• (Why + goes + Adam + tomorrow + alone + to work?)

We can create an interrogative sentence also by switching the verb and the subject, putting the verb first:

• Verb + subject + other components + ?

Example:

• Ide (verb) + Adam (subject) + zajtra + do školy + sám?
• (Goes + Adam + tomorrow + to school + alone?)

Imperative sentence

This is the usual word order in an imperative sentence:

• Form of addressing (optional) + verb + other components + !

Example:

• Adam, (subject) + choď (verb) + zajtra + do školy + sám!
• (Adam + go + tomorrow + to school + alone!)

or

• (no subject) Choď (verb) + do školy + sám!
• (Go + to school + alone!)

Complex sentence

A complex sentence is composed by 2 or more sentences. It contains one main sentence and other sentences. The other sentences specify the main sentence and usually they are separated with a comma.

Here are some examples:

• Mama ide do školy, do ktorej chodila ako malá. (Mum goes to school she attended when she was young.)
• Mám ťa rada, lebo si dobrá. (I like you because you are good.)
• Išiel do školy a bola zima. (He went to school and it was cold.)