LingoflyThe language for citizenship of Slovenia: the requirements and how long to learn
Slovenian citizenship requires the Slovene language exam at the basic level (osnovna raven), before a commission appointed by the government. Exempt are those who finished primary or secondary school in Slovenia, obtained higher education there after 25 June 1991, and people over sixty who have lived in Slovenia for fifteen years. For the illiterate, an oral part is provided separately. Checked against the text of the law in the legal information system of the Republic of Slovenia.
What is required
| Which language | Slovenian |
| Level | the basic level (osnovna raven) of the national system; its correspondence to the Common European Scale is not named in the source |
| Residence term | residence terms are set by the citizenship law and depend on the grounds |
| How it is checked | an exam in Slovene for everyday communication — at the basic level (osnovna raven), before a commission appointed by the government. The level is named in the national system, not on the Common European Scale. |
| Who is exempt | The exam is not required by those who finished primary school in Slovenia; completed a publicly recognized secondary school program; obtained VI or VII level education or finished higher or university studies after 25 June 1991; and those over sixty who have in fact lived in Slovenia for fifteen years. Someone who cannot write but speaks Slovene takes only the oral part of the basic level. |
| Is a language required for the residence permit | Yes, for permanent residence — since 1 November 2024: under the Aliens Act a passed Slovene exam at the basic level is required, which the government's announcement labels A2. Extending a family member's temporary permit requires a check at the survival level. The citizenship law does not govern this. |
- Slovenian for citizenship of Slovenia: no level named on the common scale. An exam in Slovene for everyday communication — at the basic level (osnovna raven), before a commission appointed by the government. The level is named in the national system, not on the Common European Scale.checked against the primary source
- Vocabulary size by level: A1 — about 650 words, A2 — about 1300 words, B1 — about 2400 words. These are lists for German exams; for another language they transfer as an order of magnitude.checked against the primary source
What changed
The table above shows what is required now. This is what changed, and when: if you counted your term under the old rules, look here.
November 1, 2024. The Aliens Act provisions on the Slovene language came into force: a permanent residence permit now requires a passed Slovene exam at the basic level (the government labels it A2), and extending a family member's temporary permit requires a check at the survival level. ([source](https://www.gov.si/novice/2024-10-30-zacne-veljati-pogoj-uspesnega-preizkusa-znanja-slovenscine-na-prezivetveni-in-osnovni-ravni-a2/))
How long it takes to learn
The requirement names no level on the common scale, so there can be no honest arithmetic of “so many hours” here: there is nothing to count from. Orient yourself by the exam's own programme: the body that administers the exam publishes it, and it says which parts the exam has and how many points the language needs.
For comparison: up to level A2, at which a person gets by on simple everyday topics, the Cambridge exam board names 180–200 study hours. It is an institutional benchmark, not a research finding, and the spread between people is enormous.
How we help, and what we do not cover
Slovenian we do have: 4051 words (in size, a vocabulary at the B1 level), audio for every word, a from-scratch script course, a phrasebook by situation and grammar in plain words.
The level in brackets is about vocabulary size and nothing else. The thresholds come from the word lists the Goethe-Institut publishes for its exams: at A1 — about 650, at A2 — about 1300, at B1 — about 2400 ([the B1 list](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Goethe-Zertifikat_B1_Wortliste.pdf), checked September 7, 2026). The lists are German; for another language they transfer as an order of magnitude. And the main thing: the level is set by skills, and the list is derived from the level — not the other way around — so a dictionary of the right size is still not a passed exam.
What to do, step by step
- Open the primary source and check the requirement as of today — it may have changed after our check.
- Find out whether you fall under the exemptions: a degree in the right language or a school certificate often removes the exam entirely.
- Learn the exam programme in advance: which parts it consists of and how many points you need for the language.
- Start with everyday language and listening: in any format, understanding other people's speech gives out first, not your stock of words.
- Three or four months before the exam, add sessions with a teacher who knows its programme: what a person checks cannot be prepared without a person.
Frequently asked
Which language is required for citizenship of Slovenia?
Slovenian. An exam in Slovene for everyday communication — at the basic level (osnovna raven), before a commission appointed by the government. The level is named in the national system, not on the Common European Scale.
Is a language required for a residence permit in Slovenia?
Yes, for permanent residence — since 1 November 2024: under the Aliens Act a passed Slovene exam at the basic level is required, which the government's announcement labels A2. Extending a family member's temporary permit requires a check at the survival level. The citizenship law does not govern this.
How long will preparation take?
There is nothing to count from: the requirement names no level. Orient yourself by the exam programme published by the body that administers it.
Can it be done without the exam?
The exam is not required by those who finished primary school in Slovenia; completed a publicly recognized secondary school program; obtained VI or VII level education or finished higher or university studies after 25 June 1991; and those over sixty who have in fact lived in Slovenia for fifteen years. Someone who cannot write but speaks Slovene takes only the oral part of the basic level.
How far can this data be trusted?
The requirement was read on the website of the authority that imposes it: the Slovenia Citizenship Act (ZDRS) in the legal information system. The check date is September 7, 2026, the link is on the page. We do not process paperwork and charge nothing for it, so we have no interest in rounding terms in a pleasant direction.