English

Where to and where at: the case after the preposition decides everything

Half the road prepositions are double. With one shape of the word the preposition means 'where to', with another 'where at'. For example: “Pojdite čez most in nato vzdolž nabrežja” — Cross the bridge and then walk along the embankment. A rule from the Slovenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

Half the road prepositions are double. With one shape of the word the preposition means 'where to', with another 'where at'.

V and na point the way in the 'where to' shape and mark the place in the 'where at' shape. Grem v mesto and sem v mestu. Grem na postajo and sem na postaji. Whether it is v or na you learn with the word: v šolo, but na fakulteto.

Čez is across or through: čez cesto, čez most. It also moves you through time: čez uro. Mimo is past and onward: mimo pošte. Do is up to and stop: do postaje.

Exact landmarks all ask for one and the same shape: nasproti (nasproti banke), poleg (poleg semaforja), vzdolž (vzdolž ulice), blizu (blizu hotela).

Table

Where to and where at: the case after the preposition decides everything
prepositioncasemeaningexample
v / naobjectwhere togrem na postajo
v / nawhere atthe placesem na postaji
čezobjectacross, throughčez cesto
doof whatup todo konca ulice
mimoof whatpastmimo pošte
nasprotiof whatoppositenasproti banke
polegof whatnext topoleg semaforja
vzdolžof whatalongvzdolž ulice
zaobjectfor, withinza dve uri
zawith whatbehindzadaj za stavbo

By example

  • Pojdite čez most in nato vzdolž nabrežja
    Cross the bridge and then walk along the embankment
  • Lekarna je nasproti pošte, poleg semaforja
    The pharmacy is opposite the post office, next to the traffic light
  • Avto parkiram zadaj za stavbo, ne pred njo
    I park the car behind the building, not in front of it

How the rule settles in your head

A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.

Frequently asked

Where to and where at: how does it work in Slovenian?

Half the road prepositions are double. With one shape of the word the preposition means 'where to', with another 'where at'.

What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?

“Pojdite čez most in nato vzdolž nabrežja” — Cross the bridge and then walk along the embankment. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.

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Test the rule on examplesPractice