Igrati, ukvarjati se, trenirati: what you do and with which case
English 'do sport', 'play tennis' and 'go to yoga' split into different patterns in Slovenian. Each takes its own shape of the word, and a slip gives you away at once. For example: “Ukvarjam se s tekom, hodim pa tudi na jogo” — I run, and I also do yoga. A rule from the Slovenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English 'do sport', 'play tennis' and 'go to yoga' split into different patterns in Slovenian. Each takes its own shape of the word, and a slip gives you away at once.
Igrati takes the thing straight, with no preposition: igrati tenis, igrati nogomet, igrati košarko. There is no 'at' or 'in' here. Instruments work the same: igrati klavir, igrati violino.
Ukvarjati se goes with z or s: ukvarjati se s športom, z glasbo, s tekom. That is the most general way to say 'this is my thing'.
Hoditi na is for classes with a timetable: hodim na jogo, hodi na gimnastiko. You cheer for somebody with za: navijati za Slovenijo. You play against somebody with proti: igrati proti Italiji.
Table
| construction | case | example | the English |
|---|---|---|---|
| igrati | object | igrati tenis | play tennis |
| igrati | object | igrati violino | play the violin |
| ukvarjati se | with what | ukvarjati se s športom | do sports |
| ukvarjati se | with what | ukvarjati se z glasbo | do music |
| hoditi na | object | hoditi na jogo | go to yoga |
| trenirati | object | trenirati košarko | train in basketball |
| trenirati koga | object | trenirati otroke | coach children |
| navijati za | object | navijati za Slovenijo | root for Slovenia |
| igrati proti | to whom | igrati proti Italiji | play against Italy |
By example
- Ukvarjam se s tekom, hodim pa tudi na jogoI run, and I also do yoga
- Brata igrata odbojko in navijata za isto ekipoThe two brothers play volleyball and root for the same team
- Jutri igramo proti sosednji šoliTomorrow we play against the neighboring school
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
Igrati, ukvarjati se, trenirati: how does it work in Slovenian?
English 'do sport', 'play tennis' and 'go to yoga' split into different patterns in Slovenian. Each takes its own shape of the word, and a slip gives you away at once.
What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?
“Ukvarjam se s tekom, hodim pa tudi na jogo” — I run, and I also do yoga. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.