Živjo and dober dan: your own people and strangers
Živjo is "hi" between your own people, and the clock does not matter. The same word says goodbye in Slovenia, so one word covers both the entrance and the exit of a conversation. For example: “Živjo, kako si?” — Hi, how are you?. A rule from the Slovenian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Živjo is "hi" between your own people, and the clock does not matter. The same word says goodbye in Slovenia, so one word covers both the entrance and the exit of a conversation.
Dober dan is the neutral, polite greeting, and with a stranger it is the right way to start. Unlike živjo it keeps hours: dobro jutro — in the morning, until about nine or ten; dober večer — from about six in the evening. The borders are soft: a dober dan at nine in the morning surprises nobody.
The form se vidiva in the examples below is about two people: Slovenian has a dual number, and "see you" for three or more will be se vidimo. Farewells come in two flavors as well. Na svidenje is neutral, literally "until we see each other", said in two strides. Adijo is informal, from the Italian addio, and works all over the country; the house-party version is čau.
Table
| What is said | To whom | When |
|---|---|---|
| živjo | your own people, peers | any time of day; doubles as a farewell |
| dober dan | a stranger, politely | the day |
| dobro jutro | anyone | in the morning, until about nine or ten |
| dober večer | anyone | from about six in the evening |
| na svidenje | neutral | when parting |
| adijo | your own people | when parting, all over the country |
By example
- Živjo, kako si?Hi, how are you?
- Dober dan, kako ste?Good afternoon, how are you?
- Adijo, se vidiva!Bye, see you!
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
Živjo vs dober dan?
Živjo is "hi" between your own people, and the clock does not matter. The same word says goodbye in Slovenia, so one word covers both the entrance and the exit of a conversation.
How to greet in Slovenia?
Dober dan is the neutral, polite greeting, and with a stranger it is the right way to start. Unlike živjo it keeps hours: dobro jutro — in the morning, until about nine or ten; dober večer — from about six in the evening. The borders are soft: a dober dan at nine in the morning surprises nobody.
How to say hi in Slovenian?
The form se vidiva in the examples below is about two people: Slovenian has a dual number, and "see you" for three or more will be se vidimo. Farewells come in two flavors as well. Na svidenje is neutral, literally "until we see each other", said in two strides. Adijo is informal, from the Italian…
Živjo or dober dan for a stranger?
The form se vidiva in the examples below is about two people: Slovenian has a dual number, and "see you" for three or more will be se vidimo. Farewells come in two flavors as well. Na svidenje is neutral, literally "until we see each other", said in two strides. Adijo is informal, from the Italian…
What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?
“Živjo, kako si?” — Hi, how are you?. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.