Za novo leto, ob praznikih, na rojstni dan: time and occasion through prepositions
Where and where-to you have already sorted out: there the case after the preposition decided direction. Here it is the same with time; the rules are fewer, but what has to be learned is not a rule — rather a habit: which preposition goes with which occasion. For example: “Za novo leto gremo na kres, na prvi januar pa spimo do poldneva” — For New Year we go to the bonfire, and on the first of January we sleep till…
How it works
Where and where-to you have already sorted out: there the case after the preposition decided direction. Here it is the same with time; the rules are fewer, but what has to be learned is not a rule — rather a habit: which preposition goes with which occasion.
Za + accusative — for the holiday, for the sake of the event: za božič, za novo leto, za rojstni dan, za veliko noč. English 'for Christmas' lands here exactly. The same za means 'in' about time ahead: za teden dni — in a week (about a plan).
Ob + locative — at recurring times and on the occasion of: ob praznikih, ob petkih, ob osmih, ob koncu tedna, ob rojstvu otroka. It is also the word on the clock: ob sedmih — at seven. The plural means 'every time': ob nedeljah — on Sundays.
Na + accusative — on a concrete day with a name: na veliko noč, na prvi maj, na svoj god. The difference from za is subtle and alive: za veliko noč — at Easter time, around those days; na veliko noč — on that very day.
V + accusative — the day of the week: v sredo, v soboto. And pred and po: pred praznikom (instrumental), po večerji (locative) — before and after.
Med + instrumental — during: med prazniki, med obredom, med žalovanjem. Čez + accusative — after a span: čez teden dni, čez eno uro. Do + genitive — up to the deadline: do nedelje.
And what English has no word for at all. A Slovenian has two days a year when people congratulate them: rojstni dan — the birthday, and god — the name day, the feast of the saint they were named after. Congratulations go with the words vse najboljše, and for a holiday you wish vesele praznike. The answer to congratulations is hvala, enako — thanks, same to you.
Table
| preposition | case | example | the English |
|---|---|---|---|
| za | accusative | za božič | for Christmas |
| ob | locative | ob praznikih | on holidays |
| ob | locative | ob osmih | at eight |
| na | accusative | na veliko noč | on Easter day |
| v | accusative | v soboto | on Saturday |
| med | instrumental | med prazniki | during the holidays |
| pred | instrumental | pred praznikom | before the holiday |
| čez | accusative | čez teden dni | in a week |
By example
- Za novo leto gremo na kres, na prvi januar pa spimo do poldnevaFor New Year we go to the bonfire, and on the first of January we sleep till noon
- Ob praznikih je trgovina zaprta, ob petkih pa odprta do osmihOn holidays the shop is closed, and on Fridays it is open till eight
- Med obredom nihče ni govoril, po večerji pa je bil slavnostni govorDuring the ceremony nobody spoke, and after dinner there was a festive speech
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
Za novo leto, ob praznikih, na rojstni dan: how does it work in Slovenian?
Where and where-to you have already sorted out: there the case after the preposition decided direction. Here it is the same with time; the rules are fewer, but what has to be learned is not a rule — rather a habit: which preposition goes with which occasion.
What does it look like in an example sentence Slovenian?
“Za novo leto gremo na kres, na prvi januar pa spimo do poldneva” — For New Year we go to the bonfire, and on the first of January we sleep till noon. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.