Slovak idioms
A collection of idiomatic expressions in Slovak with English equivalents and translations.
Idioms English versions
Ak chceš s vlkmi žiť, musíš s nimi vyť If you want to live with wolves you have to howl with them
Ako sa do hory volá, tak sa z hory ozýva What scream goes to the mountain, the same goes back
Božie mlyny melú pomaly, ale isto God's mills are more insured than functional
Ráno múdrejšie večera It's wiser to dine in the mornning
Byť v koži niekoho iného To be in the skin of somebody else
Čerstvý ako rybička Fresh as fish
Hodiť flintu do žita To throw the rifle into the corn
Hrať sa na slepú babu To play on a blind squaw
Chodiť okolo horúcej kaše To walk around hot porridge (beat around the bush)
Je mi to platné ako mŕtvemu kabát This is as useful to me as a coat to the dead
Je to ako hrach na stenu hádzať It is like throwing peas on the wall
Je to pre mňa španielska dedina It is all a Spanish village to me (incomprehensible)
Kto do teba kameňom, ty do neho chlebom Who with a stone into you, you with a bread into him
Kúpiť mačku vo vreci To by a cat in a poke
Liezť na nervy To climb upon nerves
Lož má krátke nohy The lie has short legs
Mám to v malíčku I have got it in my little finger
Mať chrobáka v hlave To have a beetle in one's mind
Mať z pekla šťastie To have a fortune from the hell
Najlepšia obrana je útok Best defence is offence
Tam je pes zakopaný The dog is dug over there
Nemaľuj čerta na stenu Don't paint the devil on the wall
Padli si do oka They fallen into each other's eye
Pokojný ako Angličan Calm as an Englishman
Remeslo má zlaté dno A craft has a golden bottom
Ťahať niekoho za nos To pull one's nose
Vrana k vrane sadá, rovný rovného si hľadá – A crow is sitting by crow, an equal is looking for another equal
Vyšiel na psí tridsiatok He went on a dog's thirties
Aka duchaplna myslienka!
What a ghostful idea! Rano mudrejsie vecera.
It's wiser to dine in the morning. Bozie mlyny melu pomaly, ale isto.
God's mills are more insured than functional. Na zdravie!
On the health! Nema to cenu.
It doesn't have a price. Basa tvrdi muziku.
A prison makes music stronger. Mam sa velmi dobre.
I've got myself very good. Pustila som ho k vode.
I have released him to the water. Isiel spity pod obraz.
He went drunk under the picture. Si z toho cela prec.
You are all away of it. Dohodil mu nevestu.
He threw him the bride. Beriem ta za slovo.
I am taking you by the word. Remeslo ma zlate dno.
A craft has a golden bottom. Daj mi pokoj!
Give me an apartment! Nemaluj certa na stenu!
Don't paint the devil on the wall! Pre mna - za mna ...
For me - beyond me ... Je to ako hrach na stenu hadzat.
It is like throwing peas on the wall. Kto do teba kamenom, ty do neho chlebom.
Who with a stone into you, you with a bread into him.
Bola na neho prikratka.
She was too short for him. Postavit vodu na caj.
To set water on a tea. Drz hubu!
Catch the mouth! Ako sa do hory vola, tak sa z hory ozyva.
What scream goes to the mountain, the same goes back.
Mam to v malicku.
I have got it in my little finger. Mat z pekla stastie.
To have a fortune from the hell. Tam je pes zakopany!
The dog is dug over there! Loz ma kratke nohy.
The lie has short legs. Mat chrobaka v hlave.
To have a beetle in one's mind. Liezt na nervy.
To climb upon nerves. Seklo ho v krizoch.
It has cut him into the crosses. Prehral si platnu.
He has gambled off his cook-range. Padli si do oka.
They have fallen into each other's eye. Hrat sa na slepu babu.
To play on a blind squaw. Hodit flintu do zita.
To throw the rifle into the corn. Je mi nevolno.
It's not free to me. Vysiel na psi tridsiatok.
He went on a dog's thirties. Vrana k vrane sada - rovny rovneho si hlada.
A crow is sitting by a crow - an equal is looking for another equal. Mam ta plne zuby.
I have my teeth full of you. Useful Slovak phrasesA collection of useful phrases in Slovak. Click on the English phrases to see them in many other languages.
Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person), inf = informal, frm = formal.
