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CASE In Slovenian, a noun can either be the Subject or Object of a Sentence which is marked by Case s. There are six cases in Slovenian: # Nominative (imenovalnik (nominativ)) # Genitive (rodilnik (genitiv)) # Dative (dajalnik (dativ)) # Accusative (tožilnik (akuzativ)) # Locative (mestnik (lokativ)) # Instrumental (orodnik (instrumental)) The nominative case defines a subject of a sentence; all other cases define an object as either direct or indirect.
DECLENSIONS There are 10 distinct Declensions in Slovenian. These are the following, with their model noun inflected. Please note that there are many exceptions for each of the declensions, not all of which are noted. Endings in the following tables are marked as bold. Feminine Declensions (Ženske sklanjatve) First (Prva) The model of this declension is lipa, Lime (or Linden ) Tree .
The notable exceptions to this model are nouns ending in -ev instead of -a in nominative singular such as breskev ( Peach ), lestev ( Ladder ), žetev ( Harvest ), and the nouns gospa (lady, madam), hči ( Daughter ) and mati ( Mother ), which have a very peculiar inflexion. Some nouns, in addition to those ending in -ev, change their stem in the genitive of dual and plural. Namely, the schwa (-e-) (or -i- in front of -j-) is inserted. For example: vožnja (fare) - ''voženj'', ''igra'' (game) - ''iger'', ''ladja'' (ship) - ''lad'''i'''j''. Second (''Druga'') The model of this declension is perut, Wing (of a bird).
Some nouns of the second feminine declension have special endings in Instrumental of singular and Dative of dual and plural, such as pesem ( Song ) (s pesmijo; pesmima; pesmim). Some one Syllable nouns of this declension have special endings in dative and locative of dual and plural, such as stvar ( Thing ) ( Dative : stvarema, stvarem; Locative: pri stvareh, pri stvareh). Some nouns have peculiarities in the stem upon Inflexion , by omitting the schwa sound (e). Bolezen (illness, nominative singular) - bolezni (genitive singular). The noun kri ( Blood ) has in all cases but nominative and dative singular a different stem (krv-). Thus: kri - krvi - krvi - kri - pri krvi - s krvjo. Third (Tretja) The model of this declension is mami, or mummy (a nickname for mother).
Fourth (Četrta) The model of this declension is dežurna, a person on-duty. This word is an adjectival noun (posamostaljeni pridevnik), and also the pattern for declension of adjectives.
The forms given here are used in the declension of all adjectives standing next to feminine nouns (of any declension), as well as for all adjectives acting as nouns. Province names also abide by this declension. For example: # lepa pisava (nice handwriting) # dolga nit (long thread) # gobčna Ines (garrulous Ines) # Kranjska (= kranjska dežela, 'land of Kranj ' - ' Carniola ') # ženska (female; this stands for ''ženska oseba'', female person) Masculine Declensions (Moške sklanjatve) First (Prva) The model of this declension is korak ( Step ).
Animate nouns (nouns that represent living beings) have a different ending in accusative singular (-a: fant (boy) - fanta). Some other, inanimate, nouns also adhere to this rule, and using this rule for all first masculine declension nouns is typical in language used by small children. Nouns ending in C, Č, Ž, Š, J (A Mnemonic : Cene češnje že še je. = Literally: Cene cherries already still eats) are subject to the so called preglas. The letter -o- in endings is replaced by -e-. Thus: stric (uncle) - s stricem, and not 's stricom'. Some one Syllable nouns may have the ending -u instead of -a in genitive singular (grad (castle) - gradu). Nouns taken from other languages may have the ending -o or -e in nominative singular. For example, avto ( Car ) or finale ( Finale ). The nouns mož (), gost ( Guest ), škof ( Bishop ). In inflexion of some nouns of the first masculine declension, the schwa in the stem is omitted: vrelec ((thermal) spring) - vrelca. Some nouns add to their stem -j- (if ending in -r), -t- (names ending in -e) or -n- (if ending in -lj) from genitive singular on. Thus: redar (security guard at a public event) - redarja; Zvone - Zvoneta; nagelj (carnation) - nageljna. One Syllable nouns normally get an extension in their stem with -ov- in dual and plural. zid ( Wall ) - zidova - zidovi. A peculiar irregularity is the noun otrok ( Child ). In nominative plural and locative dual, -k is replaced with -c. (otroci, otrocih) The noun človek (human) has a different stem in the plural and in genitive and locative of dual: ljud-. Thus: ljudje - ljudi - ljudem - ljudi - pri ljudeh - z ljudmi (plural); človeka - ljudi - človekoma - človeka - pri ljudeh - s človekoma (dual). Second (Druga) The model of this declension is ''vojvoda'', duke.
You will have noticed that the second masculine declension shares its endings with the first feminine declension. All nouns belonging to this declension may also be inflected as per the first masculine declension. Thus, for the noun ''Luka'' (Luka, a name): # Luka # Luke or Luka # Luki or Luku # Luko or Luka # pri Luki or pri Luku # z Luko or z Lukom Third (''Tretja'') The model of this declension is ''H2O'', or any other acronym and symbol.
All acronyms and symbols belong to this declension, but they may also be declined as per the first masculine declension, with an obligatory hyphen (-). Thus, for the noun '' ATP '' (meaning adenozin trifosfat, adenosine triphosphate): # ATP # ATP or ATP-ja # ATP or ATP-ju # ATP or ATP # pri ATP or pri ATP-ju # z ATP or z ATP-jem Fourth (''Četrta'') The model of this declension is ''dežurni'', a person on-duty (this is an adjectival noun (posamostaljeni pridevnik), and also the pattern for declension of adjectives).
The forms given here are used in the declension of all adjectives standing next to masculine nouns (of any declension), as well as for all adjectives acting as nouns. However, in accusative singular, adjectives only have the ending -ega if the noun is animate or omitted; otherwise they get the ending '''-i''' or no ending at all. See also the section on Adjectives for usage of definite and indefinite forms for property adjectives. For example:
Neuter Declensions (''Srednje sklanjatve'') First (''Prva'') The model of this declension is ''mesto'', city.
Nouns of which the stem ends in C, Č, Ž, Š or J are subject to the so called ''preglas''. The letter -o- is replaced by -e- in endings in nominative, accusative and instrumental singular, dative and instrumental dual and dative plural. Examples: ''polje'' (field), ''sonce'' (sun). Some nouns have no ending in nominative singular, such as ''kolo'' (bicycle), ''ime'' (name), ''telo'' (body), and ''dekle'' (girl). These nouns extend their stem by ''-n-'', ''-s-'' or ''-t-'' from genitive singular onwards (ime - imena, kolo - kolesa, dekle - dekleta). Some nouns change their stem in the genitive of dual and plural. Namely, the schwa (-''e''-) (or -''i''- in front of -''j''-) is inserted. For example: ''okno'' (window) - ''oken'', ''veselje'' (gaiety) - ''veselij''. Fourth (''Četrta'') The model of this declension is ''dežurno'', a thing on-duty (this is an adjectival noun (posamostaljeni pridevnik), and also the pattern for declension of adjectives).
In nominative and accusative singular, the ending is -e instead of '''-o''' for adjectives ending in ''c'', ''č'', ''ž'', ''š'' and ''j'' (''"preglas"''). The forms given here are used in the declension of all adjectives standing next to neuter nouns, as well as for all adjectives acting as nouns. An important example here are certain town names, such as Krško or Grosuplje (although this latter may also be declined using the first neuter declension). Mass Noun (''Množinski samostalnik'') In Slovene, Mass Noun s are either singular or plural. Uncountable nouns used in the singular only can be split into three groups, denoting the following:
Plural nouns are, for example, the following: ''pljuča'' (lungs), ''sani'' (sleigh), ''norice'' (smallpox), ''možgani'' (brain). In addition, normally the plural is used instead of the dual for body parts (''roke'' (arms), ''ušesa'' (ears)), clothes (''nogavice'' (socks)), devices (''rolerji'' (rollerblades), and for biological pairs (''starši'' (parents)), except when stressing that there are only two (or one). It is permissible to use plural or dual forms for uncountable singular nouns when stressing the diversity or the number. (Obstaja več ljubezni. (Literally: 'There are more loves.') -- but this is better said "Obstaja več vrst ljubezni. (There are more types of love.)) |
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