Start here: why learn Slovene online
Learning Slovene online works brilliantly for beginners because you can move at your pace, revisit tricky bits, and use free tools that keep motivation high. If you’re starting from zero, focus on sounds, essential phrases, and a daily micro‑habit. Aim small and steady: 10–20 minutes per day beats a long session once a week. Keep it light, consistent, and fun, and you’ll feel early wins that push you forward.
- Set a clear A1–A2 goal date.
- Collect a printable PDF phrase sheet.
- Install one core flashcard app.
- Practice 15 minutes every day.
Free tools and apps that actually help
Good news and one caveat: Duolingo doesn’t offer Slovene yet, but there are excellent free or free‑tier alternatives. Start with community flashcards, sentence drills, and pronunciation tools. Mix one core app for spaced repetition with one resource for listening and one for speaking. Keep your toolkit small at first so you actually use it every day.
Try community decks for survival phrases and the alphabet, then add short video or audio clips to attune your ear to Slovenian sounds. When you find a great explanation or exercise, save it as a PDF so you can review offline and annotate it.
- Memrise community Slovene decks (free).
- Clozemaster Slovene (free tier).
- Anki + shared Slovenian decks (free).
- Forvo + Wiktionary for pronunciation.
A simple A1–A2 plan for beginners
Use a four‑week cycle you can repeat and expand. In week one, master sounds, greetings, numbers, and polite basics. Weeks two to four, add travel phrases, food, directions, and simple present‑tense sentences. Keep a small personal dictionary and export it as a PDF every Friday to track progress.
Aim for short daily sessions: one input block (listening or reading) and one output block (speaking or writing). Tag new words by theme—introductions, family, food—so you can recycle them in multiple contexts.
- Mon: 15 min pronunciation + 10 min phrases.
- Tue: Flashcards (SRS) + 5 example sentences.
- Wed: Short video + shadowing aloud.
- Thu: Mini dialog; record yourself once.
- Fri: Review + export notes to PDF.
- Weekend: Light recap walk-and-listen.
Grammar basics made friendly
Slovene looks complex, but you can learn it in chunks. Start with present‑tense verbs, basic word order (usually Subject–Verb–Object), and the most common prepositions. Learn phrases as ready‑to‑use blocks; you can analyze the grammar later. Build a tiny toolkit, then expand as you need more precision.
Key heads‑ups: Slovenian has three genders (m, f, n), a special dual form for exactly two, and six cases that affect word endings. Don’t panic—at A1–A2, you mostly need nominative (subjects), accusative (direct objects), and a few preposition patterns for everyday talk.
- Learn present tense of “to be” and “to have.”
- Start with SVO sentences; add adjectives later.
- Memorize vital prepositions with examples.
- Dual: learn set phrases first; refine later.
- Keep a one‑page case endings PDF cheat sheet.
Practice speaking and listening online
Balance input and output from day one. For listening, use short clips—news intros, simple vlogs, or songs. Loop 20–40 seconds, then shadow (speak along) to imitate rhythm and pronunciation. For speaking, micro‑monologues work: introduce yourself, order coffee, or describe your day in three lines.
If you can, join a language exchange or a Discord group with Slovene speakers. Even a five‑minute weekly chat builds confidence fast. Record yourself weekly; it’s the easiest way to hear real progress.
- Language exchange apps (free text/voice).
- YouTube channels and short radio clips.
- Shadowing: repeat after native audio.
- Self‑record on phone; compare weekly.
- Write tiny dialogs; read them aloud.
FAQ
- Is Slovenian the same as Slovene?
- Yes. “Slovenian” and “Slovene” refer to the same language. You’ll see both terms used; choose the one you prefer and stay consistent in your notes and searches.
- Does Duolingo have Slovene?
- Not yet. Duolingo doesn’t offer Slovene at this time. Use free alternatives like Memrise community decks, Clozemaster (free tier), Anki, and Forvo for pronunciation practice.
- Can I learn Slovenian online for free as a beginner?
- Absolutely. Combine a free flashcard app, short YouTube clips, pronunciation sites like Forvo, and teacher‑shared PDF worksheets. Keep your routine daily and focused on small wins.
- How long does A1–A2 usually take?
- With 20–30 minutes a day, many learners reach solid A1 in 6–8 weeks and early A2 in 3–4 months. Consistency matters more than long sessions, especially for beginners.
- What’s the best app to start with?
- Pick one core app for spaced repetition, like Anki or Memrise (community Slovene decks), plus one listening source. Fewer tools used daily beat many tools used rarely.