mačka
/máːt͡ʃka/feminine
The English word "cat" is translated into Slovenian as mačka. Wiktionary also lists maček.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
Ways to say it
| Slovenian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mačka | /máːt͡ʃka/ | feminine |
| maček | /màːt͡ʃək/ | masculine |
The term refers to the domestic species of cat.
Which one should you use?
mačka is used to refer specifically to a female cat or serves as the general term for the species. In contrast, maček is used to refer specifically to a male cat.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the feminine noun mačka is mačke, while the plural form of the masculine noun maček is mački.
How do you pronounce it?
/máːtʃka/
Did you know?
- In Slovenian, you can refer to a man as a maček to describe him as a smooth operator or a 'cat' in the romantic sense.
- The root of mačka actually comes from an ancient diminutive form, implying that the formal name for the species is essentially an elaborated version of 'pussycat'.
- Slovenians use the word maca as an affectionate pet name for a cat, which is the root of the formal word mačka.
Examples in context
- Moja mačka je lačna.My cat is hungry.This sentence is useful for describing the state of a mačka.Tatoeba #5965451 by ludicrusonomatin, translation #4317674 by Incursio
- Ker je Chiro maček, ne mara ličijev.Since Chiro is a cat, he doesn't like lychee.This sentence is useful for describing the nature of a maček.Tatoeba #2115731 by Ashucky, translation #991387 by Artfanster
- Kako se reče »mačka« po špansko?How do you say "cat" in Spanish?This sentence is useful for asking how to translate the word mačka.Tatoeba #11749509 by Adelpa, translation #436117 by lukaszpp
- Pozdravljeni, ali imate mačko?Hello, do you have a cat?
- Zanima me, kakšne mačke imate v vašem zavetišču.I'm interested in what kind of cats you have at your shelter.
- Ali imate morda kako knjigo o mačkah?Do you happen to have any books about cats?
- Poglej, kako luštna muca!Look at that cute kitty!
- Prekmurci vedno radi hranijo maco pri vhodu.The people from Prekmurje always like to feed the cat at the entrance.
Example conversation
Ana and Luka are talking about a pet in the garden.
- AnaKdo je ta bela mačka tam?Who is that white cat over there?
- LukaTo je moja mačka Luna.That is my cat Luna.
- AnaTvoja mačka je zelo ljubka.Your cat is very cute.
- LukaHvala, ona je zelo prijazna.Thanks, she is very friendly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations and entries mačka, maček, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mačka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
