blahoželám
In Slovak, congratulations can be expressed as blahoželám or gratulujem.
Meaning: expressing approbation (intj)
Ways to say it
| Slovak |
|---|
| blahoželám |
| gratulujem |
Both terms are used to express approbation.
What does it mean word for word?
The word blahoželám literally means 'I wish well/blessings', composed of blaho (well-being/blessing) and želám (I wish).
Which one should you use?
The form blahoželám is more traditional and formal than gratulujem.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word blahoželám is a first-person singular verb, meaning 'I congratulate' or 'I wish well'. The verb blahoželám is used with the preposition k followed by the dative case to express congratulations on something.
Did you know?
- When congratulating someone on a wedding, Slovaks often accompany the phrase with the tradition of giving an odd number of flowers, as even numbers are reserved for funerals.
- While gratulujem is common, using it for a birthday can sometimes be seen as a mistake by traditionalists, who prefer blahoželám because a birthday is a wish for the future, not a reward for an achievement.
- There is a subtle social difference where gratulujem is used when the person earned the success through effort, while blahoželám is used for events that happen by chance or nature, like a birth.
Examples in context
- Blahoželám k vášmu výročiu.Congratulations on your anniversary.This sentence shows how to use blahoželám for an anniversary.Tatoeba #8956436 by Dominika7, translation #434460 by lukaszpp
- Blahoželám k vášmu úspechu.Congratulations on your success.This sentence demonstrates using blahoželám to congratulate someone on their success.Tatoeba #8956440 by Dominika7, translation #2554110 by DiscoNostalgia
- Blahoželám!Congratulations!This sentence shows the use of blahoželám as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #8846302 by Dominika7, translation #1437 by CK
- Blahoželám k úspešnej skúške! Dobre sa ti darilo.Congratulations on passing the exam! You did well.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jakub tells Barbora that he passed his driving exam.
- BarboraDostal si vodičák?Did you get your driver's license?
- JakubÁno, dnes ráno!Yes, this morning!
- BarboraBlahoželám, Jakub!Congratulations, Jakub!
- JakubĎakujem veľmi pekne, Barbora.Thank you very much, Barbora.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
