Ways to say it
| Slovak | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ahoj | /aˈɦɔj/ | |
| nazdar | /nazdar/ | informal |
| servus | /ˈsɛrvus/ | informal |
| dobrý deň | /dɔbriː ɟɛɲ/ | formal |
The word ahoj is an informal way to say "Hi" used among friends and peers. It is versatile and can be used for both "hello" and "goodbye" among friends. For formal situations, the standard way to greet strangers or superiors is dobrý deň, which translates to "Good day".
Which one should you use?
While ahoj is used for both hello and goodbye in informal settings, dobrý deň is a formal greeting meaning "good day".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The formal greeting dobrý deň is the standard for strangers or superiors. For informal settings, you can use ahoj with friends. The word nazdar is a colloquial greeting used primarily between males or in very casual settings. Servus is also an informal way to say "Hi".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In eastern Slovakia, people might use servus to mean "Hi" when greeting friends.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈɦɔj/
When do people say it?
In Slovak, there are specific formal greetings based on the time of day: dobré ráno means "Good morning" and is typically used early in the day until around 10 a.m., while dobrý večer means "Good evening" and is appropriate from late afternoon until around midnight. Additionally, while ahoj is used for hello, the word čau is an informal greeting used among friends and acquaintances similar to saying "Bye" when parting.
Did you know?
- The informal greeting ahoj is actually a linguistic traveler that was borrowed from the English nautical term 'ahoy'.
- The greeting nazdar is traditionally used more frequently between men than between women.
Examples in context
- Ahoj, ako sa voláš?Hello, what's your name?This sentence shows how to use ahoj to ask someone's name.Tatoeba #13217409 by Dominika7, translation #435080 by lukaszpp
- Dobrý deň! S kým hovorím?Hello! Who am I speaking with?This sentence demonstrates the formal greeting dobrý deň.Tatoeba #9833991 by Dominika7, translation #9015749 by jaydenms
- Dobrý deň, vy ste pán Ogawa?Hello, are you Mr Ogawa?This sentence uses the formal greeting dobrý deň to address someone.Tatoeba #10194573 by Dominika7, translation #419465 by blay_paul
- Dobrý deň, ako sa máte?Good day, how are you?
- Dobré ráno! Teší ma, že sme sa stretli.Good morning! Nice to meet you.
- Dobrý večer, ďakujem za pozvanie.Good evening, thank you for the invitation.
- Ahoj! Ako sa máš?Hi! How are you?
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Michal sees Dana on the street.
- MichalAhoj, Dana!Hello, Dana!
- DanaAhoj, Michal.Hello, Michal.
- MichalMáš sa dobre?Are you doing well?
- DanaÁno, ďakujem.Yes, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries ahoj, nazdar, servus, dobrý deň, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahoj, deň, dobrý, dobrý deň, servus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
