Ways to say it
| Slovak | IPA |
|---|---|
| ahoj | /aˈɦɔj/ |
| čau | /ˈt͡ʃau̯/ |
| nazdar | /nazdar/ |
These words are all used as friendly, informal greetings. While ahoj is a versatile and commonly used word to say hi, čau is also primarily used as a casual way to say goodbye, though some Slovaks also use Čau as a greeting.
Which one should you use?
The forms ahoj and čau can be used both as a greeting (hi) and as a farewell (bye). The form nazdar is a more colloquial or slightly old-fashioned informal greeting compared to ahoj.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ahoj, čau and nazdar are informal. For formal situations, you should use Dobrý deň (Good day), which is the most common formal greeting in Slovak and can be used at any time of the day. Other formal options include Dobré ráno (Good morning), which is an appropriate greeting until around midday and Dobrý večer (Good evening), which is generally used after mid-afternoon and throughout the evening.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈɦɔj/
Did you know?
- The greeting ahoj is actually a maritime loanword from the English nautical command 'ahoy'.
- Using ahoj or čau in a professional setting, like with a boss or a stranger, can be seen as socially inappropriate or even rude.
Examples in context
- Ahoj! Ako sa máš?Hi! How are you?This example shows how to use ahoj to ask how someone is doing.Tatoeba #1047019 by Soninka, translation #30316 by Zifre
- Ahoj! Čo je nové?Hi! What's new?This example shows how to use ahoj to ask what is new.Tatoeba #9741993 by Dominika7, translation #30308 by CM
- Ahoj!Hi!This example shows a simple use of ahoj as a standalone greeting.Tatoeba #7583991 by stanyas, translation #2742244 by MTC
- Dobrý deň, pán profesor! Ako sa máte?Good day, professor! How are you?
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jakub and Zuzana meet in a park.
- JakubAhoj, Zuzana!Hi, Zuzana!
- ZuzanaAhoj, Jakub!Hi, Jakub!
- JakubMáš sa dobre?Are you doing well?
- ZuzanaÁno, ďakujem.Yes, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries ahoj, čau, nazdar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahoj, čau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
