# A simple translation to Slovak



## LostInTranslation22

Hi all,
This is my very first post on here! I live in England (I am native English) and a year and a half ago I met the love of my life who just so happens to be Slovak. We are going to Slovakia in August where I will meet his family for the first time and I am so excited. I have bought his mam a small gift and I would like a little note with it but I would like to write it in Slovak as his mam does not speak English. I also want it to be a surprise for my boyfriend so I don't want to ask him to translate. All I would like to know how to write is:

'Thank you for raising the man of my dreams. I am so excited to finally meet you'.

Can anyone help?

Many thanks 
Kate


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## Azori

LostInTranslation22 said:


> 'Thank you for raising the man of my dreams. I am so excited to finally meet you'.





I think I would rephrase both sentences. Imho, "man of my dreams" translated into Slovak would not sound natural in this context and it also lacks formality that I would expect here. So here's my attempt for a (somewhat loose) translation (Slovak and Czech foreros, please comment):

Ďakujem, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali takého skvelého človeka, akým je. Veľmi sa už teším na naše spoločné stretnutie.

(literally: Thank you for raising your son to be such a great person he is. I'm already looking forward very much to our common meeting.)

I'm still not sure about the verb "to raise" here, it doesn't really sound right to me...


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## jarabina

Need the natives to check, but if vychovať is odd, would it be possible to say something like: Ďakujem Vám za to, že z vašeho syna je taký skvelý človek, akým je.?

Also, I'm not sure but 'Veľmi sa už teším na naše spoločné stretnutie.' seems a bit illogical since she will already have met/be in the process of meeting the mother by the time she gives her the present (and doesn't really reflect the original English sentence - I am so excited to finally meet you'). What about something along the lines of Veľmi ma teší, že sme sa už konečne zoznámili/že sa už konečne zoznámime?


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## Azori

jarabina said:


> Need the natives to check, but if vychovať is odd, would it be possible to say something like: Ďakujem Vám za to, že z vašeho syna je taký skvelý človek, akým je.?


 

I think this is even stranger... why would anybody say something like this?





> Also, I'm not sure but 'Veľmi sa už teším na naše spoločné stretnutie.' seems a bit illogical since she will already have met/be in the process of meeting the mother by the time she gives her the present (and doesn't really reflect the original English sentence - I am so excited to finally meet you'). What about something along the lines of Veľmi ma teší, že sme sa už konečne zoznámili/že sa už konečne zoznámime?


Oh, my bad, then. Future tense would be probably better here - Veľmi ma teší, že sa už konečne zoznámime.


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## LostInTranslation22

Hi Azori and Jarabina. Thanks ever so much for replying! I will go with whichever recommendation you both give as as my boyfriend will attest, I really suck at trying to learn Slovak


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## morior_invictus

LostInTranslation22 said:


> 'Thank you for raising the man of my dreams. I am so excited to finally meet you'.


Hi Kate and welcome to the forum!

Here's how I would translate your sentences:

"Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali muža mojich snov. Som tak rada, že Vás konečne spoznávam***."
"Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali muža, o ktorom som vždy snívala (a po ktorom som tak veľmi túžila). Som tak rada, že Vás konečne spoznávam."
"Ďakujem Vám za Adam*k*a/Pe*ťk*a/Jan*k*a/Mir*k*a/etc.**** - muža mojich snov (muža, po akom som vždy túžila). Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."
(Thank you for Adam/Peter/John/etc. - the man of my dreams. I am so excited to finally meet you.)
"Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali takého úžasneho muža. Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."
(Thank you for raising such an amazing man. I am so excited to finally meet you.)
"Ďakujem, že ste z Vášho syna vychovali muža mojich snov. Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."
etc. etc. etc.

Of course, offense can be taken from almost anything and this is no exception. But don't worry about that and follow your dreams whether or not _you_ will be perceived as "the daughter-in-law of my dreams" by your boyfriend's mom. If I were her, I would definitely like your note, though. 

*** or more formal "Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."
**** diminutives of Adam/Peter/Ján/Miroslav/etc.


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## Azori

morior_invictus said:


> Here's how I would translate your sentences:
> 
> "Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali muža mojich snov. Som tak rada, že Vás konečne spoznávam***."


No offence, but this sounds absurd...





> "Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali muža, o ktorom som vždy snívala (a po ktorom som tak veľmi túžila). Som tak rada, že Vás konečne spoznávam."


I think this is much better (but that part in brackets is unneccessary and does not sound good, imho.) The second sentence would sound better with future tense used, I think - Som veľmi rada, že sa konečne zoznámime.





> "Ďakujem Vám za Adam*k*a/Pe*ťk*a/Jan*k*a/Mir*k*a/etc.**** - muža mojich snov (muža, po akom som vždy túžila). Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."


Same as the previous example.





> "Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali takého úžasneho muža. Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."


Lol.





> "Ďakujem, že ste z Vášho syna vychovali muža mojich snov. Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."


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## morior_invictus

Azori said:


> No offence, but this sounds absurd...


None taken. Just could you please elucidate what _*exactly*_ sounds _absurd_ about that sentence? She is going to thank her boyfriend's mom for raising the man who possesses all (or the most of) the qualities of the man of her dreams (for instilling such qualities in him). He might have become a killer, a rude, arrogant and selfish man, a man who doesn't open the door to women, doesn't mind his table manners, doesn't go out of his way to let her know that he really cares (by giving her flowers, paying her compliments - simply showing his affection every day), doesn't help her out with chores, doesn't get along with her friends and family, a man with no "family values" etc. Yes, our parents play an important role in our psychological, biological and emotional development and since people usually tend to dream of things they desire and perceive as beautiful/enjoyable. . .  (well, the majority of them... ), by saying "thank you for raising the man of my dreams" one is basically paying the other one's mom a compliment. I see nothing whatsoever inappropriate or absurd about it. We should agree, however, on, at least, one translation so that Kate can prepare the note knowing that more than one native Slovak speaker would find it grammatically correct and absolutely appropriate and she can happily use it for the said purpose.


Azori said:


> The second sentence would sound better with future tense used, I think - Som veľmi rada, že sa konečne zoznámime.


  "Som veľmi rada, že sa konečne zoznámime." (i.e. using future tense) is illogical as explained above by jarabina.

P.S.: let's avoid using chatspeak here. You will save one life, at least. Mine.  "Lol" and "hi guys" are two of my biggest pet peeves, as far as language is concerned.


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## Azori

morior_invictus said:


> Just could you please elucidate what _*exactly*_ sounds _absurd_ about that sentence?


It sounds like an absurd word-for-word translation from English to Slovak which doesn't reflect lexical, stylistic, cultural and other differences between the languages. 


morior_invictus said:


> "Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali muža mojich snov."


It is absurd:

1. to thank a person you don't know yet for something that you can barely have an idea about (in this case "the upbringing/raising" - we don't even know what kind of mother the boyfriend has and how he was raised).

2. English doesn't have the formal/informal distinction of ty/vy (you) - and here the formal way is used (vychovali). Together with the (definitely not everyday or casual) wording of "man of my dreams" it just multiplies the absurdity of the whole sentence.





> "Som veľmi rada, že sa konečne zoznámime." (i.e. using future tense) is illogical as explained above by jarabina.


No, jarabina suggested it  :





jarabina said:


> What about something along the lines of Veľmi ma teší, že sme sa už konečne zoznámili/*že sa už konečne zoznámime*?


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## morior_invictus

Azori said:


> It sounds like an absurd word-for-word translation from English to Slovak which doesn't reflect lexical, stylistic, cultural and other differences between the languages.


 Well, very nice words those "lexical, stylistic, cultural. . ." If the phrase "muž jej snov" was absurd, it would render perfectly correct and idiomatic phrases like "dovolenka snov" or "žena môjho srdca" _absurd_ as well.
Also, here are excerpts taken from articles written by _feminas_ and targeted at _feminas_ as well (I agree that many of these kinds of articles are absurd  but let's stick to the phrase we are discussing):


> 10 tipov ako zbaliť *muža svojich snov*! (diva.aktuality.sk)
> Dnes je veľkou módou nosiť rúž či lesk na pery, ktorý je vidno už z desaťkilometrovej vzdialenosti. Pozor však na *muža vašich snov*. (eva.cas.sk)
> On je *muž mojich snov* (zena.atlas.sk)
> Zdá sa vám, že ste konečne našli *muža vašich snov*. (feminity.zoznam.sk)





Azori said:


> It is absurd:
> 1. to thank a person you don't know yet for something that you can barely have an idea about (in this case "the upbringing/raising" - we don't even know what kind of mother the boyfriend has and how he was raised).


By the same token, we would need to dismiss your own suggestion:


Azori said:


> So here's my attempt for a (somewhat loose) translation (Slovak and Czech foreros, please comment):
> Ďakujem, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali takého skvelého človeka, akým je. Veľmi sa už teším na naše spoločné stretnutie.


. . . so let's skip your first point (and obviously he was raised in a very good way since there is someone who dreamed of such a man ); as for your second point. . .:


Azori said:


> 2. English doesn't have the formal/informal distinction of ty/vy (you) - and here the formal way is used (vychovali). Together with the (definitely not everyday or casual) wording of "man of my dreams" it just multiplies the absurdity of the whole sentence.


I don't understand what you meant by it, actually. First you are saying that "vychovali" is the verb "vychovať" adjusted to fit formal situations (that is correct) and then, subsequently, you are dismissing "muža mojich snov" for not being "everyday or casual/informal" (contrariwise, that would make it perfect and not inappropriate! - certainly more suitable than the combination of "_formal _vychovali + _folksy_ skvelého" ).


Azori said:


> No, jarabina suggested it  :


No, she said, more or less, the same as I did - that using future tense for something that is already in the past or is in the process of becoming the past would make the note sound funny, at best (it would be like kissing a girl and then giving her flowers with a note "Veľmi sa teším, že sa konečne pobozkáme."  ---> I suggest that Kate not use this kind of joke when meeting with her prospective mother-in-law)


jarabina said:


> Also, I'm not sure but 'Veľmi sa už teším na naše spoločné stretnutie.' seems a bit illogical since *she will already have met/be in the process of meeting the mother by the time she gives her the present* (and doesn't really reflect the original English sentence - I am so excited to finally meet you'). What about something along the lines of Veľmi ma teší, že sme sa *už konečne zoznámili*/že sa už konečne zoznámime?


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## Azori

morior_invictus said:


> If the phrase "muž jej snov" was absurd, it would render perfectly correct and idiomatic phrases like "dovolenka snov" or "žena môjho srdca" _absurd_ as well.
> Also, here are excerpts taken from articles written by _feminas_ and targeted at _feminas_ as well (I agree that many of these kinds of articles are absurd  but let's stick to the phrase we are discussing):


But those phrases are used in totally different contexts... it's not clear to me why you want to compare language of articles from online portals like _azet.sk_ or _cas.sk_ _(= Nový Čas)_ to that of a formal note written for a mother-in-law.





> I don't understand what you meant by it, actually. First you are saying that "vychovali" is the verb "vychovať" adjusted to fit formal situations (that is correct) and then, subsequently, you are dismissing "muža mojich snov" for not being "everyday or casual/informal" (contrariwise, that would make it perfect and not inappropriate! - certainly more suitable than the combination of "_formal _vychovali + _folksy_ skvelého" ).


vychovali = formal, can be used in spoken communication anytime, casual
muž mojich snov = literary, hardly ever (basically never) heard in spoken language, expressive


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## LostInTranslation22

Hi everybody!
My word, I feel utterly useless at the moment as you all know this language so well! 
I'm trying my hardest to follow your conversations but I must admit it's tricky!
If the sentence I've proposed is just too impractical to translate, can you suggest a more native friendly sentence which essentially gets across the same message; to just thank his mum for bringing up such a wonderful man?

(I see your point Azori about me not knowing about his upbringing, but I'm just trying to make the point to his mum that whatever she did was obviously good as her son is a wonderful man  )


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## LostInTranslation22

LostInTranslation22 said:


> can you suggest a more native friendly sentence which essentially gets across the same message; to just thank his mum for bring up such a wonderful man?



Apologies, I have just read that morior_invictus has done this for me above.

Would you both agree:

 "Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali takého úžasneho muža. Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."

is the sentence I should go with?


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## morior_invictus

Azori said:


> But those phrases are used in totally different contexts... it's not clear to me why you want to compare language of articles from online portals like _azet.sk_ or _cas.sk_ _(= Nový Čas)_ to that of a formal note written for a mother-in-law.


Well, you didn't expect me to quote you a note to a mother-in-law published on the Internet and containing the phrase "muž mojich snov," did you? 
The point I was trying to make was that it is certainly NOT something that ordinary people do not use in ordinary speech when they desire to talk about a man they hope for(or basically, anything they crave for or dream about - dovolenka/práca/svadba/... snov) (and by the way, you must admit that the shit published in N**ý **s is hardly a high prose  ...well, actually, I admire its readers... to read it and not vomit at the same time is a noteworthy skill) and that using it would definitely NOT make them look like the Bard of Avon.


Azori said:


> vychovali = formal, can be used in spoken communication anytime, casual
> muž mojich snov = literary, hardly ever (basically never) heard in spoken language, expressive


"formal" is not a synonym of "casual"... actually, they are antonyms so you need to make a choice - whether "vychovali" (when used with a pronoun in a second person singular) appears to you as a word fitting in formal or informal/casual situations.
As for whether or not "muža mojich snov" can be heard in spoken language, well, it depends on what people one comes into contact with and whether there has been a situation that called for such a phrase. But as you can see from the quoted articles, even erm... people who write for the said "publishers" commonly use it.


LostInTranslation22 said:


> *[...]* I'm just trying to make the point to his mum that whatever she did was obviously good as her son is a wonderful man )


Absolutely, and, in _my_ opinion, it would perfectly and clearly communicate that message. But I'm open to any other suggestions. The below one I can't comment on as it was me who suggested it. 


LostInTranslation22 said:


> "Ďakujem Vám, že ste zo svojho syna vychovali takého úžasneho muža. Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."


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## siares

morior_invictus said:


> "Ďakujem, že ste z Vášho syna vychovali muža mojich snov. Teší ma, že Vás konečne spoznávam."





Azori said:


> No offence, but this sounds absurd...



"Bodaj by z tej mamky ruža vykvitala, čo mi k mojej vôli syna vychovala.."

V tejto ľudovej piesni mamka je asi už na cmiteri, a je to staromódne

(Sorry I find it too hard to search for slovak characters)

Basically, there is no way to write this to please everybody.

Having said that, in my opinion nothing can beat the folk song I am quoting

I would most emphatically advise to refrain from using the 'man of my dreams'.
An elderly woman may not be used to 'of my dreams' being used like that. May seem flippant.

_muža, o ktorom som vždy snívala_

"o ktorom" I would probably replace by "o akom". But I am not sure.


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## francisgranada

Some tentatives for inspiration:

Už sa neviem dočkať stretnutia sa s Vami. Konečne som našla muža svojich snov, Vášho syna.
Ďakujem Vám za muža mojich snov. Som tak rada, že Vás konečne spoznám.
Som Vám vďačná za muža mojich snov! Už sa veľmi teším sa na stretnutie s Vami.
Díky za [name in accusative]! Som rada, že Vás konečne spoznám/stretnem (not very poetic ) ....
etc ...

P.S. Combinations are possible as well and "_muža mojich/svojich snov_" is, of course, replaceable by "_muža, o ktorom som vždy snívala" ..._


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## Azori

How to translate the verb "to meet" - *stretnúť (sa)* (to come together physically) or *zoznámiť (sa) *(to get to know somebody/make acquaintance)?

Some additional background information would be useful...


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## LostInTranslation22

Wow! Thanks for all your responses everyone. I never thought it would generate this much interest 
You've certainly given me a lot to play with so thanks very much for all your help


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## Azori

LostInTranslation22 said:


> Wow! Thanks for all your responses everyone. I never thought it would generate this much interest
> You've certainly given me a lot to play with so thanks very much for all your help


It's quite difficult to translate without sufficient background information. I still don't know what exactly the verb "to meet" here means (there are several ways to translate it into Slovak).


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