# Slovak: Looking for a Slovak pen pal



## mateo19

Dobrý deň!

I would like to know how to say in Slovak:
"I'm looking for a Slovak pen pal! Please contact me (if interested)!"

My try is:
Hľadam Slovákeho kamaráta, aby cvičam??? moju slovenčinu! Prosím kontaktovaj ma!

Also, if there is a better way to phrase this, please don't hesitate in giving me your suggestions.
Thank you very much!  Ďakujem pekne!


PS. Just incase it wasn't clear, a pen pal is someone with whom we correspond, whether it's for personal, cultural or linguistic reasons.


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## slavic_one

Hľadam slovenskeho ("Slovák" means nothing on Slovak) kamaráta, aby zlepšil (otherwise it would be "cvičil") svoju slovenčinu! Prosim kontaktuj(te) ma!

I think it would be sth like that!


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## mateo19

Ah, you're right about the adjective!  I confused the noun (Slovák) with the adjective (slovenský).  Thanks for the help!  I sure didn't know which verb form to put after the "aby".  It's a past form, I see.  Should it be "aby cvičil *som*"?


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## slavic_one

I think it's better to say just "aby cvičil".. but anyway if it's with "som" than it'd be "aby som cvičil" ("som" before, not after "cvičil"). But I think it's only "aby cvičil".


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## winpoj

"I think it's better to say just "aby cvičil"."

Why would you think that?


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## mateo19

Ahoj Winpoj,

I say this because in Slovak in the past tense, you need the pronoun to denote the person because the singular forms are the same (except masculine and feminine).  For example, if I just say "bol", the subject isn't clear.  It could be "ja", "ty" or "on".  By the same token, "bola" can be "ja", "ty" or "ona".  And "bolo" can just be "ono".

If I say "cvičil" without the "som", it is understood (or implicit/tacit) that I am talking about myself "ja"?
  Děkuji za pomoc!


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## slavic_one

mateo19 said:


> If I say "cvičil" without the "som", it is understood (or implicit/tacit) that I am talking about myself "ja"?
> Děkuji za pomoc!



That's why you have "hľadam" in first person singular!


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## slavic_one

winpoj said:


> "I think it's better to say just "aby cvičil"."
> 
> Why would you think that?



Because I've never seen that modal verb goes with conditional.
Am I wrong?


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## winpoj

Ahoj Mateo,
I'm sorry but I am afraid your ideas on this are wrong. You do NOT need the pronoun. Eg.: "Bol som v Bratislave" is correct. By contrast you need the "som". Notwithstanding grammatical arguments, try googling "bol som".


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## mateo19

Ah, Slavic One, that is the answer to my one question:  Since "hľadam" is first person singular, it is assumed automatically that "cvičil" will take the same person.  Excellent!

As for the conditional comment, you need the auxiliary verb "byť", to the best of my knowledge.  This may not be in all cases, though.  But for example,
"I would like to know..." = "Chcel by som vedieť..."

It really is too bad that not more Slovaks come out to share their marvelous language with us!  *sigh*

I definately appreciate the help from both of you though!


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## winpoj

"Because I've never seen that modal verb goes with conditional." - What modal verb do you mean?

"Am I wrong?" In my view, yes.


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## slavic_one

mateo19 said:
			
		

> Ah, Slavic One, that is the answer to my one question:  Since "hľadam" is first person singular, it is assumed automatically that "cvičil" will take the same person.  Excellent!



I'm glad that I helped You!



			
				mateo19 said:
			
		

> As for the conditional comment, you need the auxiliary verb "byť", to the best of my knowledge.  This may not be in all cases, though.  But for example,
> "I would like to know..." = "Chcel by som vedieť..."



"Chcel by som vedieť" it's not quite the same situation as "aby (ako by) svičil".



			
				mateo19 said:
			
		

> It really is too bad that not more Slovaks come out to share their marvelous language with us!  *sigh*



Yes, true, but I know plenty people in Slovakia, I'd ask one of them weather is correct "aby cvičil" or "aby som cvičil"!


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## winpoj

"Ah, Slavic One, that is the answer to my one question: Since "hľadam" is first person singular, it is assumed automatically that "cvičil" will take the same person." - It may be an answer to your question but it is a wrong one.
Believe me, Mateo - I certainly do not know all nuances of Slovak but Czech and Slovak are really pretty similar and I had the privilege to spend quite some years in the federation.


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## slavic_one

winpoj said:


> "Because I've never seen that modal verb goes with conditional." - What modal verb do you mean?
> 
> "Am I wrong?" In my view, yes.



I meant modal verb "som" of course, as far as I can see it's the only one it the given sentence.

Could you give some examples than? (can be aslo in Czech or any other slavic language)


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## winpoj

1) "Byť" is an auxiliary verb, but a modal verb??

2) There are some 2.5 million examples just of "aby som" on Slovak websites.


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## slavic_one

I got the answer from an Slovak native speaker that it's "aby som cvičil"!

So my hypothesis was wrong, but still I guess it's only in Slovak then..
Winpoj, is it in Czech too? "aby jsem cvičil"? Because I've never heard anything like that.


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## slavic_one

winpoj said:
			
		

> 1) "Byť" is an auxiliary verb, but a modal verb??



Auxiliary, yes, not modal, writting error!


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## winpoj

Slavic, "aby jsem cvičil" is non-standard in Czech, but very often used. (The standard form would be "abych cvičil").

By the way, if anyone is interested, this is how I think the sentence might read:

Hľadám slovenského kamaráta alebo kamarátku na dopisovanie kvôli precvičovaniu slovenčiny. Prosím kontaktujte ma.

I'd be happy if you can verify it with you native speaker friend.


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## slavic_one

winpoj said:


> Slavic, "aby jsem cvičil" is non-standard in Czech, but very often used. (The standard form would be "abych cvičil").
> 
> By the way, if anyone is interested, this is how I think the sentence might read:
> 
> Hľadám slovenského kamaráta alebo kamarátku na dopisovanie kvôli precvičovaniu slovenčiny. Prosím kontaktujte ma.
> 
> I'd be happy if you can verify it with you native speaker friend.



Yes, I know how "podmiňovaci spůsob" goes in Czech, that's why it sounded pretty weird ! 
Your sentence seems good, "I'm looking for some (male or female) pal for chatting, for my Slovak improvement sake / because of my Slovak practicing. 

I'll check it, and than let know!


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## mateo19

Slavic One, Thank You so much for confirming that with your Slovak friend.  I thought so!

And I thank you as well, Winpoj, as the sentence you came up with seems excellent!  Of course, it is well beyond my level. ;-)  I won't have a Slovak language class until the fall.  In case either of you were wondering, I was going to use this sentence as the new signature on my nickname (when I post).  I am hoping to attract a native Slovak speaker as my Slovak friend has stopped writing to me. :-s


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## slavic_one

I asked one Slovak friend and it seems that all is right except kvôli, which should be kôli, so:

Hľadám slovenského kamaráta alebo kamarátku na dopisovanie kôli precvičovaniu slovenčiny. Prosím kontaktujte ma.


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## Jana337

slavic_one said:


> I asked one Slovak friend and it seems that all is right except kvôli, which should be kôli  , so:
> 
> Hľadám slovenského kamaráta alebo kamarátku na dopisovanie kôli precvičovaniu slovenčiny. Prosím kontaktujte ma.


I dare say that kôli does not exist.


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## slavic_one

Jana337 said:


> I dare say that kôli does not exist.



That's what I was told.. it seems that my friend is not very literate tho because I also found kvôli in dictionary.. 
I'll go for some other opinion(s)!


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## werrr

Jana337 said:


> I dare say that kôli does not exist.


 
It's common mistake. Slovaks tend to confuse "ô" and "vô" or "ä" and "e" because of the similar (or even coinciding) pronunciation.

For Czechs it is elementary to find the correct form because the corresponding Czech forms are markedly different.


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## tommy_tw

If you don't want use _kvôli_, use _aby_. (for my it is better with aby, kvôli is good too)

Hľadám si Slovenského kamaráta alebo kamarátku na dopisovanie aby som si mohol precvičovať slovenčinu. Ak máte / máš záujem, prosím kontaktuj ma.

máte -formal (vykanie) and it is Plural form
máš- informal (tykanie) and it is Singular form

But the version from slavic_one is good too.


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## shifter78

Yep, common spelling mistake for native speakers.
kvôli = k vôli - in favour of
kôl - a pile, a stake


> v predložke kvôli rešpektujeme koreň slova vôľa. (k vôli - kvôli, napr. Kvôli deťom.), nie kôli so slovným základom kôl.


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