Bedeutung
To work very hard.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The concept of 'pridnost' (diligence) is a core national value. Children are often told 'Bodi priden' (Be good/diligent) as a standard parting phrase. In the countryside, the ant metaphor is often used for the 'moba'—a traditional form of communal help where neighbors work together like an anthill to build a roof or harvest crops. Ivan Cankar, the most famous Slovenian writer, often depicted the working class as industrious but suffering, using insect imagery to highlight their smallness against the system. In Ljubljana's tech scene, 'delati kot mravlja' is being rebranded as a positive trait for startup founders who focus on 'deep work'.
Use for praise
This is one of the safest idioms to use when you want to compliment a Slovenian person's work ethic.
Dual Number
Remember to use 'mravlji' if you are talking about two people working together!
Bedeutung
To work very hard.
Use for praise
This is one of the safest idioms to use when you want to compliment a Slovenian person's work ethic.
Dual Number
Remember to use 'mravlji' if you are talking about two people working together!
Combine with 'tiho'
Adding 'tiho' (quietly) before the phrase—'tiho dela kot mravlja'—emphasizes humility.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'delati' and the noun 'mravlja'.
Moja sestra _______ kot _______.
The subject 'sestra' is singular, so we use 'dela' and 'mravlja'.
Which animal is used in Slovenia to describe a hardworking person?
On dela kot _______.
The ant (mravlja) is the standard symbol for hard work in this idiom.
Match the subject with the correct form of the idiom.
Subjects: 1. Jaz, 2. Vid in Ana, 3. Otroci
Jaz (singular), Vid in Ana (dual), Otroci (plural).
Complete the dialogue with the correct phrase.
A: Zakaj si tako utrujen? B: Ker sem cel dan _______ na vrtu.
Working hard on the garden fits the context of being tired from labor.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenMoja sestra _______ kot _______.
The subject 'sestra' is singular, so we use 'dela' and 'mravlja'.
On dela kot _______.
The ant (mravlja) is the standard symbol for hard work in this idiom.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
Jaz (singular), Vid in Ana (dual), Otroci (plural).
A: Zakaj si tako utrujen? B: Ker sem cel dan _______ na vrtu.
Working hard on the garden fits the context of being tired from labor.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenAlmost never. It is a compliment to someone's character and reliability.
Yes, but it's more common for steady, repetitive, or intellectual work. For heavy lifting, use 'delati kot konj'.
The plural is 'mravlje'. 'Oni delajo kot mravlje.'
You say 'priden kot čebela'. It's very similar but uses the adjective 'priden'.
It's a bit idiomatic for a formal CV, but great for a cover letter or interview.
Yes, it implies persistence and endurance over time.
No, it's almost exclusively used for people or groups of people.
Use the dual: 'Moji sestri delata kot mravlji.'
Not a direct one, but 'garač' (a toiler) is a common noun for someone who works like an ant.
Cultural history. Ants represent the agrarian ideal of saving and community in Slovenia.
Verwandte Redewendungen
priden kot čebela
similarBusy as a bee.
delati kot konj
similarTo work like a horse.
lenariti
contrastTo be lazy / to idle.
garati
builds onTo toil / to slave away.
