When you're first starting out with Slovak, you'll encounter a lot of words that describe direction and location. One of these is hore. It's a simple adverb that means "up" or "upwards." Think of it as the opposite of "dole," which means "down."
You can use hore to talk about moving upwards, going upstairs, or something being at a higher position. For example, if you say "Choď hore!" (Go up!), you're telling someone to move to a higher place. You'll hear this word frequently in everyday conversations, so it's a good one to get comfortable with early on.
§ Don't confuse 'hore' with 'nahor' or 'hore dole'.
Many English speakers learning Slovak get tripped up by words that seem similar to 'hore' but have slightly different meanings or uses. It's a common trap, but once you know the distinctions, you'll use 'hore' correctly every time.
- DEFINITION
- Hore means 'up' or 'upstairs' and generally refers to a static position or direction. It answers the question 'Kde?' (Where?).
However, if you want to emphasize movement *to* an upward position, you might hear or see 'nahor'. While 'hore' can sometimes imply movement, 'nahor' explicitly states movement in an upward direction. It answers the question 'Kam?' (Whither? / To where?).
- DEFINITION
- Nahor means 'upwards' or 'to the top', focusing on the trajectory.
Idem hore.
Vystúpil nahor po schodoch.
§ Using 'hore dole' correctly.
Another common mistake is with the phrase 'hore dole'. While it literally translates to 'up down', it doesn't mean just 'up and down' in a simple sense. It usually means 'back and forth', 'to and fro', or even 'everywhere' in a more general, often slightly negative, connotation, implying aimless movement or chaos.
Deti behali hore dole po dome.
If you just want to say 'up and down' in a literal, neutral sense, you would typically use 'hore a dole' or rephrase entirely.
§ Forgetting prepositions with 'hore'.
Sometimes learners forget that 'hore' is often used with prepositions to specify location or movement. For example:
Na hore: On top of something (less common, usually 'na vrchu').
Z hore: From up/from above (e.g., 'prišiel z hore' - he came from above).
While 'hore' itself is an adverb, when combined with prepositions, it can form more complex ideas. Pay attention to context.
§ Overusing 'hore'.
While 'hore' is versatile, sometimes there are more specific words or phrases that fit better. For example, if you mean 'above' in the sense of 'on top of', you might use 'na vrchu' or 'nad'.
- DEFINITION
- Nad means 'above' or 'over' and is a preposition that takes the instrumental case.
Lietadlo letí nad mestom.
By understanding these distinctions, you'll sound more natural and precise when speaking Slovak. Don't worry if you make these mistakes; it's part of learning. Just keep practicing and paying attention to context!
Ejemplos por nivel
Hore je slnko.
Up is sun. (The sun is up.)
Choď hore.
Go up.
Pozri hore.
Look up.
Hore je svetlo.
Up is light. (There is light up.)
Ruky hore!
Hands up!
Mačka je hore.
Cat is up. (The cat is upstairs/up there.)
Obleč si bundu hore.
Put on jacket up. (Put your jacket on up there.)
Ideme hore.
We go up. (We are going up.)
Slnko už vyšlo hore nad obzor a zafarbilo oblohu do oranžových odtieňov.
The sun already came up above the horizon and colored the sky in orange hues.
Vyšlo hore (came up) - 'hore' emphasizes the upward movement, a common redundancy in spoken Slovak.
Počas túry sme museli liezť hore strmým svahom, čo bolo dosť vyčerpávajúce.
During the hike we had to climb up a steep slope, which was quite exhausting.
Liezť hore (to climb up) - 'hore' specifies the direction of climbing.
V noci som sa zobudil na hluk a zistil som, že niekto je hore na streche.
At night I woke up to a noise and found out that someone is up on the roof.
Je hore (is up) - indicates a higher position.
Keď sa mu nedarilo, vždy sa snažil zdvihnúť hlavu hore a ísť ďalej.
When he wasn't doing well, he always tried to lift his head up and keep going.
Zdvihnúť hlavu hore (to lift one's head up) - 'hore' specifies the direction of lifting.
V byte nad nami robili hluk až do neskorých hodín, bolo to počuť až sem hore.
In the apartment above us they made noise until late hours, it was audible even up here.
Až sem hore (even up here) - 'hore' indicates the elevated position of the speaker.
Deti nadšene ukazovali prstom hore na lietadlo prelietavajúce ponad nás.
The children enthusiastically pointed their finger up at the airplane flying over us.
Ukazovali prstom hore (pointed their finger up) - 'hore' specifies the direction of pointing.
Majstri už zavesili obrazy hore na stenu, teraz to vyzerá oveľa lepšie.
The masters already hung the paintings up on the wall, now it looks much better.
Zavesili obrazy hore (hung the paintings up) - 'hore' indicates the upward placement.
Po náročnom výkone bolo vidieť, ako mu srdce bije hore v krku.
After a demanding performance, it was visible how his heart was beating up in his throat.
Bije hore v krku (is beating up in his throat) - idiomatic expression for a racing heart, 'hore' emphasizes the high position of the sensation.
Consejos
Basic Direction
Hore is a fundamental word for direction. It means up or upwards.
Opposite of Dole
Remember hore as the direct opposite of dole, which means down or downwards. Learning pairs helps a lot!
Use with Verbs of Motion
You'll often hear hore used with verbs that imply movement, like ísť (to go), stúpať (to ascend), or pozerať (to look). For example, 'Ísť hore' means 'To go up'.
Contextual Examples
Think of phrases like 'Pozri sa hore!' (Look up!) or 'Ideme hore schodmi.' (We are going up the stairs.).
No Declension
As an adverb, hore does not change its form (it doesn't decline). This makes it easy to use consistently.
Common Usage: Floors
When talking about floors in a building, you might hear 'na poschodí hore' (on the floor upstairs) or just 'hore' to mean upstairs.
Adverb vs. Preposition
Remember hore is an adverb. It describes where something is or where it's going. It's not a preposition like 'on' or 'in'.
Practice with Physical Actions
When you're walking up stairs or looking at the sky, actively think 'hore'. Connect the word to the action.
Listen for It
Pay attention to native speakers. You'll hear hore a lot in everyday conversation when people are giving directions or describing locations. Listen for phrases like 'Choď hore!' (Go up!).
Simple Sentences
Start with very simple sentences. 'Vták letí hore.' (The bird flies up.) 'Výťah ide hore.' (The elevator goes up.).
Ponte a prueba 18 preguntas
Someone is telling you to go in a direction.
You are being told to look somewhere.
A dog is moving in a certain direction.
Read this aloud:
Hore!
Focus: /ho.re/
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Idem hore.
Focus: /i.dem ho.re/
Dijiste:
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Read this aloud:
Poďme hore.
Focus: /poɟ.me ho.re/
Dijiste:
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Write a short sentence saying that someone is going up. Use 'hore'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ide hore.
Imagine you are telling someone to look up. Write this command using 'hore'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Pozri hore!
Write a simple sentence indicating something is located up, for example, 'The bird is up.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Vták je hore.
Kto ide hore?
Read this passage:
Mama ide hore. Dieťa ide hore. Obaja idú hore.
Kto ide hore?
The passage states 'Mama ide hore. Dieťa ide hore. Obaja idú hore.' meaning both mother and child go up.
The passage states 'Mama ide hore. Dieťa ide hore. Obaja idú hore.' meaning both mother and child go up.
Čo je hore?
Read this passage:
Pozri hore! Je tam malý vták. Vták lieta hore.
Čo je hore?
The passage says 'Je tam malý vták. Vták lieta hore.' indicating a bird is up.
The passage says 'Je tam malý vták. Vták lieta hore.' indicating a bird is up.
Kto beží hore?
Read this passage:
On beží hore. Ona beží hore. Všetci bežia hore.
Kto beží hore?
The passage states 'On beží hore. Ona beží hore. Všetci bežia hore.' meaning everyone is running up.
The passage states 'On beží hore. Ona beží hore. Všetci bežia hore.' meaning everyone is running up.
Poďme ___ na ten kopec, výhľad bude nádherný. (Let's go ___ that hill, the view will be beautiful.)
Context suggests moving to a higher place for a view, 'hore' means up.
Všetci cestujúci sa musia presunúť ___ na palubu. (All passengers must move ___ to the deck.)
Moving to a deck implies an upward movement, 'hore' means up.
Pozri sa ___ na oblohu, možno uvidíš padajúcu hviezdu. (Look ___ at the sky, maybe you'll see a falling star.)
Looking at the sky suggests looking upwards, 'hore' means up.
Výťah ide už len ___ na najvyššie poschodie. (The elevator is only going ___ to the top floor.)
Going to the top floor implies an upward movement, 'hore' means up.
Mám pocit, že teplota v miestnosti stúpa ___. (I feel like the temperature in the room is going ___.)
A rising temperature implies going up, 'hore' means up.
Deti nadšene ukazovali prstom ___ na letiaceho šarkana. (The children excitedly pointed their finger ___ at the flying kite.)
Pointing at a flying kite suggests pointing upwards, 'hore' means up.
/ 18 correct
Perfect score!
Basic Direction
Hore is a fundamental word for direction. It means up or upwards.
Opposite of Dole
Remember hore as the direct opposite of dole, which means down or downwards. Learning pairs helps a lot!
Use with Verbs of Motion
You'll often hear hore used with verbs that imply movement, like ísť (to go), stúpať (to ascend), or pozerať (to look). For example, 'Ísť hore' means 'To go up'.
Contextual Examples
Think of phrases like 'Pozri sa hore!' (Look up!) or 'Ideme hore schodmi.' (We are going up the stairs.).
