Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The caron (ˇ) turns basic sounds into 'hissing' sounds: Č is 'ch', Š is 'sh', and Ž is 'zh'.
- Č sounds like 'ch' in 'chair': Čaj (tea).
- Š sounds like 'sh' in 'shoe': Šola (school).
- Ž sounds like 's' in 'pleasure': Žaba (frog).
Pronunciation Guide for Caron Letters
| Letter | Sound | English Equivalent | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Č
|
tʃ
|
ch in chair
|
Čaj
|
|
Š
|
ʃ
|
sh in shoe
|
Šola
|
|
Ž
|
ʒ
|
s in pleasure
|
Žaba
|
Meanings
These letters represent postalveolar sibilants, which are essential for distinguishing meaning in Slovenian.
Č (Tshe)
Voiceless postalveolar affricate.
“Čas je za kavo.”
“Češnja je rdeča.”
Š (Sha)
Voiceless postalveolar fricative.
“Šola je blizu.”
“Še enkrat prosim.”
Ž (Zhe)
Voiced postalveolar fricative.
“Življenje je lepo.”
“Želim si mir.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Č/Š/Ž + vowel
|
Čaj je vroč.
|
|
Negative
|
Ne + Č/Š/Ž
|
Ne pijem čaja.
|
|
Question
|
Ali + Č/Š/Ž
|
Ali želiš čaj?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Da/Ne
|
Da, želim.
|
|
Plural
|
Noun + endings
|
Žabe so v vodi.
|
|
Past Tense
|
Verb + Č/Š/Ž
|
Šel sem domov.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
Želim si čaj. (Ordering in a cafe)
Hočem čaj. (Ordering in a cafe)
Čaj bi. (Ordering in a cafe)
Čaj, prosim. (Ordering in a cafe)
The Caron Family
Voiceless
- Č ch
- Š sh
Voiced
- Ž zh
Plain vs. Caron
How to pronounce
Is there a caron?
Common Words
Food
- • Čaj
- • Češnja
People
- • Človek
- • Ženska
Places
- • Šola
レベル別の例文
To je čaj.
This is tea.
Šola je velika.
The school is big.
Žaba je zelena.
The frog is green.
Človek je prijazen.
The person is friendly.
Želim si kavo.
I want a coffee.
Še enkrat, prosim.
Once more, please.
Češnja je sladka.
The cherry is sweet.
Živim v Ljubljani.
I live in Ljubljana.
Če boš imel čas, pridi na obisk.
If you have time, come for a visit.
Športna oprema je draga.
Sports equipment is expensive.
Žal mi je, ne morem priti.
I'm sorry, I can't come.
Čas hitro teče.
Time flies fast.
Številni ljudje obiskujejo to mesto.
Many people visit this city.
Življenjski slog se spreminja.
The lifestyle is changing.
Čudovito je videti toliko napredka.
It is wonderful to see so much progress.
Še vedno čakamo na odgovor.
We are still waiting for an answer.
Češčenje narave je del naše kulture.
The worship of nature is part of our culture.
Širjenje znanja je ključnega pomena.
Spreading knowledge is of key importance.
Živahna razprava je bila zelo poučna.
The lively discussion was very educational.
Če bi le vedel, bi ravnal drugače.
If I had only known, I would have acted differently.
Življenjepis mora biti brezhiben.
The resume must be flawless.
Šepetanje v knjižnici ni dovoljeno.
Whispering in the library is not allowed.
Čarobnost trenutka je nepopisna.
The magic of the moment is indescribable.
Žrtvovanje za višji cilj je plemenito.
Sacrifice for a higher goal is noble.
間違えやすい
Learners often use 'c' for 'ch'.
Learners often use 's' for 'sh'.
Learners often use 'z' for 'zh'.
よくある間違い
caj
čaj
sola
šola
zaba
žaba
klovek
človek
zelim
želim
se enkrat
še enkrat
cesnja
češnja
cas
čas
sport
šport
zal
žal
cescenje
češčenje
sirjenje
širjenje
zivahna
živahna
ce bi
če bi
文型パターン
To je ___.
Želim si ___.
Če boš ___, bom vesel.
Šport je ___ za zdravje.
Real World Usage
Živjo! Kako si?
En čaj, prosim.
Želim se prijaviti.
Kje je šola?
Čudovit dan!
Želim naročiti.
Exaggerate
Don't skip
Listen
Be proud
Smart Tips
Exaggerate the hiss to train your mouth.
Install the Slovenian keyboard layout.
Try to identify the Č, Š, and Ž sounds.
Ask them to correct your pronunciation.
発音
Č (tʃ)
Place tongue on the alveolar ridge, release air.
Š (ʃ)
Tongue near ridge, blow air.
Ž (ʒ)
Same as Š, but vibrate vocal cords.
Statement
To je čaj. ↘
Falling intonation at the end.
Question
Ali želiš čaj? ↗
Rising intonation at the end.
暗記しよう
記憶術
Think of the caron (ˇ) as a 'hissing hat' that makes the letter sound like a snake or a steam engine.
視覚的連想
Imagine a snake wearing a little hat (the caron). When the snake hisses, it makes the 'š' sound.
Rhyme
With a hat on top, the sound will pop: Č, Š, Ž, don't ever stop!
Story
A frog (žaba) went to school (šola) to drink tea (čaj). He wore a hat (caron) to look smart. Every time he spoke, he hissed with joy.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Find 5 words in a Slovenian newspaper or website that contain Č, Š, or Ž and read them out loud 3 times each.
文化メモ
In the capital, these sounds are very clear and standard.
In the coastal region, some sounds might be slightly softer.
In the east, intonation varies, but the consonants remain distinct.
These letters were adopted into the Latin alphabet for Slovenian in the 19th century, based on the Czech orthography.
会話のきっかけ
Ali želiš čaj?
Kje je šola?
Kako je tvoje življenje?
Zakaj je šport pomemben?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
___aj (tea)
Which is the school?
Find and fix the mistake:
zaba
Pijem čaj.
Is 'c' the same as 'č'?
A: Želiš čaj? B: ___
je / čaj / vroč
Sort: Č, S, Š
Score: /8
練習問題
8 exercises___aj (tea)
Which is the school?
Find and fix the mistake:
zaba
Pijem čaj.
Is 'c' the same as 'č'?
A: Želiš čaj? B: ___
je / čaj / vroč
Sort: Č, S, Š
Score: /8
よくある質問 (8)
No, they just require a bit of practice with tongue placement.
No, it makes your text hard to read and looks unprofessional.
Hold down the base letter (c, s, z) and the options will appear.
Slovenian distinguishes between dental and postalveolar sounds.
Yes, it is very similar.
Don't worry, keep practicing and you will improve.
Many do, but the orthography varies.
Yes, 'c' is 'ts' and 'č' is 'ch'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ch, sh (not native)
Spanish lacks the postalveolar fricatives Š and Ž.
ch, j
French lacks the affricate Č.
tsch, sch, g
German uses multiple letters for sounds that are single letters in Slovenian.
chi, shi, ji
Japanese sounds are syllabic, while Slovenian sounds are phonemic.
sh, j
Arabic lacks the specific postalveolar affricate Č.
ch, sh, zh
Chinese uses pinyin which is different from Slovenian orthography.
