Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use this phrase to describe someone who is fully focused and mentally present during a specific task or conversation.
- Means: To be mentally engaged and paying full attention to what you are doing.
- Used in: Work meetings, classroom settings, or when someone is easily distracted.
- Don't confuse: With 'biti na stvari', which is grammatically incorrect in this context.
あなたのレベルに合った解説：
意味
To be focused on the task.
文化的背景
Slovenians value 'pridnost' (diligence). Being 'pri stvari' is a common compliment in school reports and work evaluations. In the mountainous regions of Slovenia, precision in woodworking and farming was vital for survival, cementing the idiom's importance. In Ljubljana's growing tech scene, this phrase is used to describe 'deep work' or being in a 'flow state'. Slovenian basketball and football commentators frequently use this to describe a player's mental toughness.
Use it as an apology
If you zone out during a conversation, 'Oprosti, nisem bil pri stvari' is the most natural way to apologize.
Watch the case!
Never say 'pri stvar'. The '-i' at the end is what makes it correct Slovenian.
Use it as an apology
If you zone out during a conversation, 'Oprosti, nisem bil pri stvari' is the most natural way to apologize.
Watch the case!
Never say 'pri stvar'. The '-i' at the end is what makes it correct Slovenian.
The 'Ostati' trick
Use 'ostati pri stvari' in your work emails to sound like a native professional.
自分をテスト
Fill in the missing word in the correct form.
Danes moram delati, zato moram biti pri _______.
The preposition 'pri' requires the locative case, which for 'stvar' is 'stvari'.
Which sentence means 'I am not focused'?
Izberi pravilen odgovor:
The idiom always uses the preposition 'pri'.
Complete the dialogue.
Šef: 'Marko, ali poslušaš?' Marko: 'Oprostite, _________.'
Marko is apologizing for *not* having been focused in the past moment.
Match the situation to the phrase.
You are driving and your friend is talking too much, making you lose focus. What do you say?
You are telling your friend that *you* need to focus on the road.
🎉 スコア： /4
ビジュアル学習ツール
練習問題バンク
5 問題Danes moram delati, zato moram biti pri _______.
The preposition 'pri' requires the locative case, which for 'stvar' is 'stvari'.
Izberi pravilen odgovor:
The idiom always uses the preposition 'pri'.
Šef: 'Marko, ali poslušaš?' Marko: 'Oprostite, _________.'
Marko is apologizing for *not* having been focused in the past moment.
You are driving and your friend is talking too much, making you lose focus. What do you say?
You are telling your friend that *you* need to focus on the road.
🎉 スコア： /5
よくある質問
10 問No, 'biti pri stvari' is only for tasks or abstract situations. To say you are focused on a person, you would say 'posvečam se ti'.
Yes, it is perfectly polite and professional. It shows you are serious about your work.
The most common opposite is 'biti raztresen' (to be scattered/absent-minded).
Yes, but in this idiom, it represents the 'matter at hand' or the 'current task'.
Yes: 'Jutri bom pri stvari.' (Tomorrow I will be focused.)
Yes, it is a standard idiom used from the coast to the Hungarian border.
Use 'Bodi pri stvari!' for one person, and 'Bodite pri stvari!' for a group or formal setting.
'Biti zbran' is more literal and formal. 'Biti pri stvari' is more common in everyday spoken language.
Yes, if you are actively doing the hobby. 'Ko slikam, sem vedno pri stvari.'
No, it's a standard idiom. It's safe for all ages and situations.
関連フレーズ
ostati pri stvari
builds onTo stay focused.
zbrati se
similarTo concentrate.
biti zbran
synonymTo be concentrated.
imeti glavo na pravem mestu
similarTo have one's head in the right place.
どこで使う？
At the Office
Boss: Marko, ali si pripravljen na predstavitev?
Marko: Seveda, sem popolnoma pri stvari.
Studying with a friend
Ana: Gledaš v telefon že deset minut!
Bojan: Oprosti, takoj bom spet pri stvari.
Driving Lesson
Inštruktor: Pazi na rdečo luč! Bodi pri stvari!
Učenec: Se opravičujem, nisem bil pozoren.
Cooking a complex meal
Mama: Pazi, da se omaka ne prismodi.
Hči: Brez skrbi, sem pri stvari.
During a serious talk
Partner A: Morava se pogovoriti o najinih načrtih.
Partner B: Povej, sem pri stvari, poslušam te.
Sports Practice
Trener: Danes niste pri stvari! Več tecite!
Igralec: Bomo, trener!
暗記しよう
記憶術
Think of the 'PRI' in 'PRI stvari' as 'PRI-sotnost' (presence). You are present at the thing.
視覚的連想
Imagine yourself standing right next to a giant target (the 'thing'). You are so close to it that you can't see anything else. Your whole world is just you and that target.
Rhyme
Ko si pri stvari, delo hitro gre naprej, ne glej nazaj in ne oklevaj!
Story
A master watchmaker in Ljubljana is working on a tiny gear. If he looks away for one second, the gear is lost. He tells his apprentice: 'Bodi pri stvari!' The apprentice focuses so hard he becomes part of the watch. Now, whenever you need to focus, imagine you are that watchmaker.
In Other Languages
In German, they say 'bei der Sache sein', which is a direct parallel. In English, we say 'on the ball' or 'to be with it'.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Next time you are studying Slovenian for 5 minutes, say out loud: 'Zdaj sem pri stvari.' Try to stay focused for the full 5 minutes without checking your phone.
Review this phrase on day 1, 3, and 7. Use it once in a sentence about your job and once about your hobby.
発音
Long 'i' sound.
Short, rolled 'r'.
The 'v' is soft, almost like a 'w'. Stress on the 'a'.
フォーマル度スペクトル
Pri delu sem vseskozi ustrezno zbran in pri stvari. (Work/General)
Sem pri stvari. (Work/General)
Ej, sem čist' pri stvari, ne skrbi. (Work/General)
Sem v coni, stari. (Work/General)
Derived from the physical act of standing 'pri' (by/at) a 'stvar' (object/task) in a workshop. It implies that to do a job well, one cannot be distant from it.
豆知識
The word 'stvar' originally meant 'a created thing' or 'creature' in Old Church Slavonic.
文化メモ
Slovenians value 'pridnost' (diligence). Being 'pri stvari' is a common compliment in school reports and work evaluations.
“Učenec je pri pouku vedno pri stvari.”
In the mountainous regions of Slovenia, precision in woodworking and farming was vital for survival, cementing the idiom's importance.
“Pri sečnji lesa moraš biti vedno pri stvari.”
In Ljubljana's growing tech scene, this phrase is used to describe 'deep work' or being in a 'flow state'.
“Programerji so danes res pri stvari.”
Slovenian basketball and football commentators frequently use this to describe a player's mental toughness.
“Dončić je danes od prve minute pri stvari.”
会話のきっかけ
Ali si bil danes pri stvari, ko si se učil?
Kaj narediš, ko nisi pri stvari pri delu?
Ali je težko ostati pri stvari med dolgimi sestanki?
よくある間違い
Sem na stvari.
Sem pri stvari.
L1 Interference
Bodi pri stvar.
Bodi pri stvari.
L1 Interference
Jaz sem pri stvari o glasbi.
Zanimam se za glasbo.
L1 Interference
Nisem bil pri stvari včeraj.
Včeraj nisem bil pri stvari.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Bei der Sache sein
The German version is slightly more common in formal writing than the Slovenian one.
Estar en lo que se está
Spanish focuses on the 'action' while Slovenian focuses on the 'thing/task'.
Être à son affaire
The French version can sometimes imply being busy, whereas the Slovenian one is strictly about focus.
身を入れる (Mi o ireru)
Slovenian is about mental proximity, Japanese is about total physical/spiritual immersion.
يركز على المهمة (Yurakkiz 'ala al-muhimma)
Arabic is more literal and less idiomatic in this specific context.
专心致志 (Zhuān xīn zhì zhì)
Chinese is much more formal and poetic than the everyday Slovenian phrase.
전념하다 (Jeonnyeom-hada)
The Korean term feels more like 'dedication' than just 'focus'.
Estar focado
Lacks the 'thing' metaphor found in Slovenian.
Spotted in the Real World
“Slovenski košarkarji so bili od prve minute pri stvari.”
A report on a national basketball team match.
“V moji kuhinji moraš biti vedno pri stvari!”
The head chef yelling at his staff in a busy kitchen.
“Stari, ti sploh nisi pri stvari, skoz sanjaš.”
A conversation between friends in a famous Slovenian novel.
間違えやすい
Learners think it means 'to be on top of it'.
In Slovenian, 'na' is physical. 'Pri' is mental/proximal.
Sounds similar but means 'to get to the point'.
Use 'iti k' when you want someone to stop rambling.
よくある質問 (10)
No, 'biti pri stvari' is only for tasks or abstract situations. To say you are focused on a person, you would say 'posvečam se ti'.
usage contextsYes, it is perfectly polite and professional. It shows you are serious about your work.
practical tipsThe most common opposite is 'biti raztresen' (to be scattered/absent-minded).
basic understandingYes, but in this idiom, it represents the 'matter at hand' or the 'current task'.
grammar mechanicsYes: 'Jutri bom pri stvari.' (Tomorrow I will be focused.)
grammar mechanicsYes, it is a standard idiom used from the coast to the Hungarian border.
cultural usageUse 'Bodi pri stvari!' for one person, and 'Bodite pri stvari!' for a group or formal setting.
practical tips'Biti zbran' is more literal and formal. 'Biti pri stvari' is more common in everyday spoken language.
comparisonsYes, if you are actively doing the hobby. 'Ko slikam, sem vedno pri stvari.'
usage contextsNo, it's a standard idiom. It's safe for all ages and situations.
basic understanding
