Meaning
Asking about the distance to a specific location.
Cultural Background
The 'Slovak Kilometer' is a real phenomenon. If a local says 'to je kúsok' (it's a bit), it might be a 20-minute uphill walk. In the mountains, distance is measured in time (hours/minutes) rather than kilometers on trail signs. The city center is compact, so 'ďaleko' usually refers to anything outside the Old Town or across the Danube. People are very precise about bus and train distances because public transport is the lifeblood of villages.
Politeness counts
Always start with 'Prepáčte' (Excuse me) when asking a stranger 'Je to ďaleko?'.
Don't say 'dlho'
Remember: Ďaleko = Distance, Dlho = Duration. Mixing them up is the most common beginner mistake.
Meaning
Asking about the distance to a specific location.
Politeness counts
Always start with 'Prepáčte' (Excuse me) when asking a stranger 'Je to ďaleko?'.
Don't say 'dlho'
Remember: Ďaleko = Distance, Dlho = Duration. Mixing them up is the most common beginner mistake.
Add 'ešte'
Use 'Je to ešte ďaleko?' if you are already walking. It sounds much more natural.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to ask 'Is it far?'
Je ___ ďaleko?
In Slovak, 'to' is the neutral pronoun used for 'it' in this expression.
Which sentence means 'Is it very far?'
Choose the correct translation:
'Veľmi' means 'very'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Prepáčte, kde je stanica? B: Je tamto. A: ________?
The speaker is asking for more information about the distance to the station.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are hiking and want to know if the peak is still far.
'Ešte' adds the meaning of 'still', perfect for ongoing activities like hiking.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJe ___ ďaleko?
In Slovak, 'to' is the neutral pronoun used for 'it' in this expression.
Choose the correct translation:
'Veľmi' means 'very'.
A: Prepáčte, kde je stanica? B: Je tamto. A: ________?
The speaker is asking for more information about the distance to the station.
You are hiking and want to know if the peak is still far.
'Ešte' adds the meaning of 'still', perfect for ongoing activities like hiking.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, for time you should use 'Trvá to dlho?' (Does it take long?).
You say 'Je to veľmi ďaleko?'.
The opposite is 'blízko' (near/close).
It is an adverb. The adjective form is 'ďaleký'.
Use 'Ako ďaleko je to?'.
It's a bit informal for an email. Better to use 'Aká je vzdialenosť...?' (What is the distance...?).
Slovak uses the soft 'ď' sound, unlike Czech which uses 'd'.
It means 'It's a jump away', an idiom for something being very close.
Yes, it's very common to ask a taxi driver 'Je to ďaleko?' to estimate the trip.
Say 'Je to ďaleko odtiaľto?'.
Related Phrases
Je to blízko?
contrastIs it close?
Ako ďaleko je to?
builds onHow far is it?
Je to na skok.
similarIt's a stone's throw away.
Je to za rohom.
similarIt's around the corner.
