Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'imeti brata' to tell someone you have a brother in Slovenian.
- Means: To have a male sibling.
- Used in: Family introductions and personal descriptions.
- Don't confuse: The ending changes from 'brat' to 'brata' after 'imeti'.
Erklärung auf deinem Niveau:
Bedeutung
Having a male sibling.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Slovenia, it is common to live with your brother in the same house even as adults, often in separate apartments on different floors. Many folk tales feature three brothers, where the youngest is usually the smartest or most heroic. The term 'brat' is increasingly used as a loan-translation of 'bro' among youth, though 'stari' (old man) is more traditional. Having a brother was historically vital for keeping the family farm (kmetija) intact and productive.
The Animate Rule
Remember that people (like brothers) always get the '-a' ending in the accusative singular. Objects (like 'avto') usually don't!
Dual Danger
If you have two brothers, don't say 'dva brate'. It must be 'dva brata'!
The Animate Rule
Remember that people (like brothers) always get the '-a' ending in the accusative singular. Objects (like 'avto') usually don't!
Dual Danger
If you have two brothers, don't say 'dva brate'. It must be 'dva brata'!
Negation is the same
Luckily, 'Nimam brata' uses the same ending as 'Imam brata'. One less thing to memorize!
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of 'brat'.
Jaz imam ______.
After 'imam', the noun must be in the accusative case.
Which sentence is correct for 'I have two brothers'?
How do you say 'I have two brothers'?
For two people, we use the dual case. The accusative dual of 'brat' is 'brata'.
Match the Slovenian phrase with its English translation.
Match the following:
These are basic family phrases.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Ali imaš sestro? B: Ne, ______ brata.
The speaker is talking about themselves, so 'imam' (I have) is correct.
Match the situation to the correct phrase.
You are introducing your brother to a teacher.
While 'Imam brata' is grammatically correct, 'To je moj brat' is the standard introduction.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Singular vs Dual vs Plural
Aufgabensammlung
6 AufgabenJaz imam ______.
After 'imam', the noun must be in the accusative case.
How do you say 'I have two brothers'?
For two people, we use the dual case. The accusative dual of 'brat' is 'brata'.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
These are basic family phrases.
A: Ali imaš sestro? B: Ne, ______ brata.
The speaker is talking about themselves, so 'imam' (I have) is correct.
You are introducing your brother to a teacher.
While 'Imam brata' is grammatically correct, 'To je moj brat' is the standard introduction.
🎉 Ergebnis: /6
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenBecause 'imeti' requires the accusative case, and for male people, the accusative ends in -a.
You say 'Imam dva brata'. This uses the Slovenian dual case.
Yes, but it's informal. It's better to say 'On mi je kot brat' (He is like a brother to me).
Then you say 'Imam tri brate'. The ending changes for plural.
No, for a male cousin you use 'bratranec'.
Use 'starejši brat'. In the phrase: 'Imam starejšega brata'.
It can mean 'two brothers' (dual) or 'one brother' (accusative singular). Context is key!
In standard Slovenian, it is typically short, but it can vary by dialect.
No, that's a literal translation from English and is grammatically incorrect. Use 'Imam brata'.
The diminutive is 'bratec', often used for a younger or beloved brother.
Verwandte Redewendungen
imeti sestro
similarTo have a sister
biti edinec
contrastTo be an only child
moj brat
builds onMy brother
bratska ljubezen
specialized formBrotherly love
imeti polbrata
specialized formTo have a half-brother
Wo du es verwendest
First Date
A: Ali imaš veliko družino?
B: Niti ne. Imam samo enega brata.
Job Interview
Intervjuvalec: Povejte nam kaj o svojem ozadju.
Kandidat: Prihajam iz delavske družine, imam brata, ki je prav tako inženir.
School Introduction
Učitelj: Marko, kdo je ta fant?
Marko: To je moj brat. Imam brata v tretjem razredu.
Dating App Bio
Profil: Rad imam pse, pohodništvo in imam brata dvojčka!
Doctor's Visit
Zdravnik: Ali ima kdo v družini to bolezen?
Pacient: Da, imam brata, ki ima sladkorno bolezen.
At the Border
Policist: Koga obiskujete v Sloveniji?
Potnik: Obiskujem svojo družino. Imam brata v Ljubljani.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of 'Brat' as your 'Bratty' brother, and add an 'a' because he's 'Awesome' (Brata).
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a small boy holding a giant letter 'A'. The boy is the 'Brat', and the 'A' is the ending you need to add when you 'have' (imeti) him.
Rhyme
Imam brata, ki odpira vrata. (I have a brother who opens the door.)
Story
You are at a Slovenian party. Someone asks about your family. You point to a guy named Brad (sounds like Brat) and say 'Imam Brata'. Everyone cheers because you used the correct accusative case!
In Other Languages
Similar to 'Einen Bruder haben' in German or 'Tener un hermano' in Spanish, where the word for brother changes its form slightly based on the verb.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to find three people today and tell them (in your head or aloud) 'Imam brata' or 'Nimam brata'.
Review this phrase on Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7 to lock in the '-a' ending.
Aussprache
The 'a' is short and open, like in 'father' but shorter.
The stress is on the first syllable.
Formalitätsspektrum
V svoji družini imam brata. (General statement)
Imam brata. (General statement)
Mam enga brata. (General statement)
Mam brata, stari. (General statement)
From Proto-Slavic *bratъ, from Proto-Indo-European *bhrāter.
Wusstest du?
The word 'brat' is one of the few words that has remained almost identical across all Slavic languages for over 1,000 years.
Kulturelle Hinweise
In Slovenia, it is common to live with your brother in the same house even as adults, often in separate apartments on different floors.
“Z bratom živiva v isti hiši.”
Many folk tales feature three brothers, where the youngest is usually the smartest or most heroic.
“Tretji brat je premagal zmaja.”
The term 'brat' is increasingly used as a loan-translation of 'bro' among youth, though 'stari' (old man) is more traditional.
“Kje si, brat?”
Having a brother was historically vital for keeping the family farm (kmetija) intact and productive.
“Bratje so skupaj delali na kmetiji.”
Gesprächseinstiege
Ali imaš brata ali sestro?
Kaj tvoj brat dela?
Se z bratom dobro razumeš?
Katera je tvoja najljubša spomin na brata?
Häufige Fehler
Imam brat.
Imam brata.
L1 Interference
Imam dva brate.
Imam dva brata.
L1 Interference
Nimam brat.
Nimam brata.
L1 Interference
Imam brata in sestra.
Imam brata in sestro.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Tener un hermano
Slovenian has a dual case for exactly two brothers.
Avoir un frère
Slovenian nouns change endings (declension), French nouns do not.
Einen Bruder haben
German word order often puts the verb at the end.
兄/弟がいる (Ani/Otōto ga iru)
Japanese focuses on existence and seniority; Slovenian focuses on possession and gender.
عندي أخ (Indi akh)
Arabic has no verb 'to have' in the same sense as Slovenian.
我有哥哥/弟弟 (Wǒ yǒu gēgē/dìdì)
Chinese has no grammatical cases or noun endings.
남동생/형이 있어요 (Namdongsaeng/hyeong-i isseoyo)
The word for 'brother' changes depending on if the speaker is male or female.
Ter um irmão
Portuguese uses articles (um), Slovenian does not.
Spotted in the Real World
“Brat moj, vedno boš ob meni.”
A popular Slovenian pop song about loyalty and brotherhood.
“Ali imaš brata, da bi ti pomagal?”
A classic Slovenian youth film.
“Najboljše je imeti brata!”
A photo of two siblings hiking in the Alps.
Leicht verwechselbar
Learners often mix up 'brat' (brother) and 'bratranec' (male cousin).
Remember that 'brat' is shorter, just like the immediate family bond is closer.
Using 'to be' instead of 'to have'.
You 'have' a brother (imeti), you 'are' a brother (biti).
Häufig gestellte Fragen (10)
Because 'imeti' requires the accusative case, and for male people, the accusative ends in -a.
grammar mechanicsYou say 'Imam dva brata'. This uses the Slovenian dual case.
grammar mechanicsYes, but it's informal. It's better to say 'On mi je kot brat' (He is like a brother to me).
usage contextsThen you say 'Imam tri brate'. The ending changes for plural.
grammar mechanicsNo, for a male cousin you use 'bratranec'.
basic understandingUse 'starejši brat'. In the phrase: 'Imam starejšega brata'.
practical tipsIt can mean 'two brothers' (dual) or 'one brother' (accusative singular). Context is key!
grammar mechanicsIn standard Slovenian, it is typically short, but it can vary by dialect.
practical tipsNo, that's a literal translation from English and is grammatically incorrect. Use 'Imam brata'.
common mistakesThe diminutive is 'bratec', often used for a younger or beloved brother.
usage contexts
