Slovene Short Courses Levels

Course description: Level 1 is intended for students with no previous knowledge of Slovene or minimal knowledge, such as a few words, the alphabet or other basics. The course runs over three ten-week terms and each session is two hours long. The course aims to cover basic knowledge of everyday Slovene language. It develops the basic skills of speaking, reading, listening and writing in Slovene, as well as your ability to use the language effectively in everyday situations.

Topics and functions: The alphabet and pronunciation, greetings, numbers, how to introduce yourself and others, asking and answering questions about personal details, your family, describing how you spend your day, ordering food and drinks in a restaurant, giving and understanding directions, accepting or declining an invitation, the human body. You will also get to know some aspects of Slovene culture and society.

Grammar: Nouns, adjectives, verbs, reflexive verbs, personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, basic grammar (for example, different uses of some cases with a focus on nominative and accusative as the most used cases and use of all three tenses), prepositions and simple adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions.

Study materials: Nataša Pirih Svetina, Andreja Ponikvar, A, B, C ... Gremo (Ljubljana:  Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2018)

It will be supported by additional materials (grammar exercises, role play, reading and listening comprehension).

Course description: Level 2 is intended for students who have recently completed the Beginners’ course (level 1) or who already have basic knowledge of the language and its grammar acquired through visits to the country or self-study. The course runs over three ten-week terms and each session is two hours long. The course aims at giving students further understanding of grammar, developing broader vocabulary and improving listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

Topics and Functions: Talking about yourself, family and friends; describing people; talking about the weather and seasons; talking about events and holidays and acquainting yourself with Slovene national and religious celebrations; important tourism destinations, travelling, booking a holiday; famous Slovenes; orientation and directions; talking about your home, apartment, and house; describing your vacation.

Grammar: Revision of all cases in the singular form, continuing with different uses of all cases (in singular and plural), use of all three tenses (present, past, future), prepositions with cases, comparison of adjectives, adverbs, word order, imperative, verbal aspect (imperfective and perfective), personal and possessive pronouns, conjunctions.

Study Materials: Ivana Petric Lasnik, Nataša Pirih Svetina, Andreja Ponikvar, Gremo naprej (Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2003)

It will be supported by additional teacher’s materials (grammar exercises, role play, reading and listening comprehension).

Course Description: Level 3 is for people who have completed the Lower Intermediate course (level 2) or who have sound knowledge of the language acquired through extensive visits to the country or through self-study. The course runs over three ten-week terms and each session is two hours long. The course includes all four skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Topics and Functions: The education system in Slovenia (as well as in comparison to the British educational system), describing work, work experience and communication in the workplace; writing letters and emails, communication media, summarising a text, presenting a short topic; agreement, disagreement and apologising.

Grammar: Revision of all cases in the singular and plural form, modal verbs, word order in past and future tense, conditional clauses, personal, relative and interrogative pronouns, imperative, modal verbs, perfective and imperfective verbs, conjunctions and prepositions.

Study Materials:  Ivana Petric Lasnik, Nataša Pirih Svetina, Andreja Ponikvar, Gremo naprej (Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2003)

It will be supported by additional teacher’s materials (grammar exercises, role play, reading and listening comprehension).

Course Description: Slovene Advanced is for people who have completed the Upper Intermediate course (level 3) or who have good knowledge of the language acquired through living in the country or through using Slovene regularly at an intermediate level. The course runs over three ten-week terms and each session is two hours long. The course includes all four skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Topics and Functions: Foreign languages; Slovene sport and sportspeople; Slovene cuisine and food; animals, environmental protection, shopping, consumption; reading and commenting on current events; Slovene culture, major writers, artists, famous films; simple analysis of a film orally and in writing; familiarising oneself with famous literary works; important events and figures in Slovene history and discussing them.

Grammar: Revision of grammar introduced at the previous level, singular, dual and plural forms of nouns, adjectives and pronouns, perfective and imperfective verbs, numerals, word order, word formation, synonyms and antonyms.

Study Materials: Polona Libešar, Ivana Petric Lasnik, Nataša Pirih Svetina, Andreja Ponikvar, Naprej pa v slovenščini (Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2015)

It will be supported by press articles, audio and video clips and teacher’s materials.

Course Description: Advanced Plus is for people who have completed the Advanced course (level 4) or who have very good knowledge of the language acquired through regular visits to the country or through using the language in work or personal relationships. The course runs over three ten-week terms and each session is two hours long. The course includes all four skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

Topics: famous personalities, traveling around the word, Slovene identity and Slovene cultural heritage, milestones of Slovene history, Slovene films, colloquial expressions, regional dialects, cultural references (politics, music, sport), topics chosen according to students’ own interests.

Functions: understanding colloquial language, understanding basic regional accents and language; supporting an argument, public presentations; expressing gratitude, sympathy, appreciation; expressing regret and indifference; defending and accusing; analysing, and responding to, reviews and criticism; writing reviews and summaries.

Grammar: complete declension: nouns, adjectives, pronouns (singular, dual, plural), numerals, prepositions and their relations with declensions, perfective and imperfective verbs, word order, conjunctions, particles, imperative, conditional, modal verbs, synonyms, antonyms.

Study Materials: Polona Libešar, Ivana Petric Lasnik, Nataša Pirih Svetina, Andreja Ponikvar, Naprej pa v slovenščini (Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2015)

Andreja Markovič, Mihaela Knez, Nina Šoba, Mojca Stritar, Slovenska beseda v živo 3a [textbook and workbook] (Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2018)

It will be supported by press articles, audio and video clips and the teacher’s materials.

Course Description: Higher Advanced Plus is for those who have completed the Advanced Plus course (level 5) or who have excellent knowledge of the Slovene language acquired through living in Slovenia or through regularly using the language in work or personal relationships. The aim of the course is to give students the opportunity to revise, consolidate, and build on the skills they acquired in the Advanced Plus course. The course runs over three ten-week terms and each session is two hours long. The course includes all four skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. 

Topics: Slovene minorities and emigration in the world (incl. the UK), the Slovene economy, Slovene politics, Slovene inventions and achievements, professional networking in Slovenia, human rights, citizen rights and constitution, environmental issues, Slovene culture (music, theatre, cinema, iconic places and personalities), topics chosen according to students’ own interests.

Functions: understanding dialectal variation, analysing and responding to reviews and criticism, communication and interaction with Slovenes, reporting on events and matters of public interest, preparing presentations, ‘reading between the lines’ (i.e., detecting non-explicit content in texts), practising advanced translation from and into Slovene. 

Grammar: revision of grammar introduced in previous levels.

Study Materials: Andreja Markovič, Mihaela Knez, Nina Šoba, Mojca Stritar, Slovenska beseda v živo 3a [textbook and workbook] (Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2018)

Andreja Ponikvar, Mihaela Knez, Tanja Jerman, Oblike v oblakih: slovnične preglednice (Ljubljana: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, 2020)

It will be supported by press articles, audio and video clips and the teacher’s materials.