Authentic Slovenian Swear Words

How to curse in Slovenian?

Every student of a foreign language eventually wants to learn some swear words. If nothing else, to enrich their vocabulary and sound more like native speakers.

Traditional Slovenian swear words (kletvice) are mild by nature, they don’t sound offensive or vulgar at all. On the contrary, we could say they sound pretty funny. Also, a lot of older Slovenian swear words contain a religious meaning (see ježešna, bog te nima rad, krščen Matiček, prmejduš…).

So when Slovenians get really mad and want to curse (preklinjati), they usually use some harsher swear words from ex-Yugoslav countries which include a rich vocabulary of the genitals. Common ones are also from Italian (especially in the Primorska region), such as porkamadona, and younger generations tend to use more English swear words which we slovenized (adapted in pronunciation and writing), for example šit (shit).

It also needs to be said that some Slovenian swear words are more distinctive for the countryside, for example prmejduš, and some usually appear in the urban environment, for example sranje and pismo.

Here are some interesting Slovenian swear words with English translations:

Bog te nima rad! – God doesn’t like you!

Gromska strela! – Thunderous lightning! (English Hell’s bells!)

Hudiča! – Oh hell!

Jebelacesta! – The road is white!

Ježešna! (from the word ‘Jezus’) – Jesus!

Kaj za vraga … – What the hell…

Križana gora! – Crucified mountain! (English My goodness!)

Krščen Matiček! – Baptized Matthew!

Madonca! (or Marička!) – Little Mary!

Mat kurja! – Chicken’s mom!

Mater! – Mother! (English Man!)

Naj te koklja brcne! – Let the hen kick you!

Pismo! – Letter! (English Darn!)

Pojdi k vragu! – Go to hell!

Pojdi se solit! – Go salt yourself! (English Get lost!)

Presneto! (or Prekleto!) – Damn!

Prmejduš! – At my soul!

Sranje! (also Drek! or Šit!) – Shit! Crap!

Šment! (or Ti šment!) – Devil! (English Damn it!)

Šmentana muha! – Damn housefly!

Tristo hudičev! – Three hundred devils!

Tristo kosmatih medvedov! – Three hundred hairy bears!

Vrag naj te vzame! – Let the devil take you! (English Damn you!)

Zaboga! – For God’s sake!

And that’s how they sound in practice:

• Sranje! Pozabila sem iti na pošto. – Shit! I forgot to go to the post office.
• Kaj za vraga počnete? – What the hell are you doing?
• Pismo, to je pa dobra pesem! – Darn, that’s a good song!
• Naj te koklja brcne, če mi lažeš. – Let the hen kick you if you’re lying to me.
• Madonca, kako lep vrt imate! – Gee, what a beautiful garden you have!
• A spet nisi pomil posode? Pojdi se solit! – You didn’t wash the dishes again? Get lost!
• Prmejduš, da ne grem tja! – I’m definitely not going there!
• Zakaj nisi obiskala babice? Bog te nima rad! – Why didn’t you visit your grandmother? God doesn’t like you!
• Ježešna, kako me boli noga! – Jesus, my leg hurts so much!
• Presneto, urezal sem se! – Damn, I cut myself!