A native Slovenian here. Slovene language, like Latin, knows the so-called declination of substantives. Don't panic, but we know female and male gender substantives, and also those of neutral gender. Each substantive follows one of four patterns, so we basically have 12 patterns (3 genders x 4 patterns) for each and every substantive there is. Panicking already? Wait a minute. Each declination has six (6!) cases (Fall in German, casus in Latin). I won't bother you with their names. Oh, yes, we also have 3 numbers - singular, dual and plural. As far as this is concerned, we're probably the only nation in the world that knows dual (or maybe there's one or two more...) And the adjective must match the substantive in gender, case and number. The four declinations that a genealogist might find useful are 1&2 female and 1&2 male. Here are the patterns, only in singular. I doubt very much you will be needing dual and plural. The first part is the root of the word, the second part (after -) is the ending that you add to the root. The patterns I'm using are the ones that are taught in Slovene schools - linden (tree), wing, step and duke, respectively. In the 5th and 6th case it is necessary to use the words pri (at) and s/z (with). I will tell you how to decide to use s or z some other time (if anyone will be interested). Enough talking, here are the patterns: 1. FEMALE 1. lip-a 2. lip-e 3. lip-i 4. lip-o 5. pri lip-i 6. z lip-o 2. FEMALE 1. perut-// 2. perut-i 3. perut-i 4. perut-// 5. pri perut-i 6. s perut-jo 1. MALE 1. korak-// 2. korak-a 3. korak-u 4. korak-// 5. pri korak-u 6. s korak-om 2. MALE 1. vojvod-a 2. vojvod-e 3. vojvod-i 4. vojvod-o 5. pri vojvod-i 6. z vojvod-o // means there is no ending. Before you ask - whether to use 1st female or 2nd male declination (though they look the same) depends on the gender of the substantive. If you're not sure whether it's male or female, feel free to ask. I think that all the substantives of the male gender that end in a consonant follow the 1st male declination pattern. Now you can start panicking! T I N A

Tina, I think you did a wonderful job explaining this subject to us all. However, if in fact I ever knew what a substantive was, I have forgotten this very telling information. What is this thing you have so carefully elucidated? And how does it work if you were to use it in a sentence? All ready to panic, just tell me how, Ashley >A native Slovenian here. > >Slovene language, like Latin, knows the so-called declination of >substantives. Don't panic, but we know female and male gender substantives, >and also those of neutral gender. Each substantive follows one of four >patterns, so we basically have 12 patterns (3 genders x 4 patterns) for each >and every substantive there is. Panicking already? > > > >I think that all the substantives of the male gender that end in a consonant >follow the 1st male declination pattern. > >Now you can start panicking! > > T I N A --