Every city has its own character. Novo Mesto, however, has something extra — its own distinctive, melodic dialect, full of playful sounds and curious expressions. Let’s see how to recognize a local from Novo Mesto — and, more importantly, how to understand one.
How to recognize a Novo Mesto local
What others call “quite nice,” they’ll describe as “taku zelu lepu” (really, really nice).
They don’t have a weekend house — they have a zidanica (a vineyard cottage). And it doesn’t have a cellar, it has a kevder.
There’s a very good chance they work at Krka. If not them, then their wife. Or their neighbor. Or a cousin twice removed.
When they say they’re going “v mestu” (“to town”), they don’t mean just anywhere. They mean the one and only — Novo Mesto (“New Town”).
They don’t wear sneakers, trainers or kicks, but teniske — multifunctional shoes for every terrain and every occasion.
If they go to the seaside and don’t post “Podgurje goes to the sea,” were they even there?
They have a first name and a last name. And then a third name — the village or house nickname everyone knows them by. If you had lots of plums, you’re Slivarjev. If a bit fewer, Slivarček.
When they get a glass of wine, there’s no need to ask questions — they’ll comment on their own:
“It’s good. Cold.”
How to understand a Novo Mesto local
LOCATIONS & TIME
tlelele – here
tmlele – there
smlele – here (I’m here)
tulele – this
unulele – that
zdelele – now
FOOD & DRINK
kolba – chicken drumstick
kafe prstau – I invited myself for coffee
bl na deci – I’ll take you for a glass (of wine)
piu pa peu – the one who starts singing after a drink
prit me puj – come pick me up by car
EXPRESSIONS & MOODS
ə? – what did you say?
ku nč – no problem
kukr čš – however you want
boš enga al ja – a choice that really isn’t a choice
nu moučat – be quiet
dej gmh – leave me alone
bogati! – surprise or amazement
japajade – oh come on
ja vejžde – obviously not
LIFE MEASUREMENT UNITS
usake kvatre – every now and then
orngi – quite a lot
bogousku – very good
tabuli – top-notch, the best
tu je tu – that’s as good as it gets
And finally, one golden rule:
Never try to imitate a Novo Mesto local… no one has ever successfully pulled it off 😉.