Bosnian and Slovenian: 150 words that are the same
Among the two thousand words each language uses most, these are written identically and carry the same meaning in both. If you have one of the two, this is the part you do not have to learn.
A shared word is not proof of a shared root. Two languages can land on the same spelling by borrowing from a third — that is all tren and bomba are — and a word that looks the same can still be said quite differently. What this list is good for is the head start.
| Word | In English | Bosnian | Slovenian |
|---|---|---|---|
| nebs /ne/sl /nɛ́/ | not | #3 | #2 |
| mibs /mîː/sl /míː/ | we | #11 | #16 |
| kakobs /kâko/sl /kakòː/ | how | #30 | #30 |
| bitibs /bîti/sl /bìːti/ | to be, to exist | #46 | #84 |
| onbs /ôːn/sl /ɔ́n/ | he | #48 | #92 |
| hvalabs /xʋǎːla/sl /xʋàːla/ | praise | #57 | #50 |
| vambs /ˈvam/sl /ˈʋaːm/ | you | #69 | #72 |
| onabs /ǒna/sl /ɔ̀ːna/ | she | #76 | #135 |
| vibs /ʋîː/sl /ʋíː/ | you | #104 | #109 |
| kolikobs /kolǐko/sl /kòːlikɔ/ | how much, how many | #112 | #139 |
| onobs /ǒno/sl /ɔ̀ːnɔ/ | it | #120 | #1,524 |
| onibs /ǒni/sl /ɔ̀ːni/ | they | #124 | #246 |
| stobs /stôː/sl /stóː/ | hundred | #130 | #461 |
| danbs /dâːn/sl /dáːn/ | day | #149 | #94 |
| stvarbs /stʋâːr/sl /stʋáːr/ | thing | #171 | #162 |
| dvabs /dʋâː/sl /dʋáː/ | two | #172 | #136 |
| evobs /ˈɛvo/sl /éːʋɔ/ | look, see, behold | #182 | #847 |
| imebs /îme/sl /iméː/ | name | #192 | #116 |
| tribs /trîː/sl /tríː/ | three | #194 | #149 |
| svojbs /ˈsvoj/sl /sʋòːj/ | one's own | #199 | #205 |
| prvibs /př̩ʋiː/sl /pə́rʋi/ | first | #233 | #200 |
| drugibs /drûɡiː/sl /drùːɡi/ | second | #240 | #187 |
| minutabs /minǔːta/sl /minúːta/ | minute | #287 | #1,426 |
| našbs /nâʃ/sl /náʃ/ | our, ours | #293 | #228 |
| vašbs /ʋâʃ/sl /ʋáʃ/ | your, yours | #306 | #192 |
| njegovbs /ɲěɡoʋ/sl /njɛɡɔ̀ːʋ/ | his | #333 | #207 |
| znatibs /znâti/sl /znàːti/ | to know | #337 | #1,595 |
| tipbs /tîːp/sl /tíːp/ | type | #346 | #223 |
| petbs /pêːt/sl /péːt/ | five | #348 | #216 |
| prijateljbs /prîjateʎ/sl /prijáːtɛl/ | friend | #361 | #178 |
| sinbs /sîːn/sl /síːn/ | son | #383 | #199 |
| oprostitebs /oprǒstite/sl /ɔprɔstíːtɛ/ | sorry! | #390 | #142 |
| datibs /dâti/sl /dàːti/ | to give | #407 | #346 |
| barbs /bâːr/sl /báːr/ | at least | #412 | #666 |
| jutrobs /jûtro/sl /jùːtrɔ/ | morning | #420 | #236 |
| ostatibs /ǒstati/sl /ɔstàːti/ | to stay, remain | #445 | #311 |
| bratbs /brât/sl /brát/ | brother | #487 | #225 |
| policijabs /polǐt͡sija/sl /pɔlit͡síːja/ | police | #489 | #280 |
| dvebs /dʋêː/sl /dʋéː/ | two | #505 | #160 |
| očibs /ˈotʃɪ/sl /ˈoːtʃi/ | eye | #507 | #179 |
| habs /xâ/sl /xáː/ | expresses laughter | #516 | #489 |
| smrtbs /smr̩̂t/sl /smə́rt/ | death | #533 | #251 |
| njenbs /ɲêːn/sl /njèːn/ | her, hers | #545 | #267 |
| dajtebs /ˈdɑjtɛ/sl /ˈdaːjtɛ/ | to give | #554 | #266 |
| šestbs /ʃêːst/sl /ʃéːst/ | six | #563 | #292 |
| sestrabs /sěstra/sl /sɛ̀ːstra/ | sister | #575 | #270 |
| istibs /îstiː/sl /íːsti/ | same | #605 | #390 |
| desetbs /dêset/sl /dɛséːt/ | ten | #609 | #308 |
| tihbs /tîx/sl /tíːx/ | quiet, silent | #645 | #1,476 |
| odgovorbs /ôdɡoʋoːr/sl /ɔdɡɔ́ːʋɔr/ | answer | #675 | #367 |
| zadnjibs /zâdɲiː/sl /záːdnji/ | back, rear, hind | #704 | #297 |
| videtibs /ʋîdeti/sl /ʋìːdɛti/ | to see | #739 | #113 |
| sobabs /ˈsobɐ/sl /sɔ̀ːba/ | room | #746 | #437 |
| ustabs /ǔːsta/sl /ùːsta/ | mouth | #747 | #462 |
| glasbs /ɡlâːs/sl /ɡláːs/ | voice | #764 | #379 |
| seksbs /sêks/sl /séːks/ | sex | #765 | #440 |
| kraljbs /krâːʎ/sl /kràːl/ | king | #767 | #330 |
| čutibs /t͡ʃûti/sl /t͡ʃùːti/ | to hear | #788 | #928 |
| očebs /ˈotʃɛ/sl /ɔ̀ːt͡ʃɛ/ | father | #806 | #102 |
| slikabs /slîka/sl /slíːka/ | picture, image | #807 | #529 |
| kapetanbs /kapětaːn/sl /kapéːtan/ | captain | #813 | #854 |
| pokazatibs /pokǎːzati/sl /pɔkàːzati/ | to show, demonstrate | #825 | #537 |
| njihovbs /ɲîxoʋ/sl /njìːxɔʋ/ | their, theirs | #834 | #480 |
| sistembs /sǐsteːm/sl /sistéːm/ | system | #849 | #374 |
| pivobs /pîːʋo/sl /pìːʋɔ/ | beer | #858 | #417 |
| vodabs /ʋǒda/sl /ʋɔ̀ːda/ | water | #875 | #445 |
| nadbs /nâd/sl /nat/ | over, above | #893 | #240 |
| sirbs /sîr/sl /sír/ | cheese | #900 | #509 |
| častbs /t͡ʃâːst/sl /t͡ʃáːst/ | honour | #903 | #435 |
| ključbs /kʎûːt͡ʃ/sl /kljùːt͡ʃ/ | key | #905 | #400 |
| prevodbs /prěːʋod/sl /prɛʋɔ́t/ | translation | #924 | #409 |
| rečibs /ˈrɛtʃi/sl /rɛ̀ːt͡ʃi/ | to say | #928 | #174 |
| telobs /ˈtɛlo/sl /tɛlóː/ | body | #942 | #366 |
| korakbs /kôraːk/sl /kɔráːk/ | step | #949 | #466 |
| igratibs /ǐɡrati/sl /iɡràːti/ | to play | #950 | #423 |
| zabavabs /ˈzabɐvɐ/sl /zabáːʋa/ | fun, amusement | #959 | #402 |
| glavabs /ɡlǎːʋa/sl /ɡlàːʋa/ | head | #962 | #553 |
| poslatibs /pǒslati/sl /pɔslàːti/ | to send | #971 | #711 |
| knjigabs /kɲîɡa/sl /knjìːɡa/ | book | #992 | #543 |
| mislitibs /mîsliti/sl /mìːsliti/ | to think | #1,005 | #565 |
| mirbs /mîːr/sl /míːr/ | peace | #1,018 | #416 |
| vladabs /ˈvladɐ/sl /ʋláːda/ | government | #1,033 | #510 |
| jezikbs /jězik/sl /jɛ̀ːzik/ | tongue | #1,043 | #481 |
| hranabs /xrǎːna/sl /xràːna/ | food | #1,063 | #504 |
| devetbs /dêʋet/sl /dɛʋéːt/ | nine | #1,081 | #519 |
| zlatobs /zlâːto/sl /zlatóː/ | gold | #1,112 | #541 |
| nosbs /nôːs/sl /nóːs/ | nose | #1,120 | #521 |
| plesbs /plêːs/sl /pléːs/ | dance | #1,146 | #449 |
| zidbs /zîːd/sl /zíːt/ | wall | #1,161 | #689 |
| ulice/ˈulit͡sɛ/ | street | #1,170 | #618 |
| boritibs /bǒriti/sl /bɔrìːti/ | to fight, struggle | #1,196 | #610 |
| damabs /dǎːma/sl /dàːma/ | lady | #1,197 | #602 |
| nožbs /nôːʒ/sl /nɔ́ʃ/ | knife | #1,198 | #507 |
| kraljicabs /krǎʎit͡sa/sl /kraljìːt͡sa/ | queen | #1,199 | #499 |
| čajbs /t͡ʃâj/sl /t͡ʃáːj/ | tea | #1,209 | #514 |
| letbs /lêːt/sl /lɛ́t/ | flight | #1,215 | #118 |
| večerbs /ʋêt͡ʃeːr/sl /ʋɛt͡ʃéːr/ | evening | #1,216 | #274 |
| vojskabs /ʋǒːjska/sl /ʋɔ̀ːjska/ | army | #1,222 | #545 |
| vinobs /ʋǐːno/sl /ʋìːnɔ/ | wine | #1,242 | #584 |
| mesobs /mêːso/sl /mɛsóː/ | meat | #1,252 | #599 |
| govorbs /ɡôʋoːr/sl /ɡɔ́ːʋɔr/ | speech | #1,272 | #631 |
| ribabs /rîba/sl /rìːba/ | fish | #1,292 | #867 |
| tišinabs /ˈtiʃɪnɐ/sl /tiʃìːna/ | silence | #1,301 | #636 |
| taksibs /tǎksi/sl /táːksi/ | taxi | #1,319 | #632 |
| generalbs /ɡeněraːl/sl /ɡɛnɛráːl/ | general | #1,361 | #413 |
| umretibs /ǔmreːti/sl /umrèːti/ | to die | #1,371 | #369 |
| bivšibs /bîːʋʃiː/sl /bíːʋʃi/ | former | #1,374 | #660 |
| zrakbs /zrâːk/sl /zrák/ | air | #1,386 | #433 |
| borbabs /bǒrba/sl /bóːrba/ | fight | #1,398 | #1,399 |
| darbs /dâːr/sl /dáːr/ | gift | #1,407 | #823 |
| državabs /dř̩ʒaʋa/sl /dərʒáːʋa/ | country | #1,413 | #639 |
| sredibs /ˈsrɛdɪ/sl /ˈsreːdi/ | Wednesday | #1,444 | #414 |
| nedeljabs /nědeʎa/sl /nɛdèːlja/ | Sunday | #1,454 | #1,501 |
| čekbs /t͡ʃêk/sl /t͡ʃéːk/ | cheque | #1,457 | #829 |
| vratbs /ʋrâːt/sl /ʋráːt/ | neck | #1,458 | #359 |
| kamenbs /kâmeːn/sl /kàːmən/ | stone | #1,464 | #598 |
| lukebs /ˈlukɛ/sl /ˈluːkɛ/ | harbor; harbour | #1,474 | #774 |
| zločinbs /zlǒt͡ʃin/sl /zlɔt͡ʃíːn/ | crime | #1,476 | #609 |
| razlikabs /rǎːzlika/sl /razlíːka/ | difference | #1,477 | #704 |
| bombabs /bôːmba/sl /bóːmba/ | bomb | #1,486 | #653 |
| profesorbs /prǒfesor/sl /prɔféːsɔr/ | professor | #1,526 | #493 |
| petebs /ˈpɛtɛ/sl /ˈpeːtɛ/ | heel | #1,537 | #582 |
| pticabs /ptît͡sa/sl /ptìːt͡sa/ | bird | #1,559 | #1,144 |
| mostbs /môːst/sl /móːst/ | bridge | #1,565 | #679 |
| princbs /prînt͡s/sl /príːnt͡s/ | prince | #1,580 | #652 |
| nebobs /ˈnêbo/sl /nɛbóː/ | sky | #1,590 | #675 |
| rezultatbs /rezǔltaːt/sl /rɛzultáːt/ | result | #1,594 | #842 |
| ulicabs /ûlit͡sa/sl /ùːlit͡sa/ | street | #1,605 | #859 |
| pitibs /pîti/sl /pìːti/ | to drink | #1,611 | #724 |
| prstbs /pr̩̂st/sl /pə́rst/ | finger | #1,622 | #747 |
| velikbs /ʋělik/sl /ʋɛ̀ːlik/ | big, large | #1,627 | #281 |
| članbs /t͡ʃlâːn/sl /t͡ʃláːn/ | member | #1,633 | #658 |
| mladbs /mlâːd/sl /mláːt/ | young | #1,655 | #673 |
| sladoledbs /slâdoleːd/sl /sladɔléːt/ | ice cream | #1,675 | #783 |
| ledbs /lêːd/sl /léːt/ | ice | #1,686 | #734 |
| čebs /tʃɛ/sl /t͡ʃɛ/ | if | #1,710 | #21 |
| dušabs /dǔːʃa/sl /dùːʃa/ | soul | #1,727 | #741 |
| konjbs /kôɲ/sl /kɔ́n/ | horse | #1,734 | #687 |
| sokbs /sôːk/sl /sóːk/ | juice | #1,741 | #821 |
| papirbs /pǎpiːr/sl /papíːr/ | paper | #1,775 | #792 |
| poljebs /pôʎe/sl /póːljɛ/ | field | #1,781 | #813 |
| dnevnikbs /dnêːʋniːk/sl /dnéːʋnik/ | diary | #1,813 | #775 |
| pastibs /pâsti/sl /pàːsti/ | to fall | #1,834 | #913 |
| nogabs /nǒɡa/sl /nɔ̀ːɡa/ | leg | #1,867 | #863 |
| željabs /ʒěʎa/sl /ʒɛ̀ːlja/ | wish, desire | #1,906 | #746 |
| lagatibs /lǎɡati/sl /laɡàːti/ | to lie | #1,910 | #889 |
| mačkabs /mât͡ʃka/sl /máːt͡ʃka/ | cat | #1,948 | #657 |
| novbs /nôʋ/sl /nɔ́ʋ/ | new | #1,950 | #340 |
| datumbs /dǎːtum/sl /dàːtum/ | date | #1,980 | #920 |
| teorijabs /teǒːrija/sl /tɛɔríːja/ | theory | #2,000 | #916 |
The speaker plays the voice the LangX app uses for that language — synthesised, not a native speaker, so treat it as a guide. Voices for Slovenian (artur (sl_SI), CC BY 4.0).
The overlap is the easy part.
The rest comes from using it with someone who speaks it.