Slovak (Slovenčina)

Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine. It is known for its stunning natural landscapes, including the High Tatras mountains, medieval castles, and rich folk traditions. Bratislava, the capital city, lies along the Danube River and combines Baroque architecture with a lively cultural scene. Historically, Slovakia was part of the Kingdom of Hungary for centuries, and later joined with the Czech lands to form Czechoslovakia in 1918. In 1993, Slovakia peacefully separated from the Czech Republic in what is known as the Velvet Divorce, becoming an independent nation. Since then, it has been a member of the European Union and NATO, while continuing to develop its cultural and linguistic identity.

The Slovak Language

The Slovak language (slovenčina) belongs to the West Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. It is closely related to Czech, and the two languages are mutually intelligible to a high degree, though Slovak retains some distinct phonetic, grammatical, and vocabulary differences. Slovak uses the Latin alphabet with additional diacritics, and features a system of grammatical cases and genders, similar to other Slavic languages. While many Slovaks understand Czech due to shared media and history, Slovak remains a proud symbol of national identity, used in all official and educational settings in the country.

Asterix in Slovak

Asterix albums have been available in Slovak since the early 1990s, following Slovakia’s independence. Several albums have been translated and published by Svojtka & Co. and later by Egmont Slovakia, a branch of the international publishing group. The Slovak editions preserve the names of the original characters and convey the trademark humor and puns with great care. While the number of translated titles is smaller than in some other languages, key albums from the series have reached Slovak readers and are available through online Slovak bookstores, local libraries, and second-hand markets. These translations offer Slovak fans a chance to enjoy the wit and charm of Asterix in their native language, further enriching the European reach of the indomitable Gaul.