Slovene punctuation


Punctuation marks are one or two part graphical marks used in writing, denoting tonal progress, pauses, sentence type, abbreviations, et cetera.
Marks used in Slovene include full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, hyphens, ellipses, different types of inverted commas and quotation marks, brackets, as well as apostrophes, solidi, equal signs, and so forth.

Full stop

Syntactical use
A full stop is a left-leaning punctuation mark. This means that it 'touches' the preceding word, but is followed by a space.
It is ordinarily used at the end of a neutral declaratory sentence, be it a real sentence with a predicate or a non-sentence.
  • To je bilo včeraj.
  • Včeraj.
When a statement is articulated, the pitch is cadent, thus decreased towards the end of such a sentence.
In an indicative compound sentence with the last part an independent clause that does not end in a full stop, the full stop is omitted.
  • Rekli so mi, naj grem, a kam?
  • *
The final punctuation mark of a quoted sentence within a declaratory sentence is omitted if the quoted sentence is not preceded by a colon.
  • Ko smo hodili po travi, smo opazili prepoved Ne hodi po travi.
  • Ko smo hodili po travi, smo opazili prepoved: Ne hodi po travi!
A full stop is replaced by a comma in [|direct speech] before the accompanying sentence.
  • "Oh, mar bi bile ostale doma," je zamrmrala Marjeta.
Non-syntactical use
Some abbreviations are, as in American English, always followed by a full stop.
  • dr. ; npr. ; tj. ; l. ; t.i. ; itn., itd..
However, other abbreviations are, as in American English, never followed by a full stop.
  • ZDA
  • km
  • Fe
[|Ordinal numerals] are followed by a full stop.
Numbers may be separated by leaning full stops in the following cases:
  • for time of the day
  • * Ob 22.15 se film konča.
  • ** 22.15 can also be written as 2215
  • to separate thousands from the rest
  • * 1.000.000
  • to show multiplication
  • * 3 · 9
  • ** note that in this case, the dot is raised to the line centre and is non-leaning
Dates are written with dots separating the day, month and year. Note that the numerical English dates below are British English; American English switches the month and the day. It is important to realise that the full stop is left-leaning; the space is intentional.
  • 1. 10. 2003
  • 25. 6. 1991
  • 30. maj
If a non-syntactical full stop is at the end of a sentence, it is not usual to append another full stop to it; however, doing so is not incorrect.
  • Prodajam časopise, avtobusne žetone, zobne ščetke itd.
  • Prodajam časopise, avtobusne žetone, zobne ščetke itd..

Ellipsis

Syntactical use
An ellipsis is a non-leaning punctuation mark. It expresses omission of words.
  • Nekaj sem govorila...
  • ... kaj to ni res?
  • Heh... česa vsega ne pove.
  • Ja... in?
  • Saj bi šel, pa...
Any other punctuation may or may not be appended; a full stop is usually omitted, but other punctuation normally remains:
  • Da … or Da ….
  • O, a tako je bilo …?
When emphasising that whatever has been left out is a subsequent omission not performed by the original author, the ellipsis is enclosed in round or square brackets, or, more often, in solidi.
  • The original sentence in full: "Nekaj mi šepeta, nekaj točno določenega, skoraj čutiti bi se dalo, da gre ta šolska ura h koncu."
  • * Nekaj mi šepeta /.../ da gre ta šolska ura h koncu.
An ellipsis may indicate an inserted sentence, though a dash is more often used in such cases:
  • Lepo je bilo... kako tudi ne?..., saj je dež nežno padal, mi pa smo tesno drug ob drugem ležali ob kaminu.
  • * Lepo je bilo - kako tudi ne? -, saj je dež nežno padal, mi pa smo tesno drug ob drugem ležali ob kaminu.
An ellipsis usually indicates pausing or abrupt interruption. When used as a sentence closing punctuation mark, the pitch is cadent, thus decreased towards the end of such a sentence, or semi-cadent, indicating a half-finished thought, or there is no change in pitch.
Non-syntactical use
A non-syntactical ellipsis is left-leaning, and expresses omission of a word part.
  • Otorinola... - ne vem naprej.
  • Tristo kosmatih med...

Exclamation mark

Syntactical use
An exclamation mark is a left-leaning punctuation mark. It is used as a closing punctuation mark of emphatic sentences and clauses, and as a non-closing punctuation mark finishing inserted sentences. They are typical of [|imperative mood], but only if emotionally charged.
  • Gregor, utihni!
  • Mojbog!
  • Na pomoč!
  • Pleši, pleši, dokler ti petke dopuste!
  • To se mi je zdela odlična ideja!
  • Spoštovani!
  • Ubil te bom!
  • Če mi še kdaj izustiš kaj takega...!
  • Mnogo let nazaj - joj, da bi le že pozabila na to! - sem živela na kmetiji.
  • Reci mu vendar, naj pride domov!
  • Zrecitiraj Kons V!
  • "Gremo!" je vzkliknila Janja.
See the note on the use of the combination with a [|question mark] below under question mark. One may use the combination !! to express further exclamatory mood.
  • Kaj?!
  • Izgini!!
Non-syntactical use
An exclamation mark may be used for emphasis of a certain point in a text.
  • Morda je to res, a emancipacijo testov smo pričakovali. of tests has been expected. - used to emphasise a word used, which should probably be evalvacijo )
  • Nuna je strastno govorila o umetnosti ljubljenja.

Question mark

Syntactical use
A question mark is a left-leaning punctuation mark. It is used in single clause sentences and in compound sentences in which the independent clause expresses enquiries.
  • Si res želiš, Ana, dobiti enojko?
  • Tukaj?
  • Oh, kaj res?
  • Rok, kam greš? and where )
  • Pogovarjali smo se, bilo je zelo zanimivo, potem pa je Luka nenadoma rekel - uganeš kaj?
  • "Je to res, Urša?" je zavpil professor.
When a question without a question word or with ali, or with ?? or ?! is articulated, the pitch is anticadent, thus increased towards the end of such a sentence. Otherwise, the pitch is cadent, thus decreased towards the end of such a sentence.
If the independent clause of a sentence is not interrogative, the sentence ends with a full stop or an exclamation mark. This is similar to reported speech in English.
  • Vprašali so me, če grem peš ali s taksijem.
  • O čem se gre predstava, tega pač ne vem.
After a colon, the clause keeps its own punctuation mark.
  • Čigav je že izrek: Užij dan.
  • * This sentence can also be written as "Čigav je že izrek Užij dan?" or "Čigav je že izrek 'Užij dan'?".
A question mark need not be a sentence terminating punctuation mark; it may be used in inserted sentences.
  • Govorim o hibridizaciji sp² - to veš, kaj je? - ogljikovega atoma v tej organski molekuli.
In certain cases, the question mark may be doubled, or it may be combined with an exclamation mark in emphatic and emotional contexts.
  • Kako narediš to? Kako??
  • Le kako si lahko dovoliš kaj takega?!
Non-syntactical use
A question mark can be used non-syntactically if it denotes doubt.
  • Dejali so, da se je nafta razlila.

Colon

Syntactical use
A colon is a left-leaning punctuation mark. It is used in various ways as described below.
1. to introduce direct speech after an accompanying sentence
  • Zadregetala je od same jeze: "Kaj? Tako drago?"
  • Kot v zboru so dejali: Seveda.
  • Kot v zboru so dejali: "Seveda."
  • Estragon: Pejva.
2. in enumeration, expatiation or explanation
  • So stvari, o katerih ne vem popolnoma nič: fiziologija, oftalmologíja, socialna antropologija.
  • Potrebuje se: moka, mleko, med in sojina omaka. - this may also be written as "Potrebuje se moka, mleko, med in sojina omaka."
  • Zahvaliti se želim še posebej:
  • * Jožetu,
  • * Pulheriji,
  • * Cvetki,
  • * Cirilu.
  • Sodelujemo vsi: to vključuje tudi tebe, Metka.
  • To je lepo: neizmerna umetnina. - this may also be written as "To je lepo, in pri tem neizmerna umetnina." or similarly
  • Rekel sem: ne rekel, vzkliknil! - this may also be written as "Rekel sem - ne rekel, vzkliknil!" or "Rekel sem, ne rekel, vzkliknil!"
  • V najbolj preprosti obliki ti povem, ker vem, da ne razumeš dobro: spelji se mi izpred oči.
3. optionally after form data
  • Ime in priimek:
  • Datum:
When a colon is encountered in reading, the pitch is semi-cadent, thus decreased.
Non-syntactical use
1. for the meaning 'proti' :
  • Rezultat je bil 1 : 2 .
  • Množini ogljika in klorove kisline sta v razmerju 1 : 1 .
2. for the meaning 'deljeno' :
  • 15 : 3 = 5

Inverted comma

An inverted comma is a two part left- and right-leaning punctuation mark. There are many types of inverted commas used in Slovene texts, videlicet:
  • standard double up-down: „ABC“
  • standard single up-down: ‚ABC‘
  • line centred double : »ABC«
  • line centred single : ›ABC‹
  • double up : "ABC" or ”ABC“
  • single up : 'ABC' or ’ABC‘
The most prominent use of inverted commas is direct speech.
  • „Potem pa kar grem,“ je zaihtel Jaka.
  • Jaka je zaihtel: „Potem pa kar grem.“
  • „Potem pa,“ je zaihtel Jaka, „kar grem.“
Inverted commas are positioned so that the first one is right-leaning, and the second one is left-leaning, coming after the ending punctuation mark of the direct speech sentence. If what the inverted commas enclose is not a sentence in itself but only a part thereof, the second inverted comma stands left-leaning directly to the ending character. This is the same as in the so-called British or logical quoting.
  • „Dobro jutro,“ je pohitel novi assistant.
  • Govorili so o „nekem blaznem načrtu“.
If there is no accompanying sentence, inverted commas may be replaced with a dash:
  • - Potem pa kar grem.
When the direct speech includes another direct speech, different types of inverted commas ought to be used, or the inner ones may be omitted if the context is clear.
  • Začela je: „Uganeš, kaj mi je tista ostudna pošast rekla? Rekla je: ‚Potem pa kar jutri pridi. Bo v redu?‘“
  • Začela je: ‚Uganeš, kaj mi je tista ostudna pošast rekla? Rekla je: „Potem pa kar jutri pridi. Bo v redu?“‘
  • Začela je: »Uganeš, kaj mi je tista ostudna pošast rekla? Rekla je: „Potem pa kar jutri pridi. Bo v redu?“«
Inverted commas are also used when trying to stress a curious use of a word: that is, to illustrate that a word is not used as it normally is, or simply to emphasise it. Usually, in printed texts, such words are printed either italic or bold as opposed to using excessive quotes.
  • Pravi „prijatelj“ je.
  • Kaj pa pravzaprav pomeni „svoboda“?
  • Ne vem, zakaj govori o „alternative medicine“; kot da bi bilo tako težko reči „alternativna medicina“.
  • Accusative 'tožilnik' je velikokrat združen z dative 'dajalnikom' v oblique 'predmetni' sklon.
Inverted commas are also used to mark proper nouns that could be mistaken for common nouns, such as at sentence beginnings.
  • „Sonetni venec“ je zelo zapleten.
  • * But: Prešernov Sonetni venec je zelo zapleten.

Dash

A dash is a one or two part non-leaning punctuation mark. Semantically, there is no difference between the longer and the shorter dash, – and -, although common usage prefers the shorter one in all cases except upon connection of unrelated sentences. In electronic writing, a hyphen may be used instead of a dash.
A dash usually indicates pausing or abrupt interruption. When used as a sentence closing punctuation mark, the pitch is cadent, thus decreased towards the end of such a sentence, or semi-cadent, indicating a half-finished thought, or there is no change in pitch.
A dash can be used instead of a comma to emphasise separation words and clauses. Note that in example 2, unlike in English, the end of the appositive is unmarked in Slovene.
  • Smrt fašizmu - svoboda narodu!
  • O problemu individuacija - rast sebstva po Frommu smo morali pisati esej.
It is also used when inserting sentences or including additional information.
  • Subtilna občutja - to je, nežna in občutljiva - se očividno izražajo v prebranem delu.
  • Da - tako je tudi res bilo -, in to sem mu jasno povedala.
  • Joj, prejoj - občutljivi kot smo bili - sneg je zapadel in zeblo nas je.
Sentence punctuation is not changed when using dashes, so an inserted sentence before a comma is usually followed by a comma nonetheless, even though some might see this usage as rather pedantic.
A dash at the end of a sentence marks an abrupt end, a breaking of thought or unwillingness to continue:
  • Zapeti bi bila morala, pa -
  • Če v bližnji prihodnosti, kolega Novak, ne zaprete svojega kljunčka, bomo prisiljeni izvesti določene sankcije, kot so, denimo, mučenje ali preprost izgon: svarim Vas: bodite tiho, če ne -!, do not close your beak
In sentences without a predicate, a dash can represent the connexion between the subject and the object.
  • Vino - strup ali zdravilo?
A dash can introduce direct speech if there is no accompanying sentence before direct speech itself.
A dash sometimes separates multiple surnames, though it is more usual to merely use a space. A dash is still used when listing an alias after a full name, but only if this alias does not function as a surname. In these senses, a dash is a leaning punctuation mark.
Similarly, a leaning dash is used in other instances where words are closely connected to one another and both parts are inflected.
  • Kozina-Hrpelje
A dash also expresses the meaning of 'to' or 'up to' or 'until':
  • cena: 1000-1200 SIT
  • "Otroci, na vlaku Trst-Dunaj zaspite. Tam vmes ničesar ni."
  • Za domačo nalogo boste rešili naloge 272-279.
  • Delovni čas: 0-24
A dash is used as the symbol for minus, although the separate minus sign is also used:
  • 5x² - 5x - 1 = 0
  • -2 °C
Dashes may introduce lists. For example:
- prvi primer,
- drugi primer,
- tretji primer.

Hyphen

A hyphen is a leaning punctuation mark.
In compound words that would otherwise use the word in between the parts, a hyphen is used:
  • zeleno-moder pulover
  • * but 'zelenomoder pulover' if the colour is a mix of green and blue
  • slovensko-nemški slovar
  • angleško-francoski konflikt
  • črno-belo tiskanje
A hyphen is also used as in the following examples:
  • Janko Novak-Rovtar
  • 30-letnica
  • TV-oddaja
  • tri- in petdnevni tečaji
  • avtonomija in -kracija
  • ATP, ATP-ja
  • le-to, le-tak, le-tako, ka-li
  • Pri m-ju se ji vedno zatakne.
Hyphens are used non-syntactially in syllabification, when marking stems, suffixes, prefixes and similar and in prices.
The same character under the name of deljaj marks word division over two lines. At the end of a line, a word may be spelt only to the end of a certain syllable, followed by the left-leaning - or = character, with the rest of the word following in the next line. If the last character in a line is a plus, a dash, a solidus, a times or division sign, an equal sign, a hyphen, or similar, the same character is repeated at the beginning of the next line.
  • Prišli smo do polovice odstavka, ko je Marijino jec-
ljanje prešlo meje normale.
  • + 3 =
= 17 + =
= 35

Bracket

Syntactical use
A bracket is a two part one-side leaning punctuation mark. The introducing bracket, known as uklepaj, is right-leaning; the closing bracket, zaklepaj, is left-leaning. Round brackets are those used most often in writing.
Brackets are used to envelop text which is the following:
  1. a variation or supplement: Klorovodikova kislina je nevarna. Tekst smo prečistili.
  2. inserted sentences or clauses: Takoj zatem se je zabliskalo. Druga svetovna vojna je terjala mnogo krvi. - dashes, ellipses or commas are also used in this sense
  3. word parts : Spoštovani/a gost!
Essentially, a thing to be borne in mind is that whatever is inside brackets may be left out with no change in meaning.
The cadence of pitch before a bracket is rising when what is inside brackets is a variation, otherwise it is falling. If brackets contain a fully-fledged sentence, the cadence is as per the sentence punctuation.
Non-syntactical use
A terminating bracket can be used in lists:
Izberite pravilni odgovor:
a) kopje,
b) lokomotiva,
c) disk.
spear,
b) locomotive,
c) discus.)

Solidus

A solidus is a leaning punctuation mark. It has the following meanings:
  1. or: Bolezen se prepozna po rumeni/rjavkasti lisi na čelu.
  2. through: Sodni zapis 55/2.
  3. partly one thing and partly the other: Poslovno leto 2000/01 je bilo katastrofalno.
  4. separating verses when written in one line : Ko brez miru okrog divjam, / prijatlji prašajo me, kam?