Daily life in Slovakia runs on a few courtesies, one language that is nobody's second language, and a calendar that has been rearranged twice in two years. You can learn all three in a month. Most of the trouble comes from not knowing which of them applies on a given day.
This guide covers living in Slovakia, from the way you address your neighbour to the days when the supermarket is shut.
Which language do you need for living in Slovakia as an expat?
Slovak is the official language. Official forms are in Slovak, and officials do not always speak English. English and German are the most widely spoken foreign languages, French, Spanish and Italian much less; Hungarian is common in the south. Czech and Slovak are very close, which helps Czechs, but a Slovak course remains useful for administrative writing. Learn at least the basic phrases and keep certified translations of foreign documents.
How do people address each other?
Vykanie, the formal "you", is used with strangers, in administration and at work. Tykanie, the informal "you", is for family, friends and close colleagues. Wait for the other person to offer it, especially with an older person or a superior. People shake hands; close friends exchange one or two light kisses.
Pán and pani (sir, madam) are followed by the surname and often the title (pán inžinier), which is common usage rather than an official rule. University titles such as Ing., Mgr., PhDr. and MUDr. are part of official identity: they appear even on the tax return. In a formal letter, repeat the title as the person uses it.
Writing to an office or a landlord in Slovak, with the right tone and title? Moovy can draft the message for you in Slovak with an English translation, and explain the courtesy formulas you do not know. You read it and send it yourself.
What are the everyday customs?
- At home: people often take off their shoes and offer slippers. A small glass of slivovica, plum brandy, is a sign of hospitality, and refusing can offend, especially in the countryside.
- Meniny: each day of the calendar has a first name, and people wish their friends and colleagues a happy name day, almost as much as a birthday.
- Meals: lunch between 11:30 and 13:30, dinner between 18:00 and 21:00.
- Tips: round up the bill, usually 5 to 10%; not compulsory.
- Practical: tap water is drinkable; power is 230 V with European sockets; pharmacies keep weekday hours and an on-duty pharmacy works at weekends and holidays.
These customs are common usage, not official rules.
What are the public holidays in 2026?
Days off: 1 January, 6 January, 3 April (Good Friday), 6 April (Easter Monday), 1 May, 5 July (Saints Cyril and Methodius), 29 August (Slovak National Uprising), 1 November, and 24, 25 and 26 December.
Holidays that are no longer days off, under the law in force from 1 November 2025: 1 September (Constitution Day), 28 October and 17 November. In 2026, 8 May and 15 September are also holidays without a day off; schools held classes on 15 September 2026. The law provides this exception for 2026 only (section 4b), so in 2027 these two days become days off again unless a new law changes it. Check the year before booking leave.
If you work on a holiday that is not a day off, your employer owes the premium for work on a holiday (at least 100% of average pay) or compensatory rest. On 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, 24 December from noon, and 25 and 26 December, shops cannot employ staff for sales, so most close. Exceptions include petrol stations, pharmacies, airport, station, port and hospital shops. Details on leave are in working in Slovakia.
Which emergency numbers should you know?
112 is the European emergency number for all services. 155 is for medical emergencies (EURES). Numbers 150 (fire) and 158 (police) are national numbers; confirm them on an official source. For non-urgent care, the on-call service costs 2 euros outside surgery hours and a non-acute hospital emergency visit costs 10 euros. See healthcare in Slovakia.
What mistakes do newcomers make when living in Slovakia?
- Using an old calendar: holidays changed in 2025 and 2026.
- Switching to tykanie too early.
- Forgetting the title in a formal letter.
- Arriving at the office without Slovak, an interpreter or translated documents.
Where next?
Your city shapes your daily life more than anything else; see best places to live in Slovakia. For your first steps on arrival, read moving to Slovakia.
What is everyday life like when living in Slovakia?
Daily life is orderly and polite. Formal address is expected with strangers. Pharmacies run on weekday hours with an on-duty pharmacy at weekends, and the tap water is drinkable. Slovak etiquette is not demanding, but it rewards small signs of effort, such as a greeting in Slovak.
How do you learn Slovak as a newcomer?
Start with greetings, numbers, days and the words you will meet at the counter: pobyt (residence), poistenie (insurance), daň (tax), nájom (rent), zmluva (contract). Ask your municipality or employer about courses. You do not need fluency to start, but the forms are in Slovak and an interpreter or a trusted friend is useful for your first visits. Czech speakers understand a lot of Slovak, but written administrative language needs study.
What should you know about work culture?
Working hours are fixed, overtime is not the norm and leads to compensation or time off. Four weeks of paid leave is the minimum, five from age 33 or with a child. Remote work needs written agreement. See working in Slovakia.
What do you need to know about shops and services on holidays?
Plan ahead around 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, 24 to 26 December: most shops are closed, with exceptions such as petrol stations, pharmacies and some shops at airports, stations and hospitals. Stock up before, and check opening hours for the days around Easter and Christmas.
What are the common etiquette mistakes?
Using first names too early, forgetting the title in a letter, refusing a drink offered at home without a polite word, and turning up at the counter without translated documents. None is serious, and most are forgiven when you say you are learning.
How does living in Slovakia change with the city?
Bratislava is international and English is easier to find; smaller towns are more traditional and use more Slovak, and in the south Hungarian is common. See best places to live in Slovakia and cost of living in Slovakia.
How do public holidays affect school and work in practice?
The calendar matters because a holiday is not always a day off. When a holiday is not a day off, offices, schools and most employers work normally, and an employee who works that day is owed the holiday premium or compensatory rest. Schools followed this logic in 2026: pupils had lessons on 15 September. Before you book travel, a flat viewing or a counter appointment, check whether the day is a real day off in that year. Shops follow a separate rule, so a day can be a normal working day and still see most supermarkets closed, as on Easter Sunday or Christmas Eve afternoon.
What should a newcomer know about the rhythm of the day?
Lunch is taken between 11:30 and 13:30 and dinner between 18:00 and 21:00, so a business lunch at 14:00 can be late, and an early dinner is not unusual. A bill is rounded up rather than tipped on top of a fixed percentage, usually by 5 to 10%. If you are invited home, bring a small gift, remove your shoes if offered slippers and accept the first glass, even if you only sip it. These points are common practice rather than rules, but they smooth your first months, and Slovaks are generally glad to explain their customs to a newcomer who asks.