Slovak Matters: Not quite swearing

Slovak Matters: Not quite swearing

Have you ever stubbed your toe or spilled halušky on your pants in polite Slovak company - and groped for the right expression to vent your feelings? Those exotic swear words expats learn before they can count in Slovak won't do when real adults are close by.

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But boorishness is easy to avoid: the Slovak preposition do ('to', pronounced doh) that introduces so many of the language's curses may also precede universally acceptable exclamations. So, if the do has already slipped out, all is not lost, since it's always OK to say Do kelu! ('to the kale'), Do frasa! ('to the devil') or Do paže! ('to the arm').

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