hovorový

Hovorová is the feminine form of the Czech and Slovak adjective hovorový, meaning colloquial or vernacular. It is used to describe language, speech, or style that is informal and typical of everyday talk, in contrast to the standard, written form. In linguistic usage, phrases such as hovorová čeština (colloquial Czech) or hovorová slovenčina (colloquial Slovak) label the spoken register rather than the formal written variety.

Grammatically, hovorová completes feminine nouns. The masculine form is hovorový, and the neuter or plural form is hovorové. This inflection reflects how adjectives agree with gender and number in Czech and Slovak grammar. The term appears in dictionaries, grammar guides, and descriptive accounts of language variation, and it is commonly used in media and educational contexts when discussing language style.

Hovorová speech is part of a broader dichotomy in both languages between the informal, everyday register and the formal, standard or literary register, known as spisovná čeština or spisovná slovenčina. The distinction helps describe how speakers adapt language to context, audience, and purpose. While hovorová speech can incorporate colloquial expressions or regionally characteristic features, it is not inherently vulgar; its acceptability depends on context.

Originating from the noun hovor, meaning talk or conversation, hovorová reflects the everyday, conversational dimension of language. It remains a common descriptor in linguistic descriptions of Czech and Slovak and is used to categorize informal speech in contrast with standard forms.