Slovak is the primary language in Slovakia. I live near the Hungarian border, so most signs are in both Slovak and Hungarian, as there is a large Hungarian population in my town. Few people speak English, especially among older generations, so I've learned common Slovak phrases to get around and order food.
Slovakia is part of the "Eurozone," meaning that the local currency is the Euro, just like Germany, France, Spain and several other European countries. Slovakia stopped using its own currency, the crown, in 2008. Many of Slovakia's neighboring countries, such as the Czech Republic and Hungary, do not use the Euro, so you must exchange your cash at the border.
It depends on the store, but usually around €0.30, or $0.50.
My favorite meal this week was a local version of bryndzové halušky (Slovakia's national dish of potato dumplings), this time with sausage and sour cream. I really enjoyed it. The sausage had some spice to it, likely from Hungarian paprika seasoning, and the sour cream nicely amplified the sharp bryndzové cheese flavor. I want to try it again!
