Czech verbs
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Czech verbs describes the conjugations, or system of grammatically-determined modifications, in verbs in the Czech language.
Contents |
Czech is a null-subject language, i.e. the subject (including personal pronouns) can be omitted if known from context. The person is expressed by the verb:
- já dělám = dělám = I do
- on dělal = dělal = he did
[edit] Infinitive
The infinitive is formed by the ending -t, formerly also -ti; on some words -ct (-ci):
- být - to be, jít - to go, péct - to bake
Somewhat archaically:
- býti - to be, jíti - to go, péci - to bake
[edit] Participles
Participles are used for forming the past tense, conditionals and the passive voice in Czech. They are related to the short forms of adjectives. Therefore unlike other verb forms, they also express gender which must correspond with the gender of the subject.
[edit] Past participle
(more precisely "active participle") is also called "l-participle" and is used for forming the past tense and the conditionals.
| Singular | Plural | English | ||||
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine animate |
Masculine inanimate & Feminine |
Neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| byl dělal |
byla dělala |
bylo dělalo |
byli dělali |
byly dělaly |
byla dělala |
was/were did |
[edit] Passive participle
is also called "n/t-participle" and is used for forming the passive voice. There are two types of endings:
| Singular | Plural | English | ||||
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine animate |
Masculine inanimate & Feminine |
Neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bit dělán |
bita dělána |
bito děláno |
biti děláni |
bity dělány |
bita dělána |
beaten, battered done |
[edit] Agreement between subject and predicate
The predicate must always be in accordance with the subject in the sentence – in number and person (personal pronouns), and with past and passive participles also in gender. This grammatical principle affects the orthography (see also Czech orthography) – it is especially important for the correct choice and writing of plural endings of participles.
Examples:
| Gender | Sg. | Pl. | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine animate | pes byl koupen | psi byli koupeni | a dog was bought/dogs were bought |
| masculine inanimate | hrad byl koupen | hrady byly koupeny | a castle was bought/castles were bought |
| feminine | kočka byla koupena | kočky byly koupeny | a cat was bought/cats were bought |
| neuter | město bylo koupeno | města byla koupena | a town was bought/towns were bought |
The example mentioned shows both past (byl, byla ...) and passive (koupen, koupena ...) participles. The accordance in gender takes effect in the past tense and the passive voice, not in the present and future tenses in active voice.
If the complex subject is a combination of nouns of different genders, masculine animate gender is prior to others and the masculine inanimate and feminine genders are prior to the neuter gender.
Examples:
- muži a ženy byli - men and women were
- kočky a koťata byly - cats and kittens were
- my jsme byli (my = we all/men) vs. my jsme byly (my = we women) - we were
Priority of genders:
- masculine animate > masculine inanimate & feminine > neuter
[edit] Transgressives
The transgressive (přechodník) expresses an action which happens coincidently with or foregoing some other action.
The transgressive (přechodník) is an archaic form of the verb in the Czech and Slovak languages. Nowadays, it is used only occasionally for artistic purposes or in unchanging expressions. Transgressives were still used quite widely in Czech literature in the beginning of the 20th century (not in the spoken language). For example, Jaroslav Hašek's The Good Soldier Švejk contains a lot of them.
The Czech language recognizes present and past transgressives. The present transgressive can express present or future action according to an aspect of the verb, which it is derived from. The past transgressive is usually derived from perfective verbs.
| masculine | feminine + neuter |
plural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| present transgressive |
–e –a |
–íc –ouc |
–íce –ouce |
| past transgressive |
–v –Ø |
–vši –ši |
–vše –še |
Examples:
- Usednuvši u okna, začala plakat. (Having sat down at a window, she began to cry.) – past transgressive (foregoing action)
- Děti, vidouce babičku, vyběhly ven. (The children, having seen grandma, ran out.) – present transgressive (coincident action/process)
[edit] Aspect
Czech verbs are distinguished by aspect, they are either perfective or imperfective. Perfective verbs indicate the finality of the process. Therefore, they cannot express the present tense.
Perfective verbs are usually formed adding prefixes to imperfective verbs:
- psát (imperf.) - to write, to be writing -> napsat (perf.) - to write down
Some perfective verbs are not formally related to imperfective ones:
- brát (imperf.) - to take, to be taking -> vzít (perf.) - to take
[edit] Tenses
Czech verbs express three absolute tenses - past, present and future. Relativity can be expressed by the aspect, sentence constructions and participles.
The present tense can be expressed in imperfective verbs only.
[edit] Present tense
The present tense is formed by special endings:
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | -m/-i/-u | -me |
| 2. | -š | -te |
| 3. | -á/-í/-e | -ají/-(ej)í/-ou |
Verbs are divided into 5 classes according to the way of forming the present tense.
[edit] Past tense
The past tense is formed by the past participle (in a proper gender form) and present forms of the verb být (to be) which are omitted in the 3rd person. The following example is for the male gender (animate in plural):
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | dělal jsem | dělali jsme |
| 2. | dělal jsi | dělali jste |
| 3. | dělal | dělali |
Dělat - to do
[edit] Future tense
In imperfective verbs, it is formed by the future forms of the verb být (to be) and the infinitive:
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | budu dělat | budeme dělat |
| 2. | budeš dělat | budete dělat |
| 3. | bude dělat | budou dělat |
Dělat - to do
Budu, budeš, ... with infinitive has the same meaning as "(I, you, ...) will" in English. If not followed by an infinitive, it means "(I, you, ...) will be" (i.e. I will be = budu, not budu být).
In some verbs of motion, the future tense is formed by adding the prefix po-/pů- to the present form:
- půjdu - I will be going, ponesu - I will be bearing, povezu - I will be carrying
In perfective verbs, the present form expresses the future. Compare:
- budu dělat - I will be doing
- udělám - I will do, I will have done
[edit] Imperative
The imperative mood is formed for the 2nd person singular and plural and the 1st person plural.
In the 2nd person singular, it takes either null ending or -i/-ej ending, according to the verb class.
The 2nd person plural takes the ending -te/-ete/-ejte and the 1st person plural takes -me/-eme/-ejme.
Examples:
- buď! buďte! (be!) buďme! (let's be!)
- spi! spěte! (sleep!) spěme! (let's sleep!)
- dělej! dělejte! (do!) dělejme! (let's do!)
[edit] Conditionals
The conditionals are formed by the past participle and special forms of the verb být (to be). Following example of the present conditional is for the male gender (animate in plural):
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | dělal bych | dělali bychom |
| 2. | dělal bys | dělali byste |
| 3. | dělal by | dělali by |
dělal bych - I would do
There is also the past conditional in Czech but it is usually replaced by the present conditional.
| Person | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | byl bych dělal | byli bychom dělali |
| 2. | byl bys dělal | byli byste dělali |
| 3. | byl by dělal | byli by dělali |
byl bych dělal - I would have done
By also becomes a part of conjugations aby (so that) and kdyby (if). Therefore, these conjunctions take the same endings:
- Kdybych nepracoval, nedostal bych výplatu. If I didn't work, I would get no wages.
[edit] Passive voice
There are two ways to form the passive voice in Czech:
1. By the verb být (to be) and the passive participle (as in English):
- Město bylo založeno ve 14. století. The town was founded in the 14th century.
2. By adding the reflexive pronoun se:
- Ono se neudělalo. It has not been done.
- To se vyrábí v Číně. It is produced in China.
However, the use of se is not exclusive to the passive voice.
[edit] Reflexive verbs
Reflexive pronouns se and si are components of reflexive verbs (se/si is not usually translated into English):
- posadit se - to sit down
- myslet si - to think, to suppose
[edit] Negation
Negation is formed by the prefix ne-. In the future tense and the passive voice it is added to the auxiliary verb být (to be).
- nedělat - not to do
- nedělám - I do not do
- nedělej! do not do!
- nedělal jsem - I did not do
- nebudu dělat - I will not do
- nedělal bych - I would not do
- byl bych neudělal or nebyl bych udělal - I would not have done
- není děláno - it is not done
Unlike English, more negative words can be in a Czech sentence:
- Nic nemám. I have nothing.
- Nikdy to nikomu neříkej. Never say it to anybody.
[edit] Verb classes
[edit] Class I
| Infinitive | nést | číst | péct | třít | brát | mazat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | carry | read | bake | rub | take | lubricate |
| Present tense |
nesu neseš nese neseme nesete nesou |
čtu čteš čte čteme čtete čtou |
peču pečeš peče pečeme pečete pečou |
třu třeš tře třeme třete třou |
beru bereš bere bereme berete berou |
mažu mažeš maže mažeme mažete mažou |
| Past participle |
nesl | četl | pekl | třel | bral | mazal |
| Passive participle |
nesen | čten | pečen | třen | brán | mazán |
| Imperative | nes! neste! nesme! |
čti! čtěte! čtěme! |
peč! pečte! pečme! |
tři! třete! třeme! |
ber! berte! berme! |
maž! mažte! mažme! |
| Present transgressive |
nesa nesouc nesouce |
čta čtouc čtouce |
peka/peče pekouc/pečíc pekouce/pečíce |
tra trouc trouce |
bera berouc berouce |
maže mažíc mažíce |
| Past transgressive |
(do)nes (do)nesši (do)nesše |
(pře)čet (pře)četši (pře)četše |
(u)pek (u)pekši (u)pekše |
(u)třev (u)třevši (u)třevše |
(se)brav (se)bravši (se)bravše |
(na)mazav (na)mazavši (na)mazavše |
In imperative, 0/-te/-me endings are in most verbs, -i/-ete/-eme or -i/-ěte/-ěme if two consonants are at the end of the word-stem.
[edit] Class II
| Infinitive | tisknout | minout | začít |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | print, press | miss | begin |
| Present tense |
tisknu tiskneš tiskne tiskneme tisknete tisknou |
minu mineš mine mineme minete minou |
začnu začneš začne začneme začnete začnou |
| Past participle |
tiskl | minul | začal |
| Passive participle |
tisknut/tištěn | minut | začnut |
| Imperative | tiskni! tiskněte! tiskněme! |
miň! miňte! miňme! |
začni! začněte! začněme! |
| Present transgressive |
tiskna tisknouc tisknouce |
mina minouc minouce |
|
| Past transgressive |
(při)tisknuv (při)tisknuvši (při)tisknuvše |
minuv minuvši minuvše |
začav začavši začavše |
[edit] Class III
| Infinitive | krýt | kupovat |
|---|---|---|
| English | cover | buy |
| Present tense |
kryji, kryju kryješ kryje kryjeme kryjete kryjí, kryjou |
kupuji, kupuju kupuješ kupuje kupujeme kupujete kupují, kupujou |
| Past participle |
kryl | kupoval |
| Passive participle |
kryt | kupován |
| Imperative | kryj! kryjte! kryjme! |
kupuj! kupujte! kupujme! |
| Present transgressive |
kryje kryjíc kryjíce |
kupujíce kupujíc kupujíce |
| Past transgressive |
(za)kryv (za)kryvši (za)kryvše |
kupovav kupovavši kupovavše |
[edit] Class IV
| Infinitive | prosit | čistit | trpět | sázet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | beg | clean | suffer | plant in |
| Present tense |
prosím prosíš prosí prosíme prosíte prosí |
čistím čistíš čistí čistíme čistíte čistí |
trpím trpíš trpí trpíme trpíte trpí |
sázím sázíš sází sázíme sázíte sázej, sází |
| Past participle |
prosil | čistil | trpěl | sázel |
| Passive participle |
prošen | čištěn | trpěn | sázen |
| Imperative | pros! proste! prosme! |
čisti! čistěte! čistěme! |
trp! trpte! trpme! |
sázej! sázejte! sázejme! |
| Present transgressive |
prose prosíc prosíce |
čistě čistíc čistíce |
trpě trpíc trpíce |
sázeje sázejíc sázejíce |
| Past transgressive |
prosiv prosivši prosivše |
(vy)čistiv (vy)čistivši (vy)čistivše |
(s)trpěv (s)trpěvši (s)trpěvše |
(vy)sázev (vy)sázevši (vy)sázevše |
In imperative, 0/-te/-me endings are in most verbs, -i/-ete/-eme or -i/-ěte/-ěme if two consonants are at the end of the word-stem.
[edit] Class V
| Infinitive | dělat |
|---|---|
| English | do |
| Present tense |
dělám děláš dělá děláme děláte dělají |
| Past participle |
dělal |
| Passive participle |
dělán |
| Imperative | dělej! dělejte! dělejme! |
| Present transgressive |
dělaje dělajíc dělajíce |
| Past transgressive |
dělav dělavši dělavše |
[edit] Irregular verbs
| Infinitive | být | mít | jít | jíst sníst |
vidět | vědět | chtít |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | be | have | go, walk | eat eat up |
see | know | want |
| Present tense |
jsem jsi je jsme jste jsou |
mám máš má máme máte mají |
jdu jdeš jde jdeme jdete jdou |
jím, sním jíš, sníš jí, sní jíme, sníme jíte, sníte jedí, snědí |
vidím vidíš vidí vidíme vidíte vidí |
vím víš ví víme víte vědí |
chci chceš chce chceme chcete chtějí |
| Past participle |
byl | měl | šel, šla, šlo šli, šli, šla |
jedl, snědl | viděl | věděl | chtěl |
| Passive participle |
(-byt) | --- | (-jit) | jeden, sněden | viděn | věděn | chtěn |
| Imperative | buď! buďte! buďme! |
měj! mějte! mějme! |
jdi, pojď! jděte, pojďte! jděme, pojďte! |
jez, sněz! jezte, snězte! jezme, snězme! |
viz! vizte! vizme! |
věz! vězte! vězme! |
chtěj! chtějte! chtějme! |
| Present transgressive |
jsa jsouc jsouce |
maje majíc majíce |
jda jdouc jdouce |
jeda jedouc jedouce |
vida vidouc vidouce |
věda vědouc vědouce |
chtě/chtěje chtíc/chtějíc chtíce/chtějíce |
| Past transgressive |
byv byvši byvše |
(při)šed (při)šedši (při)šedše |
(vy)jed, sněd (vy)jedši, snědši (vy)jedše, snědše |
(u)viděv (u)viděvši (u)viděvše |
(z)věděv (z)věděvši (z)věděvše |
chtěv chtěvši chtěvše |
Irregular future tense have:
- jít - půjdu, půjdeš, půjde; půjdeme, půjdete, půjdou
- být - budu, budeš, bude; budeme, budete, budou
Irregular negation:
- být - 3rd person sg: není (not neje)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
