Czech prefixes and their basic meanings - Co …

1 Czech prefixes and their basic meanings What are the basic meanings of do-, o-, od-, po-, pod-, p e-, p ed-, roz-, u-, v-, vy-, z-, za-? prefixes combine with Czech verbs to alter the basic meaning of the verbal root . In much the same way, many English verbs can take prepositions that will change the meaning of the verb: to go versus to go into, to go out of, to go through, to go around . Sometimes prefixes combine directly with a verb without altering the verb's form: do +. zp vat = dozp vat (to finish singing). In these cases, the resulting prefixed verb is perfective. To form an imperfective prefixed verb, the prefix combines with a base verb that often has an extended suffix: do + ho et = doho vat (to burn down).

2 In this example, the imperfective ho et (to burn) has a derived imperfective in -ho vat. Below is a non-exhaustive and alphabetical list of Czech prefixes along with some of the basic meanings that they have. The listed meanings are not unrelated to one another, but form a semantic network. Some prefixes have relatively straightforward semantic networks while others exhibit a more complicated interweaving of meanings . Many of the meanings are both literal (for example, a concrete and real movement like going into a physical space) and metaphorical (movement into a metaphorical space like entering into a marriage). Each prefix is accompanied by sentences that exemplify the basic meanings .

3 Could you say which basic meaning is exemplified in each sentence? There's usually a clear one for each sentence, but sometimes there may be overlap between meanings . For each example sentence, the unprefixed base verb (or sometimes root noun or adjective) is given as a point of reference. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX do- a) bringing an action to an end b) supplementation c) culmination of movement somewhere (reaching the end). d) achievement of a goal 1. Nacist a komunist dovedli mu en k dokonalosti. [v st]. 2. Dopracoval se zna n ch sp ch . [pracovat]. 3. Sv ka u doho v . [ho et].

4 4. Dozp vali jsme a publikum zatleskalo. [zp vat]. 5. Mn , pros m, u nedol vejte. [l t]. 6. Ostatn si m ete domyslet. [myslet]. 7. Milena dosko d l ne Jitka. [sko it]. 8. N kdo chce n co dod t k tomu? [d t]. 9. Opern zp v k dozp val s lo. [zp vat]. 10. Dojez a poj ! [j st]. 1. 11. J gr dovedl esk t m do fin le. [v st]. 12. A dopije pivo, p jdeme rad i dom . [p t]. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX o- a) movement around or in a circle b) eliminating something (often the top layer of something). c) to damage, use up d) obtaining or getting something e) change of state (usually with an adjectival root ).

5 1. Ob r si jehli z kab tu. [br t]. 2. pi ku tu ky opsal. [ps t]. 3. List u opadalo. [padat]. 4. Nezapome si d t studentsk pr kaz oraz tkovat. [raz tko]. 5. Zem ob h kolem Slunce. [b hat]. 6. B hem konference David onemocn l ch ipkou. [nemoc]. 7. Oloupal si pomeran . [loupat]. 8. Profesor on m l asem. [n m ]. 9. D t okousalo dort. [kousat]. 10. Slovan os dlili Balk n. [s dlit]. 11. Po as se prudce ochladilo. [chladit]. 12. Moje sestra ot hotn la v mlad m v ku. [t hotn ]. 13. Fotbalist Sparty o ivili nad ji, e vyhraj ampion t. [ iv ]. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX od- a) movement away from b) removal of a part c) getting rid of something or eliminating something d) eliminating a surface to render visible or accessible e) fufilment of a goal or obligation 1.

6 L stek odhodil do ko e. [hodit]. 2. Ode el z domova. [j t]. 3. M stek odnesla velk voda. [n st]. 4. Pro n co si odb hla. [b hat]. 5. pi ku doutn ku od zl. [ ezat]. 6. Odpracoval tam p l roku. [pracovat]. 7. Odkryli tam z klady rom nsk ho kostela. [kr t]. 2. 8. Tu kr de si odsed l. [sed t]. 9. Odslou il si dva roky na vojn . [slou it]. 10. Odnau ili ho po d z vat. [u it]. 11. Turist odlet dom v pond l . [let t]. 12. Lupi i p epadli firmu a odnesli si t i miliony. [n st]. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX po- a) covering of a surface (full and partial). b) movement in various directions c) gradual progression d) small scale e) large scale (with si).

7 1. Psa jenom post elili. [st elit]. 2. Pokr il rameny. [kr it]. 3. Studenti st nu polepili plak ty. [lepit]. 4. Pootev el jedno oko. [otev t]. 5. Zdi pomalovali k dou. [malovat]. 6. Kol pos zela jahodami. [s zet]. 7. P kn jsme si v kav rn po etli. [ st]. 8. Podlahu pokryli koberci. [kr t]. 9. U sis pospal dost! [sp t]. 10. Vztekle pob j mouchy. [b t]. 11. Slepice vypla en pob haj po dvo e. [b hat]. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX pod- a) movement from or to below b) mistake c) secretly 1. Posledn slovo t ikr t podtrhl. [trhnout]. 2. Babi ka mu podstr ila n kolik mandl . [str it]. 3.

8 Cht li ho podplatit. [platit]. 4. M stek jsem podplaval. [plavat]. 5. N meck a esk firmy podepsaly finan n smlouvu. [ps t]. 6. D t se poddalo bolesti. [d t se]. 7. Praha se poddala Sov tsk arm d . [d t se]. 3. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX p e- a) movement or action across something b) to do something over c) exerting an effort to cause a change d) to make a mistake e) action lasting longer than something f) too large a scale 1. P esolil si pol vku. [solit]. 2. Pro jistotu to je t p em m. [m it]. 3. Asi jsem se p eslechl. [poslouchat]. 4. P emohli jsmes svou nechu . [moci]. 5. Obecenstvo p eplnilo s l.

9 [plnit]. 6. On jedin dopravn ne t st p e il. [ t]. 7. Dala si p ed lat n ramek. [d lat]. 8. P emlouvali ho k asti. [mluvit]. 9. P ejedl se cukrov . [j st]. 10. Jeho d lo p etrv v ky. [trvat]. 11. Nad n d t p esko ilo druhou t du. [sko it]. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX p ed- a) spatial movement in front of something b) temporal event earlier than something 1. P edplatil si nov asopis. [platit]. 2. P edlo il jim n kolik n vrh . [kl st]. 3. Astrolog n m p edpov dal ne sp ch. [pov dat]. 4. Va en profesor p ednesl zaj mav refer t na konferenci. [n st]. 5. Dovolte, abych se V m p edstavil(a).

10 [predstavit se]. 6. Prezident p edstoupil p ed ve ejnost s prohl en m. 7. Co mu kdo p edzp val, to zahr l. [zp vat]. 8. Ta ud lost p edur ila Tom i jeho ivotn dr hu. [ur it]. 9. Kr l nep edpustil k sob deputaci. [pustit]. 10. B sn k p ed tal sv ver e. [ st]. ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ PREFIX p i- a) movement toward something 4. b) small scale c) to do something extra or to supplement 1. P ines mu n co k j dlu. [n st]. 2. P iv i to okno. [ote-v t]. 3. P ilo il ucho k zemi. [kl st]. 4. P isyp tam trochu mouky. [sypat]. 5. Ruka mu p imrzla ke klice. [mrznout]. 6. U se p ipozd v . [pozd ].