INTRODUCTION |
In the previous lesson, we covered how to ask, “How do you say this in Czech?” Jak se řekne tohle česky? Do you remember? |
GRAMMAR POINT |
In this lesson, because we don’t want you to be caught off guard in the Czech Republic, we are going to introduce a new phrase that is very important to help you focus your skills, not on the sounds, but on the writing. So let’s start this new lesson. |
In Czech, “Can you write it down, please?” is |
Můžete to napsat, prosím? |
Let’s break it down: |
(slow) Mů-že-te to nap-sat, pro-sím? |
Once more: |
Můžete to napsat, prosím? |
The first word Můžete is translated in this case as “can you”. Můžete also makes the phrase formal. |
(slow) Mů-že-te. |
Mů-že-te. |
The word to means “it” in English. |
(slow) To. |
To. |
Next we have napsat, which is translated as “to write” |
(slow)Nap-sat. |
Napsat. |
Prosím is “please” as you can remember from the previous lessons. |
All together: |
Můžete to napsat, prosím? |
This means, "Can you write it, please?” |
As you already observed, the previous phrase is not very specific. To make yourself more clear you can say: “Can you write this phrase?” In Czech, this is.. |
Můžete napsat tuhle frázi? |
Let’s break it down: |
(slow) Mů-že-te nap-sat tu-hle frá-zi? |
Once more: |
Můžete napsat tuhle frázi? |
The new word in this question is tuhle, that means “this” |
And frázi which is the form of the noun “phrase”. |
So tuhle frázi means “this phrase”. |
(slow) Tuh-le frá-zi. |
Tuhle frázi. |
Let’s hear the whole phrase one more time: |
(slow)Mů-že-te nap-sat tu-hle frá-zi? |
Můžete napsat tuhle frázi? |
Also you can say “Can you write down this word?” In Czech, this is.. |
Můžete napsat tohle slovo? |
“Let’s break it down. |
(slow) Mů-že-te nap-sat toh-le slo-vo? |
Můžete napsat tohle slovo? |
The only new word here is slovo, which means “word” in English. |
(slow) Slo-vo. |
Slovo. |
It might happen that people are not carrying a piece of paper or a pen. So before asking: Můžete to napsat, prosím? “Can you write down this word?”, ask “Do you have paper and a pen?” In Czech, this question is.. Máte papír a tužku? |
Let’s break it down: |
(slow) Má-te pa-pír a tuž-ku? |
Once more: |
Máte papír a tužku? |
The first word máte is translated in our case as “do you have” |
(slow) Má-te. |
Máte. |
Then you have papír, which in English is “a paper”. |
(slow) Pa-pír. |
Papír. |
Then you have a which means “and”. |
(slow) A. |
A. |
Finally we have tužku which is the form of the noun “a pen”. |
(slow)Tuž-ku. |
Tužku. |
Here’s the whole sentence: |
(slow) Máte pa-pír a tuž-ku? |
Máte papír a tužku? |
As usual, before asking someone for something, it’s a good idea to say “excuse me”, promiňte, at the beginning of the sentence. |
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