jíst
[ˈjiːst]imperfective
The Czech verb for "eat" is jíst.
jíst is used to denote the general act of eating a meal. The related noun jídlo means "food."
Meaning: eat a meal (verb)
Which one should you use?
jíst is the general term for eating, whereas snídat is used specifically for eating breakfast and večeřet is used specifically for eating dinner.
How does it change in a sentence?
jíst is an imperfective verb.
Did you know?
- The verb jíst is a close relative of the English word 'eat' and the Latin 'edere', as both stem from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
- Czech has a specific verb, vyžrát, which carries a heavy connotation of 'eating like an animal' or 'devouring', often used with a sense of greed.
- Czech distinguishes between jíst, used for eating food, and žvýkat, which specifically means 'to chew', often used to describe the act of chewing gum.
Examples in context
- Dá se to jíst?Can you eat this?This sentence is useful for asking if something is edible using jíst.Tatoeba #8270876 by Ergulis, translation #5136449 by JimmyUK
- Tom to nechce jíst.Tom doesn't want to eat it.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone does not want to eat something using jíst.Tatoeba #11861059 by Ergulis, translation #11861060 by Ergulis
- Teď nic jíst nechci.I don't want to eat anything right now.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of desire to eat anything using jíst.Tatoeba #10046430 by Ergulis, translation #2229746 by Vortarulo
- Dnes mám v plánu konzumovat tradiční české jídlo.Today, I plan to consume traditional Czech food
- Hele, pojďme si dneska večer společně napapat.Hey, let's grab a bite together tonight
- V poslední době si ráda pochutnávám na českých dezertech.Lately, I've been indulging in Czech desserts
- 119 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jan and Kateřina are deciding what to do for lunch.
- JanChceš už jíst?Do you want to eat already?
- KateřinaAno, mám velký hlad.Yes, I am very hungry.
- JanKde budeme jíst dneska?Where are we going to eat today?
- KateřinaPůjdeme do té nové restaurace.We will go to that new restaurant.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eat” translations and entries jíst, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jíst, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
