Ahoj, kamaráde
The English phrase "hello, my friend" can be translated into Czech as Ahoj, kamaráde.
This phrase is a friendly greeting used when speaking to a person you know well. You can use Ahoj, kamaráde to say hello to a male friend. Alternatively, you can use the even more casual Ahoj, kámo. or Čau, kámo, where kámo is a shortened form of kamaráde and Čau is an informal greeting equivalent to "hi" or "hey" in English.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, Ahoj, kamaráde translates to "Hi, friend". In this specific Czech greeting, the possessive "my" is often omitted.
Which one should you use?
Ahoj, kamaráde is used when addressing a male friend. To address a female friend, you would say Ahoj, kamarádko. Ahoj, kámo. and Čau, kámo. use the shortened form kámo.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
All versions of this phrase are informal. Ahoj is a greeting used among friends and peers, whereas a formal greeting would be Dobrý den.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word kamaráde is the vocative case of kamarád, which is the grammatical form used specifically when addressing someone directly.
Did you know?
- In Czech, the word kamarád for 'friend' is a cognate of the English word 'comrade'.
- The greeting Ahoj actually traces its roots back to the English nautical term 'ahoy', used by sailors to hail ships.
- The word Čau is borrowed from the Italian 'ciao' and is used in Czech both to say 'hello' and 'goodbye'.
Examples in context
- Ahoj, kamaráde, jak se máš?Hello, my friend, how are you?
Example conversation
Jana meets Lukáš in a park.
- JanaAhoj, kamaráde!Hello, my friend!
- LukášAhoj, Jano. Jak se máš?Hello, Jana. How are you?
- JanaMám se dobře, díky.I am doing well, thanks.
- LukášRád tě vidím.It is good to see you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahoj, CC BY-SA 4.0.
