tady
[ˈtadɪ]
In Czech, 'here' can be expressed as tady, zde or tu.
Meaning: in, on, or at this place (adv)
Ways to say it
| Czech | IPA |
|---|---|
| tady | [ˈtadɪ] (narrow) |
| zde | [ˈzdɛ] (narrow) |
| tu | [ˈtu] (narrow) |
All three forms are adverbs used to indicate being in, on or at this specific place. If you need to refer to the noun 'this place', you would use toto místo, while 'this time' or 'the present situation' can be expressed as tento moment, tato chvíle or tato doba.
Which one should you use?
zde is a more formal or literary version used frequently in written texts or official announcements. tu is a more poetic or archaic form that is less common in standard modern speech than the other two options.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions and dialects, people combine the forms to say tu tady to express 'here'.
Related words
Did you know?
- While tady is the common word for 'here', it is a 'doublet' of the word tudy, which actually means 'this way'.
- The form zde descends from the Proto-Slavic root *sьde, showing a linguistic lineage that connects Czech to other Slavic languages.
- Because tady and tudy sound so similar, beginners often confuse 'being here' with 'going this way'.
Examples in context
- Je tu pro mě.He is here for me.This sentence shows the use of tu to indicate someone's presence.Tatoeba #3899944 by lipao, translation #9153899 by Ergulis
- O co tady jde?What is this all about here?This sentence shows the use of tady to ask about a situation in a specific place.Tatoeba #7431374 by Ergulis, translation #7431363 by MarijnKp
- Na to tady je.That's what he's here for.This sentence shows the use of tady to describe a purpose for being in a location.Tatoeba #8173928 by Ergulis, translation #8173918 by Amastan
- Prosím, zde je váš stůl.Here is your table, please.
- Podepište se tady, prosím.Please sign here.
- 1149 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomáš and Jana are looking for a place to sit in a cafe.
- TomášMůžeme sedět tady?Can we sit here?
- JanaNe, tady je obsazeno.No, it is occupied here.
- TomášA co ten stůl tady?And what about this table here?
- JanaAno, tady je to volno.Yes, it is free here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “here” translations and entries tady, zde, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tady, tu, zde, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
