Ne, děkuji
[ˈnɛ ˈɟɛkujɪ]word by word
To say no, thank you in Czech, say Ne, děkuji.
Ne, děkuji is the polite way to decline an offer of food, a drink or help.
What does it mean word for word?
Ne means no and děkuji means thank you, literally I thank.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Keep the mark over the e in děkuji. It changes how the letter before it is pronounced.
Did you know?
- In casual settings, Czechs often drop the ne and simply say děkuji with a slight head shake to decline an offer. Using ne can sometimes sound overly blunt or categorical to a native speaker.
- The word ne is a direct descendant of the Proto-Indo-European root *né, making it a distant relative of the English word 'no' and the Latin 'non'.
- If you are declining food at a Czech home, it is culturally common to use the phrase už mám dost, which means 'I already have enough'. This softens the refusal and focuses on your fullness rather than a rejection of the host's hospitality.
Examples in context
- Ne, děkuji, už jsem se najedl.No, thank you, I have already eaten.
- Ne, děkuji, dneska nemám čas.No, thank you, I don't have time today.
- Ne, děkuji, to je pro mě moc.No, thank you, that is too much for me.
Example conversation
Kateřina offers Tomáš a piece of cake.
- KateřinaChceš kousek dortu, Tomáši?Do you want a piece of cake, Tomáš?
- TomášNe, děkuji, jsem už plný.No, thank you, I am already full.
- KateřinaJsi si jistý? Je to velmi dobrý.Are you sure? It is very good.
- TomášAno, opravdu už nemůžu.Yes, I really cannot eat anymore.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ne, děkuji) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
