počkej
The English phrase wait is translated into Czech as počkej.
The verb is used to instruct someone to delay an action until a certain event occurs. In a casual context, you can also use the phrase dej mi chvíli to mean 'give me a moment', which can be used interchangeably with 'wait'. If you want to say 'wait a moment' or 'wait a little bit', use the phrase Počkej chvíli.
Meaning: delay until some event (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to say 'wait for [someone]', you must use the preposition na followed by the accusative case. The form počkej is the imperative used for a single person in an informal setting (ty), while počkejte is used when addressing multiple people or when using the formal 'you' (vy) to show politeness.
Did you know?
- The word počkej comes from the root čekat, which shares a linguistic ancestor with the English word 'wake'.
- In Czech, the word čekat can mean both 'to wait' and 'to expect'. This means the same verb is used whether you are waiting for a bus or expecting a baby.
- In very old Czech literature, the act of waiting was often linked to the word trpět, which also means 'to suffer', suggesting that waiting was viewed as a form of endurance.
Examples in context
- Počkej tam na mě.Wait there for me.Tatoeba #11134097 by aldar, translation #2892403 by CK
- Počkej na mě tady.Wait for me here.Tatoeba #11624376 by Ergulis, translation #3345307 by CK
- Určitě na mě počkej.Be sure to wait for me.Tatoeba #9377684 by Ergulis, translation #9377681 by CK
- Počkejte prosím na svoje řadu.Please wait for your turn.
- Počkej chvíli, zrovna to dokončuji.Wait a moment, I'm just finishing this.
- 73 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomáš is about to leave the house, but Lucie wants him to stay until the bus arrives.
- LuciePočkej, bus už jede.Wait, the bus is already coming.
- TomášMusím jít hned.I have to go now.
- LucieProsím, počkej chvíli.Please, wait a moment.
- TomášDobře, počkám.Alright, I will wait.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
