co
[ˈt͡so]
The Czech word for "what" is co.
The most common and neutral way to say "what" in Czech is Co? Other forms like jaký are used when asking "what kind of…?" or looking for a specific description.
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Which one should you use?
While co is the standard interrogative pronoun for 'what', cože? is an interjection used specifically to express surprise or to ask someone to repeat what they just said, often translated as "what?!" or "what did you say?\". Additionally, což is a more formal or literary way to say "which" or "what" when acting as a relative pronoun in a sentence.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly in Moravia, Co to? is an informal expression for "What is that?"
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun co changes its form to čemu when it is the object of a preposition or verb requiring the dative case, such as "to what" or "to what is it addressed".
Did you know?
- In Czech, using Co? as a one-word response to a question can sound blunt or impolite. To be more polite, speakers often use Prosím?, which literally means 'I pray' or 'Please'.
- While co is used for 'what', the word jak is used for 'how'. However, in certain contexts like 'What do you think?', Czech uses Jak, shifting the meaning from 'what' to 'how'.
- The word co is a linguistic 'relative' of the English word 'what' through their shared Proto-Indo-European roots. It is closely related to the German word was.
Examples in context
- Co je s ním?What is the matter with him?This sentence shows how to use co to ask what is wrong with someone.Tatoeba #7142363 by Ergulis, translation #291941 by CK
- Na co to je?What is it for?This sentence uses co to ask the purpose of something.Tatoeba #9798619 by Ergulis, translation #3738435 by CK
- Víš, co to je?Do you know what this is?This sentence demonstrates using co within a nested question.Tatoeba #3542450 by nueby, translation #70064 by CK
- Co děláte?What are you doing?
- Jaký je tvůj oblíbený film?What is your favorite movie?
- Pardon, můžete to zopakovat?Pardon, can you repeat that?
- Co to je za věc?What is that thing?
- 2340 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukáš and Lucie are talking about a movie.
- LukášCo děláš, Lucie?What are you doing, Lucie?
- LucieSleduji film. A ty?I am watching a movie. And you?
- LukášCo je to za film?What movie is it?
- LucieJe to nová komedie.It is a new comedy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries co, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
