APPENDIX
LESSON 7
Appendix to lesson 7 Q 7.1 Verbs expressing location + prepositions v/ve × na × u The prepositions v (and its extended form ve), na and u express location. They answer the question kde? where? Compare the diagrams illustrating the meaning of these three prepositions and remember the verbs which they are used with. Location Question: Kde? Where? Static (= stationary) verbs: být to be, pracovat to work, studovat to study, bydlet to reside, žít to live, čekat to wait… v/ve + locative
na + locative
+ actions and activities
u + genitive
+
The preposition v/ve The preposition v/ve1 means in and expresses a location inside a place or a closed or limited space. It is therefore used, for example, with continents, states, countries, cities, villages and businesses. Observe: Byla jsem ve škole. I was at school. Studovali jsme v Anglii. We studied in England. Pracuju v kanceláři. I work in an office. The preposition v/ve is used in this meaning with the locative. For an overview of the locative singular see page 41, paragraph 7.3.
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The preposition na The preposition na1 literally means on in English, but it is widespread in many expressions where English uses at. The words using this preposition are called “na-words”2. These words denote: 1. actions and activities (koncert, diskotéka, nákup, mítink, film, fotbal, oběd…) E.g.: Byli jsme na koncertě. We were at a concert. 2. surface (stůl) or open-space locations (stanice, nádraží, náměstí, letiště, parkoviště…) E.g.: Kniha je na stole. There is a book on the table. 3. some public institutions (pošta, ambasáda, policie, univerzita…) E.g.: Studuju na univerzitě. I study at university. Pracuju na poště. I work at the post office. 4. islands and peninsulas (Malta, Mallorca, Madeira, Sicílie, Kypr, Florida, Aljaška, Kamčatka…) E.g.: Byl jsi někdy na Maltě? Have you ever been to Malta? 5. exceptions (Morava, Slovensko, Ukrajina) E.g.: V létě jsme byli na Slovensku. We were in Slovakia in the summer. This is the list of the most common “na-words”: ambasáda embassy diskotéka disco film film fotbal football koncert concert konference conference 1 2
letiště airport mítink meeting Morava Moravia nádraží railway station nákup shopping náměstí square
oběd lunch parkoviště parking lot policie police pošta post office Slovensko Slovakia snídaně breakfast
stanice station tenis tennis toaleta (záchod) toilet univerzita university večeře dinner zastávka stop
The preposition na is used with the locative in this meaning. For an overview of the locative singular see page 41, paragraph 7.3. Compare the use of “na-words” also with the dynamic verbs jít and jet. See page 32, paragraph 5.6.
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