Verbal
aspect (slovesný
vid) is used to specify if the action expressed by
the verb is a one-time/finished or repeated/unfinished act. There
are two verbal aspects in Czech:
1)
dokonavý (perfective verbs) - describes a one-time,
finished action that took place within a certain time frame
(e.g. vypít - to drink up, to finish drinking)
2)
nedokonavý (imperfective verbs) - describes
an unfinished or repeated action the duration of which is not
specified (e.g. pít - to drink, to be drinking)
There
is no one rule specifying how to form perfective and imperfective
verbs in Czech and each verb has to be learned. Perfective verbs
are often formed by adding a prefix, such as s-, za-, při-, u-,
etc.
whereas
imperfective
verbs are formed by changing the verb stem into -ova-, -va-, -ěva-,
etc. Sometimes two completely different verbs are used to express
perfectiveness and imperfectiveness.
Examples:
| Vid
dokonavý (perf. verb) |
Vid
nedokonavý (impf. verb) |
prohlédnout
si
Chcete
si prohlédnout ten časopis? -
Would you like to take a look at the magazine? (one-time, finished
action) |
prohlížet
si
Chcete
si prohlížet časopisy? -
Would you like to be looking at magazines (e.g. while you wait)?
(unspecified duration) |
přečíst
Přečti si ten článek. - Read that article. (from beginning
to end) |
číst
Jdi si číst. - Go read. (in general, for an unspecified period of time) |
koupit
Eva si
koupila šaty. - Eva bought
herself a dress. (she went out and came back with a dress) |
nakupovat
Eva
šla nakupovat. - Eva
went shopping.
(not sure for how long, she is still out) |
přijít
/ přijet
Petr přijde / přijede v sobotu. - Petr will
come (on foot / by car) on Saturday. |
přicházet
/ přijíždět
Přichází jaro. - The spring is coming. (slowly, over a period
of time)
Autobus přijíždí v 8:15.
-
The bus arrives at 8:15. (regularly, e.g. daily) |
říct
Řekli jsme mu, aby odešel. - We told him to leave. |
říkat
Pořád mu říkáme, aby odešel. - We keep telling him to leave. |
Perfective
verbs are used to describe an action
that will take place and END at one particular time in the future.
The future tense is usually formed by changing
the verb (adding a prefix
or changing the stem).
Imperfective
verbs are used to describe an action that will cover an unspecified
period in the
future. The future tense is usually formed by using the construction
to be (in future tense) + infinitive of the verb
Examples
(using 1st person singular):
| Vid
dokonavý (perf. verb) |
Vid
nedokonavý (impf. verb) |
napíšu
Napíšu dopis. - I will write a letter. (I'll start and
finish writing it) |
budu
psát
Budu psát dopis. - I will be writing a letter. (doesn't
specify over what time period and if I'll finish writing
it) |
přečtu
Přečtu si
ten článek dnes večer. - I will read the article tonight. (I
will read it from beginning to end) |
budu
číst
Dnes večer budu číst knihu - I will read a book tonight. (over the
course of the evening, maybe repeatedly, I may not finish it) |
koupím
Koupím si šaty. - I will buy myself a dress. (one-time action with a
result) |
budu
(na)kupovat
Budu si kupovat šaty častěji. - I will buy myself a dress
more often. (repeatedly)
Budu nakupovat. - I will shop. / I will be shopping. (in general) |
přijdu
/ přijedu
Přijdu / přijedu v sobotu. - I will come / arrive on
Saturday. (one-time, this Saturday) |
budu
chodit / budu jezdit
Budu sem chodit / jezdit každou sobotu. - I will come here
every Saturday. (repeatedly, for an unspecified period of time) |
naučím
se
Naučím se česky. - I will learn Czech. (I'll learn
it to the point when I don't have to continue learning
it, I'll
become fluent) |
budu
se učit
Budu se učit česky. - I will study
Czech / I will be learning Czech. (doesn't
specify for how long or how advanced I'll become) |
There
is often more
than one perfective and imperfective form of the same verb. Each
form usually implies a subtle difference in meaning.
Example
- skončit / ukončit / zakončit (to end):
1)
The verb "skončit" is probably the most neutral of the three.
It simply means "to end" and the action of ending is
quick and abrupt.
"Film
skončil v deset hodin." - The movie ended at 10 o'clock.
2)
The verb "ukončit" means "to bring to an end",
placing more emphasis on the process / procedure of ending. The
action of ending is not as quick as in "skončit".
"Ukončete
výstup a nástup, dveře se zavírají." - literally "finish
the process of getting off and on..."
3)
The verb "zakončit" means "to formally conclude" (e.g.
a speech) or "to complete", usually "by doing something".
"Ředitel
zakončil svůj projev poděkováním všem přítomným." - The director
concluded his speech by thanking all those present.
More
examples:
| Vid
dokonavý (perf. verb) |
Vid
nedokonavý (impf. verb) |
to
write
napsat - to write something
odepsat - to reply in writing or to write off
připsat - to add by writing
přepsat - to change by writing, to write over
vepsat - to insert by writing
etc... |
imperfective
equivalents:
psát
odepisovat
připisovat
přepisovat
vepisovat
etc...
|
to
buy
koupit - to buy something
odkoupit - to buy from
přikoupit - to buy more of the same
vykoupit - to buy out
zakoupit - to purchase (formal version of "koupit")
etc... |
imperfective
equivalents:
kupovat
odkupovat
přikupovat
vykupovat
zakupovat
etc...
|
to
come/go (on foot)
přijít - to come, to arrive
odejít - to leave
nadejít si - to take the long way
podejít - to walk under
přejít - to cross, to walk across
ujít - to cover a distance by walking
vyjít - to come out(side)
etc...
|
imperfective
equivalents:
přicházet
odcházet
nadcházet si
podcházet
přecházet
ucházet (not common)
vycházet
etc... |
to
learn
naučit se - to learn something
přiučit se - to add to one's knowledge
vyučit se - to learn something and graduate in it (at school) |
imperfective
equivalents:
učit se
přiučovat se
vyučovat se (not common), vyučovat (to teach - repeatedly) |
