běhat in 30 Sekunden
- Indeterminate verb for 'to run'.
- Used for habits, routines, and multidirectional movement.
- Contrasts with 'běžet' (one direction, right now).
- Essential for describing sports, errands, and children playing.
The Czech verb běhat is a foundational element of the Czech language, specifically categorized as an indeterminate verb of motion. For English speakers, the primary translation is 'to run,' but the usage is more nuanced than the English equivalent. In Czech, verbs of motion come in pairs. While běžet describes a goal-oriented, one-directional movement happening right now, běhat describes multidirectional movement, habitual actions, or the general ability to run.
- Habitual Action
- This is the most common use. If you go for a jog every morning, you use běhat. It signifies a repetitive cycle rather than a single trip from point A to point B. For example, 'Každé ráno běhám' (I run every morning).
- Multidirectional Movement
- When a child is running around a playground in circles or zig-zags, they are běhat. There is no specific destination; the act of running is the focus. 'Děti běhají na hřišti' (Children are running around on the playground).
- General Ability
- If you are describing someone's physical capability, such as an athlete or a toddler who just learned to walk and now runs, you use this form. 'Můj syn už běhá' (My son is already running/can run).
Rád běhám v lese, protože je tam čerstvý vzduch.
— I like running in the forest because the air is fresh there.
In a more abstract sense, běhat can refer to things that 'run' or 'flow' in English, such as a nose running (teče mi z nosu - actually uses 'flow', but 'běhat' is used for chills 'mráz mi běhá po zádech'). Understanding the distinction between the repetitive nature of běhat and the linear nature of běžet is the key to mastering Czech verbs of motion at an early stage.
Pes běhá po zahradě a štěká.
— The dog is running around the garden and barking.
- Errands and Tasks
- When you have a million things to do, you are běhat. 'Celý den jsem běhala po městě' (I've been running around town all day). This uses the feminine past tense to show the speaker was busy with various stops.
Using běhat correctly requires a grasp of Czech conjugation and aspect. Since it is an imperfective, indeterminate verb, it follows standard conjugation patterns for the '-at' class. However, its usage is strictly tied to the manner of movement.
Present Tense Conjugation
- Já běhám (I run)
- Ty běháš (You run)
- On/Ona/Ono běhá (He/She/It runs)
- My běháme (We run)
- Vy běháte (You all run)
- Oni běhají (They run)
Notice that the stem remains consistent. When you want to express that you are a runner (the hobby), you say Běhám maratony. This implies you have done it before and will do it again.
V létě běháme venku, v zimě v tělocvičně.
— In summer we run outside, in winter in the gym.
- Past Tense
- To form the past tense, use the l-participle: běhal, běhala, běhalo, běhali. 'Včera jsem běhal v parku' means you spent some time running around the park yesterday. It doesn't specify a destination, just the activity.
- Future Tense
- Since běhat is imperfective, the future is formed with the auxiliary verb být: 'Budu běhat' (I will be running/I will run habitually).
One of the most interesting ways to use this verb is with prefixes. While běhat itself is indeterminate, adding a prefix often makes it perfective and changes the meaning slightly, but the 'multidirectional' or 'repetitive' flavor often remains in specific derivations like pro-běhat (to run through/spend time running).
Už nemůžu, běhám celý den po schůzkách.
— I can't anymore, I've been running around to meetings all day.
You will encounter běhat in a variety of settings, from the mundane to the professional. In the Czech Republic, fitness culture is booming, and 'běhání' (the noun form, running) is a national pastime. Therefore, parks like Stromovka in Prague or Lužánky in Brno are places where you will hear people discussing their running routines.
- In the Household
- Parents frequently use this word with children. 'Neběhejte po chodbě!' (Don't run in the hallway!). Here, the multidirectional nature of 'běhat' is perfect because children usually run in various directions, not just in one straight line.
- At the Gym
- Personal trainers will ask, 'Jak často běháte?' (How often do you run?). They use the indeterminate form because they are asking about your general routine and habit, not about a specific race happening now.
Musím běhat, abych zhubnul.
— I have to run in order to lose weight.
In professional or bureaucratic contexts, běhat takes on a slightly metaphorical meaning of 'handling tasks.' If someone says, 'Běhám pro potvrzení,' they mean they are going around trying to get a certificate or confirmation. It implies the process involves multiple steps or locations.
Finally, in sports commentary, while a specific sprint might use 'běžet', the analysis of a player's performance over a whole match often uses 'běhat'. 'Ten hráč dneska hodně běhal' (That player ran a lot today). This summarizes their movement across the entire field throughout the game.
Ráda běhám naboso v trávě.
— I like running barefoot in the grass.
The most significant hurdle for English speakers is the Běhat vs. Běžet distinction. In English, 'I am running' can mean both 'I am currently running to the store' and 'I am running (as a hobby) these days.' In Czech, these require different verbs.
- Mistake #1: Using 'běhat' for a direct trip
- Wrong: Běhám do obchodu teď. (Incorrect because it's a one-way trip happening now).
Right: Běžím do obchodu teď. - Mistake #2: Using 'běžet' for a habit
- Wrong: Každý den běžím. (Sounds like you are currently running while saying it, or it's a very specific daily race).
Right: Každý den běhám.
Another mistake involves the Perfective aspect. Students often try to use 'běhat' to say they 'ran to the store and back' as a completed action. For a completed action of running somewhere, Czechs often use prefixes like 'doběhnout' or 'zaskočit'. 'Běhal jsem' just means you were in the state of running for a while.
Pozor na koncovky! Oni běhají, ne běhajíte.
— Watch the endings! They run, not 'they run-you'.
While běhat is the standard word for running, Czech offers several alternatives depending on the intensity, speed, and context of the movement.
- Běžet (Determinate)
- The 'twin' of běhat. Use it for a single, focused direction. 'Běžím na vlak!' (I'm running for the train!).
- Utíkat (To escape/To run fast)
- Often used as a synonym for running fast or escaping. 'Čas utíká' (Time flies/runs away). 'Utíkej!' is a common way to tell someone to hurry up or run away.
- Pádit (To dash/bolt)
- A more expressive word for running very quickly, often with a sense of urgency. 'Pádil domů' (He dashed home).
- Klusat (To jog/trot)
- Specifically refers to a jogging pace or a horse's trot. Used in athletic contexts. 'Jen tak lehce klusal' (He was just lightly jogging).
If you are talking about a machine 'running,' Czech does not use běhat. For a computer or an engine, use běžet or fungovat. 'Počítač běží' (The computer is running).
How Formal Is It?
Wusstest du?
The word 'během' (during) literally comes from the instrumental case of 'běh' (run), meaning 'in the run of'.
Aussprachehilfe
- Pronouncing 'ě' as a simple 'e' instead of 'ye'.
- Making the 'h' silent like in French.
- Stressing the second syllable.
- Pronouncing the final 't' too softly.
- Confusing the vowel length of 'a'.
Schwierigkeitsgrad
Very easy to recognize in text.
Easy to conjugate, but requires choosing the right aspect.
Hardest part is deciding between běhat and běžet in real-time.
Clear pronunciation makes it easy to hear.
Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest
Voraussetzungen
Als Nächstes lernen
Fortgeschritten
Wichtige Grammatik
Indeterminate vs Determinate
Běhat (habit) vs Běžet (now/direction)
Imperfective vs Perfective
Běhat (impf) vs Poběhat (pf - for a while)
Verbal Nouns
Běhat -> Běhání
Prefixation
U- + běhat + se = Uběhat se (exhaust)
Motion Verb Conjugation
1st conjugation -at class
Beispiele nach Niveau
Rád běhám.
I like running.
Present tense, 1st person singular.
Běháš každý den?
Do you run every day?
Question form, 2nd person singular.
Pes běhá v zahradě.
The dog runs in the garden.
3rd person singular, indeterminate motion.
Děti běhají venku.
The children are running outside.
3rd person plural.
My neběháme rychle.
We don't run fast.
Negative form, 1st person plural.
Běháte rádi?
Do you (plural) like running?
2nd person plural question.
Ona běhá v parku.
She runs in the park.
3rd person singular feminine.
Tady se nesmí běhat.
Running is not allowed here.
Infinitive with modal verb.
Včera jsem běhal hodinu.
Yesterday I ran for an hour.
Past tense, masculine.
Budeš zítra běhat?
Will you be running tomorrow?
Future tense, imperfective.
Často běháme spolu.
We often run together.
Use of frequency adverb 'často'.
Můj bratr běhá maratony.
My brother runs marathons.
Habitual action.
V zimě neběhám venku.
In winter I don't run outside.
Temporal context.
Děti běhaly po domě.
The children were running around the house.
Past tense plural, multidirectional.
Nechci běhat v dešti.
I don't want to run in the rain.
Infinitive after 'chtít'.
Běhání mě baví.
I enjoy running (Running amuses me).
Verbal noun 'běhání'.
Celý den běhám po úřadech.
I've been running around to offices all day.
Metaphorical use for errands.
Musel jsem běhat, abych stihl všechno koupit.
I had to run around to manage to buy everything.
Past tense modal construction.
Běháš ještě každé ráno?
Are you still running every morning?
Use of 'ještě' for continued habit.
Už nemůžu, běhám tu už od rána.
I can't anymore, I've been running around here since morning.
Present tense for action starting in the past.
Přestaň běhat a sedni si!
Stop running around and sit down!
Imperative with 'přestaň'.
Běhám za dětmi celý den.
I run after the kids all day.
Phrase 'běhat za někým'.
Učí se běhat.
He is learning to run.
Infinitive after 'učit se'.
Běhali jsme po lese a hledali houby.
We were running around the forest looking for mushrooms.
Multidirectional past tense.
Mráz mi běhá po zádech.
Chills are running down my spine.
Idiomatic expression.
Běhal mi z toho mráz po zádech.
It made chills run down my spine.
Past tense idiom.
Pořád běháš za tou holkou?
Are you still chasing after that girl?
Figurative: chasing/pursuing someone.
Běhali jsme od čerta k ďáblu.
We ran from pillar to post (from devil to devil).
Idiom for uselessly running around.
V hlavě mi běhají různé myšlenky.
Various thoughts are running through my head.
Abstract usage.
Nech ho běhat, on se unaví.
Let him run around, he'll get tired.
Causative-like construction with 'nechat'.
Běháš v tom moc často.
You run in that too often (referring to clothes).
Contextual usage for wearing gear.
Už zase běháš po doktorech?
Are you running around to doctors again?
Habitual errands context.
Zpráva o jeho rezignaci už běhá po celém městě.
The news of his resignation is already running all over town.
Metaphorical movement of information.
Běhal očima po řádcích té knihy.
His eyes ran across the lines of the book.
Specific body part movement.
Neustálé běhání za ziskem ho zničilo.
The constant chasing after profit destroyed him.
Gerund in a philosophical context.
Pocity viny mu běhaly myslí.
Feelings of guilt were running through his mind.
Abstract emotional movement.
Běhal po place jako smyslů zbavený.
He ran around the pitch like he'd lost his mind.
Simile usage.
V očích jí běhaly jiskřičky.
Little sparks were running in her eyes.
Poetic/Descriptive usage.
Běhal kolem ní jako kolem svatého obrázku.
He fussed over her (ran around her like a holy picture).
Idiomatic simile for over-attentiveness.
Ten motor už neběhá tak hladce jako dřív.
That engine doesn't run as smoothly as it used to.
Technical personification (though 'běží' is more common, 'běhá' can be used for general state).
Běhal po světě, ale štěstí nenašel.
He wandered the world but found no happiness.
Literary use for 'wandering'.
Krev mu běhala v žilách s novou silou.
Blood ran in his veins with new strength.
Physiological metaphor.
Běhal od jednoho extrému k druhému.
He ran from one extreme to another.
Metaphorical behavior.
Myšlenka mu běhala na okraji vědomí.
The thought was running on the edge of his consciousness.
High-level abstract psychological use.
Běhal bos v ranní rose, hledaje klid.
He ran barefoot in the morning dew, seeking peace.
Participle-like usage in literary style.
Po stěnách běhaly stíny svíček.
Shadows of candles ran across the walls.
Personification of light/shadow.
Běhal jako o závod s časem.
He ran as if in a race against time.
Compound idiomatic expression.
Běhal za chimérami svého mládí.
He chased the chimeras of his youth.
Highly literary/metaphorical.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
— To run like crazy or like a bolt out of the blue.
Běhal po domě jako splašený.
— To run while being extremely exhausted (tongue on the vest).
Doběhl jsem s jazykem na vestě.
— To constantly visit doctors due to health issues.
Poslední měsíc běhám po doktorech.
— To run in the woods, often associated with mushroom picking.
Celé odpoledne jsme běhali po lese.
— To run in circles, often metaphorical for not making progress.
Mám pocit, že jen běhám v kruhu.
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
— To get the chills or be very scared.
Když slyším ten zvuk, mráz mi běhá po zádech.
Common— To be sent from one place to another without result.
Na úřadě mě posílali od čerta k ďáblu.
Colloquial— To run extremely fast (like soaped lightning).
Ten kluk běhá jako namydlený blesk.
Informal— To fuss over someone excessively.
Běhá kolem ní jako kolem svatého obrázku.
Common— To run around like a spinning top.
Děti běhaly po zahradě jako čamrdy.
Old-fashioned— To have thoughts circulating constantly.
Ta písnička mi pořád běhá v hlavě.
CommonWortfamilie
Substantive
Verben
Adjektive
Verwandt
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of a 'Behat' (Bee-Hat). Imagine a bee wearing a hat running around your head in circles. Because it's circles (multidirectional), it's 'běhat'!
Visuelle Assoziation
Picture a treadmill. Since you run on it repeatedly in the same place without going to a destination, it's 'běhat'. In fact, the Czech word for treadmill is 'běhátko'.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to use 'běhat' in three different sentences today: one about your habit, one about a child or animal, and one about a busy day.
Wortherkunft
Derived from the Proto-Slavic root *běgati, which is the frequentative form of *běžati.
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: To move quickly, to flee, or to run repeatedly.
Indo-European -> Balto-Slavic -> Slavic -> West Slavic -> Czech.Kultureller Kontext
Be careful with the word 'běhna'; it is an insult for a woman.
English speakers often struggle because English uses 'run' for both linear and habitual movement. Czech forces you to think about the 'shape' of the movement.
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Sports
- Běhám maratony.
- Mám nové běžecké boty.
- Jaké máš tempo?
- Běhám na páse.
Childcare
- Neběhej!
- Děti běhají venku.
- Pojď si zaběhat.
- On už běhá.
Errands
- Běhám po městě.
- Běhám po nákupech.
- Musím běhat po úřadech.
- Běhám pro jídlo.
Nature
- Srna běhá po lese.
- Běháme v parku.
- Rád běhám bos v trávě.
- Běháme u řeky.
Bureaucracy
- Běhám pro razítko.
- Běhám od okýnka k okýnku.
- Už mě nebaví takhle běhat.
- Běhám po schůzkách.
Gesprächseinstiege
"Běháte rádi, nebo raději chodíte do fitka?"
"Jak často v týdnu běháte?"
"Kde v Praze nejraději běháte?"
"Běháte raději ráno, nebo večer?"
"Už jste někdy běhali maraton?"
Tagebuch-Impulse
Popište svůj oblíbený běžecký okruh v parku.
Proč je podle vás běhání tak populární sport?
Máte raději běhání venku, nebo na páse? Proč?
Napište o dni, kdy jste museli hodně běhat po úřadech.
Jak se cítíte po tom, co si jdete zaběhat?
Summary
The word 'běhat' is your go-to verb for the hobby of running and general movement. If you're talking about your morning jog or a dog playing in a garden, this is the word you need. Example: 'Rád běhám' (I like running).
- Indeterminate verb for 'to run'.
- Used for habits, routines, and multidirectional movement.
- Contrasts with 'běžet' (one direction, right now).
- Essential for describing sports, errands, and children playing.
