Signification
Someone with a kind nature.
Contexte culturel
In Slovak folklore, the 'dobrý človek' is often a humble wanderer or a youngest son who succeeds not through strength, but through kindness to animals and elders. There is a shared cultural value of 'civil courage' (občianska statočnosť) where being a 'good person' involves standing up against injustice. Historically, a 'dobrý človek' was someone who adhered to 'susedská pomoc' (neighborly help), a vital survival mechanism in mountainous regions. On Slovak social media, 'dobrí ľudia' is often used in crowdfunding campaigns (e.g., 'Dobrí ľudia sa poskladali na liečbu').
The Gender Neutrality
Even though 'človek' is masculine, you can use 'dobrý človek' to describe a woman. It sounds very natural and focuses on her humanity.
Plural Trap
Remember: one 'človek', but many 'ľudia'. This is the most common mistake for beginners.
Signification
Someone with a kind nature.
The Gender Neutrality
Even though 'človek' is masculine, you can use 'dobrý človek' to describe a woman. It sounds very natural and focuses on her humanity.
Plural Trap
Remember: one 'človek', but many 'ľudia'. This is the most common mistake for beginners.
Adding Emphasis
Use 'skutočne' or 'naozaj' (really) before 'dobrý' to make the compliment feel more heartfelt.
Modesty Matters
If someone calls you a 'dobrý človek', a modest 'Ďakujem, snažím sa' (Thank you, I try) is the best response.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'dobrý človek' in the plural.
V našej dedine žijú sami ________ ________.
The plural of 'človek' is 'ľudia', and the masculine animate plural adjective is 'dobrí'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to thank someone for a big favor?
A: Ste dobrý muž. B: Ste dobrý človek. C: Ste dobrá osoba.
'Ste dobrý človek' is the most standard and idiomatic way to express this in Slovak.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are writing a letter about a deceased grandfather who was very kind.
You use the past tense 'bol' (was) to describe someone who has passed away.
Complete the dialogue.
Peter: 'Zuzana mi včera veľmi pomohla s projektom.' Marek: 'Naozaj? Ona je ________ ________.'
Even though Zuzana is a woman, 'dobrý človek' (masculine) is used to describe her as a 'good human/person'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Singular vs Plural
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesV našej dedine žijú sami ________ ________.
The plural of 'človek' is 'ľudia', and the masculine animate plural adjective is 'dobrí'.
A: Ste dobrý muž. B: Ste dobrý človek. C: Ste dobrá osoba.
'Ste dobrý človek' is the most standard and idiomatic way to express this in Slovak.
Situation: You are writing a letter about a deceased grandfather who was very kind.
You use the past tense 'bol' (was) to describe someone who has passed away.
Peter: 'Zuzana mi včera veľmi pomohla s projektom.' Marek: 'Naozaj? Ona je ________ ________.'
Even though Zuzana is a woman, 'dobrý človek' (masculine) is used to describe her as a 'good human/person'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes! While 'dobrá žena' exists, 'dobrý človek' is a very common, gender-neutral way to praise anyone's character.
The plural is 'dobrí ľudia'. Note the change in both the adjective ending and the noun stem.
'Milý' means nice or pleasant. 'Dobrý' means good or moral. Someone can be 'milý' but not 'dobrý'.
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your grandmother, or a stranger.
Yes, with a specific tone, it can mean the opposite, but this is less common than the sincere use.
Use the past tense: 'Bol to dobrý človek.'
You can use the noun 'dobrák', but it has a slightly different nuance (often implying someone is too kind).
It can, but it's mostly used in a secular, moral sense today.
'Človek s veľkým srdcom' or 'charakterný človek' are great alternatives.
Usually, we say 'dobré dieťa' (good child), but 'bude z neho dobrý človek' (he will grow into a good person) is common.
Extremely common. Many Slovak pop and folk songs celebrate the 'dobrý človek'.
Chcem byť dobrý človek.
The opposite is 'zlý človek' (bad person).
Yes, if you are praising someone's help or character, it's very appropriate.
Expressions liées
dobrák
similarA good-natured, perhaps naive person.
človek s veľkým srdcom
similarA person with a big heart.
zlý človek
contrastA bad person.
charakterný človek
specialized formA person of character/integrity.
dobrá duša
similarA good soul.
