Signification
Doing something completely useless.
Contexte culturel
Wood is central to Slovak identity, from the 'čičmianske vzory' on wooden houses to the 'fujara' (wooden flute). Carrying wood is seen as hard, honest work, making the idiom's irony about wasting that effort even stronger. In many Slavic and Germanic cultures, the forest is a place of abundance. This idiom is understood across borders (Czech: nosit dříví do lesa, Polish: nosić drwa do lasu). The 'owl' version is still taught in Slovak schools as a classical reference, showing the influence of Greco-Roman culture on Slovak education. In the booming tech hubs of Bratislava and Košice, this idiom is often used to criticize 'over-engineering' or redundant meetings.
Use it for gifts
It's the perfect polite way to decline a gift you already have too many of.
Check the case
Always say 'do lesa', never 'do les'. The 'a' at the end is crucial.
Signification
Doing something completely useless.
Use it for gifts
It's the perfect polite way to decline a gift you already have too many of.
Check the case
Always say 'do lesa', never 'do les'. The 'a' at the end is crucial.
Sarcasm level
You can add 'čisté' (pure) before 'nosenie' to make it more emphatic and slightly more sarcastic.
Teste-toi
Doplňte správne slovo v genitíve.
Dávať rady expertovi je ako nosiť drevo do _______.
Predložka 'do' sa vždy spája s genitívom. Genitív slova 'les' je 'lesa'.
Vyberte situáciu, v ktorej je vhodné použiť tento idiom.
Kedy by ste povedali 'Nosiť drevo do lesa'?
Idiom vyjadruje redundanciu – prinášanie niečoho, čoho je už nadbytok.
Spojte začiatok a koniec vety.
Match the halves:
Tieto dvojice tvoria logické celky a synonymné vyjadrenia.
Doplňte dialóg.
A: 'Kúpil som ti tento slovník.' B: 'Ďakujem, ale mám ich už päť. Je to ako _______.'
Kontext piatich slovníkov jasne naznačuje redundanciu.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesDávať rady expertovi je ako nosiť drevo do _______.
Predložka 'do' sa vždy spája s genitívom. Genitív slova 'les' je 'lesa'.
Kedy by ste povedali 'Nosiť drevo do lesa'?
Idiom vyjadruje redundanciu – prinášanie niečoho, čoho je už nadbytok.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
Tieto dvojice tvoria logické celky a synonymné vyjadrenia.
A: 'Kúpil som ti tento slovník.' B: 'Ďakujem, ale mám ich už päť. Je to ako _______.'
Kontext piatich slovníkov jasne naznačuje redundanciu.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNot inherently. It depends on your tone. It can be a neutral observation or a sarcastic critique.
Yes, it is common in professional Slovak to describe redundant processes.
'Nosiť' is the verb (to carry), 'nosenie' is the noun (the carrying). Both are used in the idiom.
People often just say 'To je nosenie dreva do lesa' or just 'Zbytočnosť'.
No, the idiom is fixed to 'forest' (les). Changing it will sound like a mistake.
Because wood (firewood) is a product of labor. Carrying it into the forest where it comes from naturally highlights the wasted effort.
Yes, almost all Slavic languages have a near-identical version.
Yes, you can say 'Učiť ho je nosenie dreva do lesa' (Teaching him is carrying wood to the forest).
The grammar is A1/A2, but the figurative meaning is usually taught at B1. However, it's so common that even beginners should know it.
That is grammatically incorrect. 'Les' belongs to the 'dub' paradigm, and its genitive is 'lesa'.
Expressions liées
Nosiť sovy do Atén
synonymTo carry owls to Athens.
Dolievať vodu do mora
similarTo pour water into the sea.
Hádzať hrach na stenu
contrastTo throw peas at a wall.
Zbytočná námaha
specialized formUseless effort.
