Meaning
Asking for a preference or order
Cultural Background
In Slovak restaurants, the waiter usually won't come to your table every 5 minutes. When they do come, they will use 'Čo si prosíte?' to signal they are ready for your full attention. The 'Vykanie' (formal you) is strictly observed in service. Even if the waiter is older than the customer, they will use 'prosíte' to maintain professional boundaries. When visiting a Slovak home, the host will often offer food multiple times. 'Čo si prosíte?' is the polite way to start this ritual of hospitality. In trendy Bratislava cafes, you might hear 'Čo si dáte?' more often, but 'Čo si prosíte?' remains the classic choice for traditional establishments.
The Smile Factor
In Slovakia, this phrase is often delivered with a neutral expression. Don't be put off if the server doesn't beam at you; the politeness is in the grammar!
Don't forget the 'si'!
Leaving out 'si' makes you sound like a 19th-century beggar or a very confused person. It's the 'si' that makes it service-oriented.
Meaning
Asking for a preference or order
The Smile Factor
In Slovakia, this phrase is often delivered with a neutral expression. Don't be put off if the server doesn't beam at you; the politeness is in the grammar!
Don't forget the 'si'!
Leaving out 'si' makes you sound like a 19th-century beggar or a very confused person. It's the 'si' that makes it service-oriented.
The 'í' length
Make sure to hold the 'í' in 'prosíte' slightly longer. It adds to the polite, melodic quality of the question.
Responding
When someone asks you this, always start your answer with 'Prosím si...' (I would like...) to match their level of politeness.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun to make the phrase polite.
Dobrý deň, čo ___ prosíte?
The phrase 'Čo si prosíte?' always requires the dative reflexive pronoun 'si'.
Which phrase is the most appropriate for a waiter to use in a nice restaurant?
A waiter approaches a table. He should say:
'Čo si prosíte?' is the standard formal way to ask for an order.
Complete the dialogue between a host and a guest.
Hostiteľ: Vitajte u nás! Čo si prosíte na pitie? Hosť: ________, prosím.
The guest should respond with the item they would like to drink.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Where would you most likely hear 'Čo si prosíte?'
It is a service-oriented phrase used when someone is ready to take your order.
Complete the sentence to ask for a side dish.
Čo si prosíte ___ prílohu?
'Ako prílohu' means 'as a side dish'.
🎉 Score: /5
Visual Learning Aids
Where you will hear 'Čo si prosíte?'
Food & Drink
- • Cafes
- • Restaurants
- • Bars
Shopping
- • Bakeries
- • Boutiques
- • Markets
Official
- • Post Office
- • Bank
- • Hotel Reception
Practice Bank
5 exercisesDobrý deň, čo ___ prosíte?
The phrase 'Čo si prosíte?' always requires the dative reflexive pronoun 'si'.
A waiter approaches a table. He should say:
'Čo si prosíte?' is the standard formal way to ask for an order.
Hostiteľ: Vitajte u nás! Čo si prosíte na pitie? Hosť: ________, prosím.
The guest should respond with the item they would like to drink.
Where would you most likely hear 'Čo si prosíte?'
It is a service-oriented phrase used when someone is ready to take your order.
Čo si prosíte ___ prílohu?
'Ako prílohu' means 'as a side dish'.
🎉 Score: /5
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsNo, it's used in any service context, like buying stamps at the post office or asking for a specific size in a shoe store.
Yes, if you are offering them something (like a cup of tea), it is very respectful.
'Prajete si?' is more formal and 'grand'. 'Čo si prosíte?' is the standard, everyday polite version.
The most common way is 'Prosím si [item in accusative case].' For example: 'Prosím si kávu.'
You would usually use the informal 'Čo si prosíš?' with children.
The 'í' is long because of the conjugation of the verb 'prosiť' in the second person plural.
Not at all. It is the current standard for polite service in Slovakia.
It's rare in emails. Usually, you'd use 'Čo by ste si priali?' or 'Ako vám môžem pomôcť?' in writing.
They will understand you, but it might seem a bit rude or overly familiar.
In very casual bars, you might just hear 'Čo to bude?' (What will it be?).
No, in this context 'si' is a reflexive pronoun (for yourself), not the verb 'to be'.
Yes, the Czech equivalent is 'Co si přejete?' or 'Co si prosíte?', though 'přejete' is more common there.
Related Phrases
Prosím si...
builds onI would like...
Prajete si?
synonymDo you wish?
Čo si dáte?
similarWhat will you have?
Nech sa páči
similarHere you go / Please
Máte vybraté?
specialized formHave you chosen?
