spát
spát em 30 segundos
- Spát is a basic Czech verb meaning 'to sleep'.
- It is imperfective, focusing on the state and duration of rest.
- The conjugation is slightly irregular: spím, spíš, spí, spíme, spíte, spí.
- It is used literally for people and animals, and metaphorically for objects and ideas.
- Biological Necessity
- In Czech culture, discussing how much one sleeps is a common small-talk topic, often linked to productivity and well-being. Asking 'Jak jsi spal?' (How did you sleep?) is a standard morning greeting among family and close friends.
Děti už musí jít spát, protože je pozdě.
- Grammatical Conjugation
- The conjugation of 'spát' is slightly irregular: já spím, ty spíš, on/ona/ono spí, my spíme, vy spíte, oni spí. Notice the long 'í' in the endings which is characteristic of this verb class.
Nemůžu spát, když je v pokoji příliš horko.
- Cultural Nuance
- Czechs value their sleep and often have specific terms for afternoon naps, like 'dát si dvacet' (to take twenty), though the base verb 'spát' remains the anchor for all these expressions.
- Prepositional Usage
- Common prepositions include 'v' (in), 'na' (on), and 'u' (at someone's house). Examples: 'spát v hotelu', 'spát na gauči', 'spát u babičky'.
Včera jsem spal velmi tvrdě a nic jsem neslyšel.
- The Imperative Form
- The imperative (command) is 'Spi!' for singular 'you' and 'Spěte!' for plural or formal 'you'. It is often used by parents telling children to go to sleep: 'Už spi!' (Sleep already!)
Nech ho spát, vypadá unaveně.
- Negative Constructions
- To negate the verb, simply add 'ne-' as a prefix: 'nespát'. 'Celou noc jsem nespal' (I didn't sleep the whole night) is a common way to express insomnia or a busy night.
- Travel and Hospitality
- In hotels or hostels, you will hear staff ask 'Jak se vám spalo?' (How did you sleep?) or guests inquiring 'Kde budeme spát?' (Where will we sleep?). It is a central term in the tourism industry.
V tomhle hotelu se mi spalo výborně.
- Media and Literature
- In fairy tales, characters often 'spí sto let' (sleep for a hundred years), like Sleeping Beauty (Šípková Růženka). Song lyrics and poetry use 'spát' to evoke themes of peace, death, or romantic intimacy.
Celá vesnice už dávno spala.
- Social Context
- When visiting friends, they might offer: 'Můžeš spát u nás' (You can sleep at our place). This is a standard offer of hospitality in Czech culture.
- Aspect Errors
- Learners often struggle with the imperfective nature of 'spát'. Using it to describe a completed, one-time action that changed a state (like falling asleep) is a common error. Always use 'spát' for the duration.
Špatně: Spal jsem okamžitě. Správně: Usnul jsem okamžitě.
- Preposition Pitfalls
- English speakers might say 'spát v mém domě' (sleep in my house), but Czechs more naturally say 'spát u mě doma' or simply 'spát doma'. Using 'v' with 'doma' is a direct translation error.
Špatně: Budu spát v tvoje postel. Správně: Budu spát ve tvé posteli.
- The 'Zaspat' Trap
- If you want to say 'I overslept,' you must use 'zaspal jsem.' Beginners often try to use 'spal jsem příliš dlouho,' which is grammatically fine but doesn't carry the specific meaning of missing an alarm.
- Chrupat / Chrupkat
- This is an informal, somewhat cute way to say 'to sleep' or 'to snooze'. It's often used when talking about pets or babies. 'Kočka si v klidu chrupká na sluníčku.'
Po obědě si rád na chvíli zdřímnu.
- Uspat vs. Usnout
- 'Uspat' is a causative verb meaning 'to put someone to sleep' (like a child or a patient). 'Usnout' is the intransitive 'to fall asleep'. Both are derived from the same root as 'spát'.
Musím uspat miminko, než začne film.
- Nocovat
- This verb specifically means 'to spend the night' somewhere. It is more about the location and the stay than the biological act of sleeping itself. 'Budeme nocovat v horské chatě.'
How Formal Is It?
"Pacient po operaci klidně spal."
"Včera jsem spal osm hodin."
"Už jdi spát, je pozdě."
"Hajinkej a spinkej, andílku."
"On tam prostě chrněl celou přednášku."
Curiosidade
The root *swep- is also the ancestor of the Latin 'somnus' and the English word 'soporific'.
Guia de pronúncia
- Pronouncing 'á' as a short 'a'.
- Voicing the 's' to sound like 'z'.
- Adding a vowel sound at the end of 't'.
Nível de dificuldade
Very easy to recognize as it's a basic A1 word.
Conjugation (spím) and past tense (spal) need careful attention.
Distinguishing between short 'a' and long 'á' is important for accent.
Distinct sound, easy to identify in speech.
O que aprender depois
Pré-requisitos
Aprenda a seguir
Avançado
Gramática essencial
Present Tense Conjugation of 4th Class Verbs
já spím, ty spíš, on spí...
Past Tense Vowel Shortening
spát (long) -> spal (short)
Impersonal Reflexive Construction
Spí se mi dobře.
Modal Verbs with Infinitive
Musím spát.
Prepositions with Locative Case
Spím v posteli.
Exemplos por nível
V noci spím osm hodin.
I sleep eight hours at night.
Present tense, 1st person singular 'spím'.
Dítě už spí.
The child is already sleeping.
Present tense, 3rd person singular 'spí'.
Kde spíš?
Where do you sleep?
Present tense, 2nd person singular 'spíš'.
Musím jít spát.
I must go to sleep.
Infinitive 'spát' used with a modal verb 'musím'.
Spal jsem dobře.
I slept well.
Past tense, masculine singular 'spal'.
Ona spala v hotelu.
She slept in a hotel.
Past tense, feminine singular 'spala'.
My nespíme.
We are not sleeping.
Negative present tense 'nespíme'.
Chceš spát?
Do you want to sleep?
Infinitive 'spát' with the verb 'chtít'.
Včera jsem spal u kamaráda.
Yesterday I slept at a friend's house.
Past tense with preposition 'u' + genitive.
Jak se ti spalo v novém domě?
How did you sleep in the new house?
Reflexive impersonal construction 'spalo se ti'.
Budeme spát ve stanu.
We will sleep in a tent.
Future tense 'budeme spát'.
Nesmíš spát v práci!
You must not sleep at work!
Negative modal construction.
Kočka spí na okně.
The cat is sleeping on the window.
Present tense with preposition 'na' + locative.
Spali jsme až do deseti.
We slept until ten.
Past tense, plural 'spali'.
Nech mě spát, prosím.
Let me sleep, please.
Imperative 'nech' + infinitive 'spát'.
Ona spí velmi lehce.
She sleeps very lightly.
Present tense with adverb 'lehce'.
Kdybych byl unavený, šel bych spát.
If I were tired, I would go to sleep.
Conditional mood 'šel bych spát'.
Spal jako dudek celou noc.
He slept like a log all night.
Idiom 'spát jako dudek'.
Nemůžu spát, když piju kávu pozdě.
I can't sleep when I drink coffee late.
Present tense with conjunction 'když'.
Zatímco děti spaly, rodiče uklízeli.
While the children were sleeping, the parents were cleaning.
Past tense plural feminine 'spaly' used with 'zatímco'.
Budeš spát celou cestu v letadle?
Will you sleep the whole way on the plane?
Future tense question.
Už jsem se konečně vyspal.
I finally got a good night's sleep.
Perfective verb 'vyspat se' for the result.
Pes spí u mých nohou.
The dog is sleeping at my feet.
Present tense with prepositional phrase.
Před zkouškou jsem skoro nespal.
I hardly slept before the exam.
Past tense negative with adverb 'skoro'.
Město už dávno spalo, když jsem se vrátil.
The city had long been sleeping when I returned.
Metaphorical use of 'spát' for a city.
Nesmíme spát na vavřínech, musíme dál pracovat.
We must not sleep on our laurels, we must continue to work.
Idiom 'spát na vavřínech'.
Vědec studoval, jak mozek spí.
The scientist studied how the brain sleeps.
Scientific context.
Spal tak hluboce, že ho ani bouřka neprobudila.
He slept so deeply that even the storm didn't wake him.
Consecutive clause with 'tak... že'.
Projekt 'spí' kvůli nedostatku financí.
The project is 'sleeping' due to a lack of funds.
Metaphorical use in business.
V této tiché ulici se spí výborně.
One sleeps excellently in this quiet street.
Impersonal reflexive construction 'se spí'.
Místo aby pracoval, zase spal.
Instead of working, he was sleeping again.
Contrastive construction 'místo aby'.
Spal jen pár hodin, ale cítil se dobře.
He slept only a few hours, but he felt good.
Concessive relationship with 'ale'.
Jeho talent léta spal, než ho někdo objevil.
His talent lay dormant for years before someone discovered it.
Metaphorical use for talent.
Autor v románu popisuje, jak příroda v zimě spí.
The author describes in the novel how nature sleeps in winter.
Literary context.
Pacient pod vlivem léků klidně spal.
The patient slept peacefully under the influence of medication.
Formal/Medical context.
Neměli bychom spát u kormidla, trh se mění.
We shouldn't be sleeping at the wheel, the market is changing.
Idiom 'spát u kormidla' (sleeping at the wheel).
Spal spánkem spravedlivých.
He slept the sleep of the just.
Literary idiom.
Dlouho spící konflikt znovu propukl.
A long-dormant conflict erupted again.
Adjectival participle 'spící'.
Spal, jako by ho do vody hodil.
He slept as if he had been thrown into water (very deeply).
Comparative idiom.
Je důležité nechat problém přes noc spát.
It is important to let the problem sleep overnight (sleep on it).
Figurative use.
V hlubinách hor spí prastaré legendy.
Ancient legends sleep in the depths of the mountains.
Highly poetic/literary use.
Filozof se tázal, zda svět spí, či bdí.
The philosopher asked whether the world sleeps or wakes.
Existential/Philosophical context.
Jeho svědomí zřejmě spalo, když to dělal.
His conscience was apparently sleeping when he did it.
Abstract metaphorical use.
Opera končí scénou, kde hrdina věčně spí.
The opera ends with a scene where the hero sleeps eternally.
Euphemism for death in art.
Zdálo se, že celý vesmír v tu chvíli spal.
It seemed that the whole universe was sleeping at that moment.
Hyperbolic literary use.
Spal, aniž by tušil, co se venku děje.
He slept without having any idea what was happening outside.
Conjunction 'aniž by'.
Tato myšlenka spala v archivech po celá staletí.
This idea slept in the archives for centuries.
Metaphorical use for information.
Spát a snít je výsadou živých.
To sleep and to dream is the privilege of the living.
Infinitive as a subject.
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
— To be unaware or daydreaming.
Vypadáš, jako bys spal s otevřenýma očima.
Expressões idiomáticas
— To sleep very deeply and soundly.
V noci byla bouřka, ale já jsem spal jako dudek.
informal— To sleep like a log (motionless).
Byl tak unavený, že spal jako špalek.
informal— To sleep with a clear conscience.
Po dobře vykonané práci spal spánkem spravedlivých.
literary— To sleep without worry or very soundly.
Můžeš spát na obě uši, všechno je zařízené.
informal— To put something on hold.
Ten projekt jsme zatím nechali spát.
neutral— To sleep very restlessly or lightly.
V tom hluku jsem spal jako na vodě.
informal— The early bird catches the worm (and the sleeper gets nothing).
Musíme tam být včas, kdo spí, ten nejí.
proverb— To be inattentive when one should be leading.
Vedení firmy spalo u kormidla, když přišla krize.
neutral— To have sexual relations with someone.
Dozvěděla se, že spal s její kamarádkou.
euphemismFamília de palavras
Substantivos
Verbos
Adjetivos
Relacionado
Memorize
Mnemônico
Think of 'SPAT'. If you 'spát' too much, you might get a 'spat' with your boss for being late!
Associação visual
Imagine a person in a sleeping bag (spacák) under the stars, with the word 'SPÁT' written in the constellations.
Word Web
Desafio
Try to conjugate 'spát' in all tenses while lying in bed tonight before you actually fall asleep.
Origem da palavra
Derived from the Proto-Slavic *sъpati, which comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *swep- meaning 'to sleep'.
Significado original: To sleep or to fall asleep.
Indo-European -> Balto-Slavic -> Slavic -> West Slavic -> Czech.Contexto cultural
Generally a very safe and neutral word, though 'spát s někým' is a sexual euphemism.
English speakers often use 'sleep' for both the state and falling asleep, but Czech is stricter.
Pratique na vida real
Contextos reais
At home
- Jdu spát.
- Dobře se vyspi.
- Chce se mi spát.
- Děti už spí.
Traveling
- Kde budeme spát?
- Spal jsem v hotelu.
- Můžu tady spát?
- Spacák na spaní.
Health
- Spíte dobře?
- Nemůžu spát.
- Prášky na spaní.
- Potřebuju víc spát.
Work
- Nespali jsme celou noc.
- Spal jsi v práci?
- Nesmíme spát na vavřínech.
- Byl jsem ospalý.
Nature/Camping
- Budeme spát ve stanu.
- Spát pod širákem.
- Zvířata v zimě spí.
- Spát u ohně.
Iniciadores de conversa
"Jak jsi dneska spal?"
"V kolik hodin obvykle chodíš spát?"
"Můžeš spát, když je v pokoji světlo?"
"Spal jsi někdy pod širákem?"
"Co děláš, když nemůžeš spát?"
Temas para diário
Dnes jsem spal velmi... protože...
Kdybych mohl spát kdekoli na světě, bylo by to...
Moje ideální neděle zahrnuje spát až do...
Když nemůžu spát, myslím na...
Vzpomínám si, jak jsem jednou spal v...
Summary
The verb 'spát' is essential for daily life in Czech. Remember it describes the *state* of sleeping, not the *act* of falling asleep. Example: 'Včera jsem spal dobře' (I slept well yesterday).
- Spát is a basic Czech verb meaning 'to sleep'.
- It is imperfective, focusing on the state and duration of rest.
- The conjugation is slightly irregular: spím, spíš, spí, spíme, spíte, spí.
- It is used literally for people and animals, and metaphorically for objects and ideas.
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