Verbs of Motion in Czech

Czech Verbs of Motion

English gets by with one verb, "go." Czech makes you answer two questions before you can say it: how are you travelling (on foot or by vehicle?), and what kind of trip is it (this one journey right now, or a repeated habit?). Those two questions give four everyday verbs.

Two Questions, Four Verbs

On Foot: jít vs chodit

jít — one walk, right now or clearly planned:

Jdu do práce.

I'm walking to work / I'm on my way to work.

Note: One trip, happening now → jít.

chodit — a repeated, habitual walk:

Chodím do práce pěšky každý den.

I walk to work every day.

Note: A daily habit → chodit. Signal words: každý den (every day), často (often).

By Vehicle: jet vs jezdit

The same split, but on wheels. jet for one ride now, jezdit for the habit.

Jedeme do Prahy vlakem.

We're going to Prague by train.

Note: A trip in progress, by vehicle → jet. jezdit would mean 'we regularly travel to Prague'.

Jezdím do Brna každý týden.

I travel to Brno every week.

Note: Repeated journeys by vehicle → jezdit.

Choosing in Real Time

Ask the two questions and the verb falls out:

Next, meet the system that all these prepositions of destination plug into: the seven cases.