How could I forget Ty vole! I hear it at least once a week. Hey kibicz, how about correcting the mistakes in my paragraph. :wink: I'd love to see what I should have said. Thanks in advance.
You're joking, aren't you? 'Ty vole' for 'wow'?! I hear it a lot at football matches and I can assure you that it's not being used as 'wow'. More like 'you stupid bloody idiot', I would have said!
Ahoj, Four Crowns, I study Czech since january. I haven't studied the future yet, only a little bit. I know present and past tense. By the way, past tense is very interesting in Czech - it has a lovely gender mark, I like that very much. I study Czech because...ahm...good question... first I intended to study Russian, but then I realized that I would visit Czech Republic first, then I started Czech - okay, but then you could ask "why would you learn Russian?" for sure, for only a short visit, I don't need to speak the language of the coutnry (althought it helps and is more polite on my point of view) ... well, anyway, Slavic languages are interesting (and addicting) so... As Polednikova has said in one post, this sort of "conversation" we are having it doesn't replace a real conversation. I study almost by myself - and about once a month I have private class, then, althought I'm starting to able to read some simple dialogues and etc ... it much harder to speak, the mind effort is much bigger. So, if you can, I really suggest you to find someone who can speak with you in Czech there in Ireland (look for consulate/embassy webpages). I hope that soon I'm able to write what I've written here in Czech Perhaps we should do some thematic topics - for example: sports... than we say which sport we like to watch, to practice etc.. something like that. Anyway, this kind of conversation helps a little. Na shledanou.:
That is a good story, it is always fun to learn a language and never useless or pointless! I'm sure Russian will stand to you in ways you haven't thought of yet, and besides, Russia isn't the only country that speaks it! The Czech embassy is in Dublin, 150 miles away, and as there are only 5000 Czech people living in Ireland, I'd be hard pressed to find one in two weeks! I have found this has helped me a huge amount already, trying to understand the posts of people who are above my level but are still using relatively simple and text book Czech is really helpful, and producing the language helps me find the holes in my knowledge, and really really think about words and sentence structure, Topics are a great idea, except that I don't much see the point in us reciting the pages we've learned off from a book,it's not real and we'll never be able to sustain a real conversation using it. It is the fact that the conversation can go any way and is natural that makes it so useful. It is the conversation element that makes this more useful than listing out things, so we all have to respond to each other! Another thing is we say what we need to say for the conversation, and not what we have learned, so we encounter more of the errors we are going to encounter in real life as we start literally translating from our own languages using our knowledge of Czech and help from books. When I am talking to you now, I am engaging with the language I use, thinking about the meaning, If I just try to say everything I know I can say already I'm not going to learn anything! There are a million reasons for this: Lack of a chance to speak, lack of practise, the fact you have to think about pronunciation and intonation, insecurity, the fact you are producing the language and not reciting it. The last one is where I feel this exercise has really helped me already, although it might not look like it, and I know I have a long way to go. Also I'm genuinely interested in hearing peoples stories! I don't want someone to tell me they like playing chess on Sundays just because they know how to say "I like playing chess on Sundays!" Interest keeps the mind active and encourages it to absorb information! It applies to every level and it is in theory the reason why everyone can take part in this thread, it's not going to get boring and our minds won't switch off because (hopefully!) we all like talking about ourselves and hearing about each other. And I have learned so much from the corrections the native speakers have made, both to my words and other peoples, in real life it would be impossible to have a conversation with someone sitting along side you jumping in and correcting your language, here it only helps! So ok great idea, a topic! I'll start with general interests like you suggested, but anyone can change the subject to whatever they're comfortable with. Let's make it as personal as possible! Even if that means running to the dictionary or making a lot of mistakes! And everyone try and respond to everyone else Mam ráda uměni a hudbu. Hraju klavír a kytara, když mam čas! Mam ráda [to draw] a vídim galerie* Student na uměni? Už nejsem! ** Učím anglíčtinu jen dobu. Učim se česky dva týdny. Proč? Protože chci bydlet v Česká republika.*** Proč? Protože jazyk je snadný. I like art and music. I play piano and guitar, when I have time! I like [to draw?] and look at galleries. (It should be "visit") Art student? I'm not anymore! I've been teaching English for a month. I've been teaching myself Czech for 2 weeks. Why? I want to live in (the) Czech Republic. Why? Because the language is easy. I'm kidding I'm kidding! It is very difficult! * Plural? Is there information online, or a thread here already, about plural rules someone could show me? (I can't remember the verb for visit.. I was learning it just yesterday!) **(This was hopefully a sensible and grammatical way of getting the point that I used to study art across without using the past tense.) ***Is that the correct use of the infinitive for "bydlet"?
I'm finding it very interesting too, not only getting to know about people, but also seeing my own and other learner's mistakes, and the feedback and comments from native Czech speakers is really helpful - thanks folks - it's the kind of discussion about the language I think we miss when we can't get to a language class. Polednikova, no, I'm not from Leyland, Manchester born and bred and still hovering about on the outskirts. Would like to move north though (Northumbria, Cumbria or Scotland), and still dream of travelling although it doesn't seem likely at the moment.
Don't underrate this magic word . "Vole" could mean "you stupid idiot", "you bloody bastard", but also "dude", "oh man". It is a common parasite word (Like the "like" you like so much. :twisted. And the phrase "ty vole" (or rather "tý vole") really means "wow". Well, maybe rather "holy shit". A little strange for us, since in the Czech understanding the music is a kind of art. (We don't use "art" for "fine art".) We use "hrát na něco" for playing instruments. Better: Ráda kreslím a prohlížím si galerie. There should be rather past tense for the "I've been". The plural rules are a part of the declension. navštívit/navštěvovat Maybe grammatical, but not the best style. But fine for a beginner. Yes!
Ahoj, Rebecco, máš pravdu a dobrý nápad. Indeed, conversation by topics would make things too artificial. Broader topics, as you suggested, work better. Well, as for me: Mám rád literaturu, sporty a hudbu. Čtu noviny a časopisy, ale radši knihy. Dívám se na televizi fotbal a hraju [?] si taekwondo. Poslouchám lidovou, rockovou a trochu clasickou hudbu. Mimochedem, Česká Republika má dobrá hudba. Znáš Karla Gotta? Zpivá píseň, která se jmenuje Rio de Janeiro, město v kterém bydlím já. [?] I'm in doubt of which verb to use... I want to say "practice", "train", or "attend classes of" ... Most of I've written I did not correct with dictionary or grammar... so, mus tbe some errors there, also, word order must be awful in some phrases. Na shledanou.:
Are you familiar with this little fella? He's a vole I assume it's two syllables vo-le, yes? A little strange for us, since in the Czech understanding the music is a kind of art. (We don't use "art" for "fine art".)[/quote] That happens in English two, Generally if you say Art then we think of the "Visual Arts" . But if you say "The Arts" We think music, theater, visual art etc. In academic terms "Arts" is often used in place of "The Humanities" E.g. What's course is she doing? -Arts Which subjects? -Geography and History, she will get her BA next year! Which course is he doing? - Art What does he do? - He sculpts people out of butter, he will be getting his BA next year too! So in Czech, how does someone say "I like art" when they mean visual art? na! I googled for some examples of it in Czech: Britney své fiasko na MTV obrečela. Obrečela? Better: Ráda kreslím a prohlížím si galerie. There should be rather past tense for the "I've been". Thanks for all your help!
Your vole (English) is lovely! It is vole, two syllables. But in another idiosyncracy of the Czech language, the nominative is actual vůl and this is one, albeit quite a pretty one! You'll also find the same change with dům = house or stůl = table/desk or, for hockey-lovers, hůl = stick.
Polednikova: It's impossible to tell if it's a real "vul" on that picture. I'm not sure if you know that, but when it comes to "vul" for an animal, "vul" means only "a castrated bull" in Czech (I found out that in English it could also mean "any member of the bovine family"). I think it should be "Ráda kreslím a chodím do galerií" or "Ráda kreslím a navštěvuji galerie". "Prohlížet si galerie" sounds more like "browsing picture galleries on the internet" or "sightseeing the actual building where the gallery is [with no focus on the art exhibited there]".
Mám taky rád literaturu. Kdo je tvoje* (your favorite) author? Znáš Milan Kundera? Od Brno ale bydlí ve Francii. Chci poslouchám český hudba. Vidím Karla Gotta v YouTube, jsta taky komik? Maté extra český hudba? *Firstly is that the right "your" to use grammatically? and secondly that's the "ty" form, I should still be using the "Vy" form so which is that? I also like literature. Do you know Milan Kundera? Who is your favorite author? From Brno but living in France. (I think!) I want to listen to Czech music. I see Karla Gotta on you tube, he is also a comic? Do you like more Czech music? (Here I'm asking for recommendations! ) Did you say earlier "He sings a song called Rio de Janeiro about the town where I live". That's great, I wonder do any Czech singers have songs about Cork.. It doesn't sound as interesting as Rio de Janeiro! "Corcaigh" the Irish word for it, is a little nicer. (pronounced in English phonetics, something like: Cor -kig )
Ah but in English a vole is a type of mouse! It rhymes with "Pole" and "Roll" Why would someone castrate a bull? :O I've never heard "vul" used to describe cattle, but I don't know much about cattle! Ah that's good to know. Thanks! In English we would just say "go to art galleries" .
"Why would someone castrate a bull? :O" oxes are calmer and more obidient than bulls, they were used to pull wagons etc..
Oh of course! I never made that connection between bulls and oxen before, no wonder they always seem so depressed! language point: Etcetera is Latin, is it used in Czech as well? Hee hee, I was baby sitting my friends little sister once and she asked me why women live longer than men. I forgot myself and said: "Because testosterone is a poison, it poisons your mind and it poisons your body." Oh dear.
I know a few humans I'd be willing to render as subjects. :wink: Afterall, my line of work is with abusive/neglective parents. kibicz, thanks for your version of my paragraph. I see I have such a long way to go. The only part of your version that may not represent my view is the word schopná; which translates on slovnik.cz as efficient. Even after two glasses of svařak, I can't speak Czech efficiently. 8)
I get the idea that, 'ty vole!', could be misconstrued. One of those phrases you have to be careful with I guess. Já jsem vůl...I am an idiot, ox vocative Ty vole....Hey you, idiot! Máme na tenhle forum pár zpívačů. Mimo hrat na klavír a kytaru, zpiváš také? Věř mi, pokud jsi bydlel někde, kde je teplo celý rok, potom snih ti bude cybět. Neznám spisovatele Milan Kundera? Jaké knihy píše?
"language point: Etcetera is Latin, is it used in Czech as well? " Do you mean "etc." ? No, we usualy use "atd.." abreviation of "a tak dále" = +- "And so far" schopná = able, capable..
