Conveying sympathy formally...

Discussion in 'Vocabulary & Translation Help' started by student, Mar 13, 2010.

  1. student

    student New Member

    Alright, I admit it, I am a lousy student of Czech.

    I have a delightful Czech tutor that I meet with once a week and we have great conversations in Czech together, talking about family life in Czechoslovakia in the '80s, and the changing landscape of Europe.

    However, I'm who lives in the States with limited access to real Czech conversational practice, so as you can imagine, tend to butcher the language incessantly. (I'm getting better, but my incompetence is part of the fun, I think my tutor enjoys how I'm always abusing Czech by either experimenting with how to stretch it or trying to express myself using English syntax: She often says to me "Stop speaking English" when I insist on use too much English word order.)

    Anyway, I just found out that my Czech tutor's husband has died. This is where I'm a lousy student: I love getting lost in the semantics and idioms of the Czech language, I want to send her a sympathy card, but I don't want my note to be in my comic, butchered check. I want it to be in a decent, literate style that conveys gravity.

    Though I could write these in colloquial Czech, I'd like someone's help please. I want to make sure that the card I send properly conveys the correct level of formality at such a serious time.

    I am thinking of you during this [ difficult or sad] time.

    My thoughts and hearts are with you,

    Affectionately.


    (I can write all of these, but I won't because I find myself laughing at my own expression when I see what I've written.)

    Thanks!
     
  2. Alexx

    Alexx Well-Known Member

    Jsem s Tebou/Vámi v této těžké a smutné době.

    Mé srdce a myšlenky jsou s Tebou/Vámi.


    See following, you might find something you'd like to use:

    http://www.pohreb.cz/clanky/?text=15-ko ... ne-s-citem
    http://www.sms-prani.cz/sms-prani/5/kondolence
    http://www.zbynekmlcoch.cz/info/etiketa ... lovat.html


    "Upřímnou soustrast" is always good to say/write.
     
  3. student

    student New Member

    Thank you Alexx!

    I really appreciate your help and the great links.

    (Now I just got to get the courage up to write in Czech on this website instead of just lurking!)
     

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