Where is a concise, clear English to Czech template for the correct form of Libit se? Ex. Peter likes swimming Peter likes Marie Marie likes me I like tennis The above examples should cover most uses.
Peter likes swimming - Petr rád plave (favorite activity) or Petr má rád plavání (as e.g. favorite kind of sport) or Petrovi se líbí plavání (Petr enjoys swimming) Peter likes Marie - Petr má rád Marii or Petrovi se líbí Marie (less emotional) Marie likes me - Marie mě má ráda or Marii se líbím I like tennis - mám rád tenis or tenis se mi líbí So, as you can see, it is not that easy .
:? Hello. I'm confused by "Marie likes me - Marii se libim." I would think that was "I like Marie". Why "libim" and not "libi"? Thanks!
"Libit se" literally means to be pleasing to (someone). Hence, "Marii se libim" could be literally translated, "I am pleasing to Marie." Of course, that sounds funny in English, so we just say, "Marie likes me." If you're familiar with Spanish, the verb "libi se mi/ti" is the exact same construct and meaning as "me/te gusta." Hence "Marie likes me" could be translated into Spanish as "Le gusto a Marie."
It is all about the position of words in Czech sentences. In English, the subject usually goes first, but in Czech, with all its declensions (denominating subject, object etc.), you can switch the position of words, actually changing the meaning of the sentence. So Marii se líbím (i.e. já) says Marie likes me, while there are other people who do not. Já se líbím Marii means Marie likes me while there are other people she does not like. Líbit se is a reflexive verb, followed by the object in dative (já se líbím Marii) or used in sentences of the type líbí se mi (dative) něco (nominative, i.e. formal subject of the sentence).
I'll just tuck in a question here, not about liking but missing as it seems to fit here... The expression: scházíš mi/nám (i/we miss you) seems to be used primarily for expressing regret/sorrow for a deceased person Have i got the right impression, or is the expression also used in less dire circumstances?
The expression scházíš mi/nám or chybíš mi/nám can be used in many other situations, e.g. addressing a person temporarily absent (from work, home), even somebody needed to complete a team, band, choir etc.
very cool how libit se works. I haven't started to learn Czech yet but this gives me some hope. I have taken 4 classes in Spanish so it is interesting to see the similarities in such vastly different languages!
usak--you are right-I too studied spanish. So, now learning cech, I also see the similarites I like studying cech, hard but fun. Keeps the mind sharp. You will get at least know part of this sentence. Semafor je zeleny.
