Prepositions That Take the Accusative | Czech Grammar

The accusative is the case of the direct object, but a set of prepositions also governs it — and several of them translate into the same English word, for, which is exactly why they trip learners up. The trick is to stop matching English prepositions and start matching meanings. This page sorts out pro, na, o, za, přes, skrz and mimo, and pays special attention to the for family (pro vs za) and to the fact that na for events is accusative. The accusative answers koho? co? (whom? what?).

The accusative prepositions at a glance

Preposition	Core meaning	Example
pro	for (a recipient); to fetch	dárek pro tebe (a gift for you)
na	onto; to (an event); for (a purpose)	jdu na koncert (I'm going to a concert)
za	in exchange for; in (a time); behind (motion)	za hodinu (in an hour)
o	for (after asking verbs); by (a difference)	žádat o pomoc (ask for help)
přes	across, over, via	přes most (across the bridge)
skrz	through (physical)	skrz zeď (through the wall)
mimo	past, outside, except	mimo město (outside the city)

Note straight away that na, o and za are two-case prepositions: they take the accusative in one meaning and a different case in another. The accusative meanings are the "motion / direction / striving" ones; the locative or instrumental meanings are the "static location" ones. That split has its own page, on the na/o/za two-case contrast.

pro: for a recipient — and "to fetch"

Pro + accusative marks the person or purpose something is intended for:

Tady máš malý dárek pro tebe.

Here's a little gift for you.

Udělala jsem to pro děti, ne pro sebe.

I did it for the children, not for myself.

A second, very Czech use of pro is to go and fetch something — pro points at what you are going to collect:

Skoč prosím dolů pro chleba.

Run down and get some bread, would you. (informal)

na: events, activities, and direction are accusative

This is the use English speakers forget. When na marks a destination, an event, or an activity you head off to, it takes the accusative (motion towards), not the locative:

Večer jdeme na koncert.

We're going to a concert tonight. (koncert, accusative)

Nemám hlad, ale klidně bych zašel na pivo.

I'm not hungry, but I'd happily go out for a beer. (na pivo, accusative)

Strašně se těším na víkend.

I'm really looking forward to the weekend. (těšit se na + accusative)

Čekám na autobus už dvacet minut.

I've been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes. (čekat na + accusative)

Compare na poštu (to the post office — accusative, you're heading there) with na poště (at the post office — locative, you're there). Same preposition, different case, different meaning.

za: in exchange, and "in X time"

Za + accusative has two everyday senses you will use constantly. First, in exchange for / in return for — prices, thanks, rewards:

Koupil jsem to kolo za tři tisíce.

I bought that bike for three thousand. (za + accusative)

Moc ti děkuju za pomoc.

Thanks so much for your help. (děkovat za + accusative)

Second — and this surprises everyone — za + accusative expresses in a span of time, looking forward:

Vrátím se za hodinu.

I'll be back in an hour.

Za týden máme svatbu.

We're getting married in a week.

pro vs za: two words for English "for"

Because both pro and za can render for, learners pick the wrong one. The distinction is clean once stated: pro = the intended recipient/beneficiary; za = in exchange or in someone's place. The same English sentence splits in two:

Udělal jsem to pro tebe.

I did it for you. (for your benefit — you gain from it)

Udělal jsem to za tebe.

I did it for you. (in your place — instead of you)

💡

When English says for, ask which one you mean. Beneficiary → pro (dárek pro tebe). In exchange / a price / gratitude → za (děkuju za, platit za). Waiting or longing → na (čekat na, těšit se na). Requesting → o (žádat o, prosit o). Never choose the preposition from the English word alone.

o: requesting, and difference by an amount

In its accusative use, o appears after verbs of asking and striving, and to express a difference of degree:

Musím tě poprosit o radu.

I have to ask you for advice. (prosit o + accusative)

Neboj se o mě, zvládnu to.

Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. (bát se o + accusative)

Je o hlavu vyšší než jeho bratr.

He's a head taller than his brother. (vyšší o hlavu)

Keep this o + accusative apart from o + locative, which expresses the topic of speaking or thinking (mluvit o filmu — talk about a film). That topic-o is covered on the locative of topic page.

přes, skrz, mimo

Přes + accusative is across / over / via; skrz + accusative is the more physical through; mimo + accusative is past / outside / except:

Musíš přejít přes ten most.

You have to cross over that bridge. (přes most)

Všichni přišli včas, mimo Petra.

Everyone came on time, except Petr. (mimo + accusative)

Common mistakes

❌ Děkuju ti pro pomoc.

Incorrect — gratitude takes 'za', not 'pro' (English 'for' misleads here).

✅ Děkuju ti za pomoc.

Thanks for your help. (děkovat za + accusative)

❌ Čekám pro autobus.

Incorrect — 'wait for' is 'čekat na', not 'pro'.

✅ Čekám na autobus.

I'm waiting for the bus. (čekat na + accusative)

❌ Koupil jsem to dárek za tebe.

Incorrect — a gift meant for you is 'pro tebe'; 'za tebe' means 'instead of you'.

✅ Koupil jsem ten dárek pro tebe.

I bought that gift for you. (pro = beneficiary)

❌ Prosím tě o radě.

Incorrect — 'prosit o' takes the accusative (radu), not the locative.

✅ Prosím tě o radu.

I'm asking you for advice. (o + accusative radu)

❌ Vrátím se v hodinu.

Incorrect — 'in an hour' (from now) is 'za hodinu', not 'v'.

✅ Vrátím se za hodinu.

I'll be back in an hour. (za + accusative)

Key takeaways

The accusative prepositions are pro, na, o, za, přes, skrz, mimo — but na, o, za also take other cases in other meanings.
The accusative meanings are the motion / direction / striving ones: na koncert (to an event), o radu (asking for), za hodinu (in an hour).
English for splits: pro (beneficiary), za (in exchange / instead of), na (waiting, longing), o (requesting). Match the meaning, not the word.
na for events and activities is the accusative (jdu na oběd), one English speakers routinely forget.
Keep o + accusative (asking, difference) apart from o + locative (topic of speech/thought).

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