Genitive Prepositions of Position: u, vedle, naproti, blízko, daleko od | Czech Grammar

To say where something sits in relation to a landmark — by the window, at the doctor's, opposite the station, near the centre, far from town — Czech reaches for a small set of prepositions that all share one feature: the landmark noun goes into the genitive. The star of the group is u, one of the highest-frequency prepositions in the language. This page focuses on u and the proximity words that orbit it; for vedle, kolem, místo, kromě, uprostřed see more genitive prepositions.

u — by, at, right next to

u + genitive means right by or at the location of something. Think of it as marking the spot where you'd find a thing: at the window, by the sea, at the cinema entrance.

Stůl stojí u okna, máme odtud hezký výhled.

The table is by the window, we have a nice view from here. (okno → okna)

Strávili jsme celý týden u moře.

We spent the whole week by the sea. (moře → moře)

Sejdeme se u kina v sedm, ano?

Let's meet by the cinema at seven, OK? (kino → kina)

Počkej na mě u východu.

Wait for me by the exit. (východ → východu)

u also means "at someone's place"

This is the single most useful idiom built on u, and you'll hear it constantly. u + a person (in the genitive) means at that person's place, premises, or home — what English handles with the possessive 's ("at grandma's," "at the doctor's"). Notice how neatly the English 's lines up with the Czech genitive.

O víkendu jsme byli u babičky.

We were at grandma's over the weekend. (babička → babičky)

Teď jsem u doktora, zavolám ti potom.

I'm at the doctor's right now, I'll call you later. (doktor → doktora)

Sejdeme se u nás, nebo u vás?

Shall we meet at our place or yours?

Po vysoké ještě bydlel u rodičů.

After university he still lived at his parents' place. (rodiče → rodičů)

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The "at someone's place" pattern covers all the everyday errands: u doktora (at the doctor's), u zubaře (at the dentist's), u kadeřníka (at the hairdresser's). The person's job title goes in the genitive, and it always means "at their premises."

u vs k: staying put vs heading there

Here is the split that English hides. English uses to and at almost interchangeably ("I'm going to the doctor's" / "I'm at the doctor's"), but Czech forces a choice. u + genitive is static — you are already there. k + dative is motion toward — you are on your way. Mixing them is a classic mistake.

Celé odpoledne jsem byl u babičky.

I was at grandma's all afternoon. (static → u + genitive)

Zítra jedu k babičce na oběd.

Tomorrow I'm going to grandma's for lunch. (motion → k + dative)

For the full k picture, see do vs k.

u vs vedle vs od

Three nearby ideas, three different words. u marks the spot you'd find something (close, the reference point). vedle means immediately beside, side by side. od means away from — a source or a distance.

Sedím u okna a piju čaj.

I'm sitting at the window drinking tea. (my seat is at the window)

Lampa stojí vedle postele.

The lamp stands next to the bed. (right beside it)

Bydlíme kousek od centra.

We live a short way from the centre. (away from → od)

naproti — opposite (the dative exception)

Be honest with yourself about naproti: it is the odd one out on this page. In standard Czech naproti governs the dative, not the genitive — even though it feels like a positional preposition. You will hear the genitive in casual speech, but the dative is the correct, neutral choice.

Seděl jsem naproti tobě celou cestu.

I sat opposite you the whole journey. (dative: tobě)

Naproti nádraží je nová kavárna.

There's a new café opposite the station. (nádraží — dative)

Banka je hned naproti škole.

The bank is right opposite the school. (dative: škole)

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Make naproti + dative your default: naproti tobě, naproti škole, naproti kostelu. Every other preposition on this page takes the genitive — naproti is the lone exception, so flag it in your memory.

blízko and daleko od — near and far

blízko + genitive means near. For the opposite, Czech doesn't have a one-word preposition; it uses the adverb daleko plus od + genitive: daleko od = far from.

Bydlíme blízko centra, všude je to pěšky.

We live near the centre, everything is walkable. (centrum → centra)

Je to blízko nádraží, najdeš to hned.

It's near the station, you'll find it easily. (nádraží → nádraží)

Ta vesnice leží daleko od města.

That village lies far from the town. (město → města)

Nový byt mají daleko od nás.

Their new flat is far from us.

You'll also meet stranou (od) — off to the side of — though it's less common and a touch literary: Chalupa stojí trochu stranou od cesty ("The cottage stands a little off to the side of the road").

The English "at" trap

English at is a single word that maps onto four different Czech constructions depending on context. This is why learners overuse u: they reach for it every time they'd say "at."

English	Czech	Why
at the doctor's	u doktora	u + genitive (someone's place)
by the window	u okna	u + genitive (right by)
at the station	na nádraží	na + locative (open/surface place)
at school	ve škole	v + locative (enclosed institution)
at home	doma	fixed adverb, no preposition

For the na vs v half of this puzzle, see v vs na for places.

Common Mistakes

❌ Jsem na doktora.

Incorrect — 'at the doctor's' is u doktora, not na.

✅ Jsem u doktora.

I'm at the doctor's.

❌ Bydlíme blízko centrum.

Incorrect — blízko takes the genitive: centrum → centra.

✅ Bydlíme blízko centra.

We live near the centre.

❌ Sejdeme se u kino.

Incorrect — u takes the genitive: kino → kina.

✅ Sejdeme se u kina.

Let's meet by the cinema.

❌ Čekám k východu.

Incorrect — standing and waiting is static, so it's u (k is for motion toward).

✅ Čekám u východu.

I'm waiting by the exit.

❌ Bydlí u naši dům.

Incorrect — u governs the genitive of the whole phrase: u našeho domu.

✅ Bydlí u našeho domu.

He lives by our house.

Key Takeaways

u, blízko, daleko od, stranou all take the genitive on the landmark noun.
u = by / at the spot of (u okna) and, crucially, at someone's place (u babičky, u doktora).
u is static; k
- dative is motion toward — don't swap them.
naproti is the exception: it takes the dative (naproti škole).
English at splits across u, na, v and the adverb doma — pick by context, not by habit.

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