This is a lookup page — a cheat sheet you can come back to whenever you're unsure which case a preposition governs. The explanations and examples for each group live on the per-case pages linked below; here the goal is a single, scannable map. The one habit this page is meant to build is the one that matters most in Czech: memorize every preposition together with its case as a chunk. Not "do means into," but "do + genitive." The case is half the word.
Genitive prepositions
The largest group. These cover origin, absence, position-near, and a cluster of "relational" meanings. Full treatment: genitive prepositions.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| do | into, until | do domu (into the house) |
| z / ze | out of, from | z Prahy (from Prague) |
| od / ode | away from, since | od rána (since morning) |
| bez / beze | without | bez cukru (without sugar) |
| u | at, by, at someone's | u babičky (at grandma's) |
| vedle | next to | vedle školy (next to the school) |
| kolem | around, past | kolem domu (around the house) |
| podle | according to, along | podle mě (in my view) |
| místo | instead of | místo kávy (instead of coffee) |
| kromě | except, besides | kromě mě (except me) |
| během | during | během dne (during the day) |
Přijel jsem z Brna bez peněz.
I arrived from Brno without any money. (z + genitive, bez + genitive)
Kavárna je hned vedle nádraží.
The café is right next to the station. (vedle + genitive)
Dative prepositions
A small, high-value group centred on direction-toward and cause. Full treatment: dative prepositions.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| k / ke / ku | towards, to (a person) | k lékaři (to the doctor) |
| proti | against, opposite | proti válce (against the war) |
| kvůli | because of, for the sake of | kvůli tobě (because of you) |
| díky | thanks to | díky tobě (thanks to you) |
| vůči | towards, in relation to | vůči ostatním (towards others) |
Zítra jdu k zubaři kvůli bolesti.
Tomorrow I'm going to the dentist because of the pain. (k + dative, kvůli + dative)
Díky mamince jsem to zvládl.
Thanks to my mum, I managed it. (díky + dative)
Accusative-only prepositions
The truly single-case accusative prepositions are few — most of the frequent "accusative" prepositions (na, za, o, před…) are really two-case ones that appear again at the bottom. These take only the accusative, always. Full treatment: accusative prepositions.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pro | for (the benefit of) | pro tebe (for you) |
| skrz / skrze | through | skrz zeď (through the wall) |
| mimo | outside, apart from | mimo město (out of town) |
| přes | across, over, despite | přes most (across the bridge) |
Ten dárek je pro tebe.
That present is for you. (pro + accusative)
Šli jsme přes most a mimo centrum.
We went across the bridge and out of the centre. (přes + accusative, mimo + accusative)
Locative-only prepositions
The locative never appears without a preposition, so this list is also the complete inventory of what can trigger a locative — apart from the two-case na, v, o in their static senses. Při is the only one that is locative and nothing else. Full treatment: locative prepositions.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| při | during, at, near | při obědě (during lunch) |
| po | after, along, all over | po obědě (after lunch) |
| o (topic) | about | o filmu (about the film) |
| na (static) | on, at | na stole (on the table) |
| v / ve (static) | in | v domě (in the house) |
Of these, při is fixed-locative; po is effectively locative in everyday use; and o, na, v are the two-case prepositions doing their static (locative) job — they flip to the accusative for motion or idiom, as the last section shows.
Při obědě jsme mluvili o práci.
Over lunch we talked about work. (při + locative, o + locative)
Po přednášce jdeme na kávu.
After the lecture we're going for coffee. (po + locative; na + accusative for the goal)
Instrumental-only prepositions
Just one preposition is instrumental and nothing else: s (with). The other "instrumental" prepositions (před, nad, pod, za, mezi) are two-case and take the instrumental only in their static sense — they appear again below. Full treatment: instrumental prepositions.
| Preposition | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| s / se | with (accompaniment) | s kamarádem (with a friend) |
Jdu do kina s kamarádem.
I'm going to the cinema with a friend. (s + instrumental)
Two-case prepositions
Here the case is deliberately variable — it encodes motion (accusative) versus rest (locative or instrumental). This is the one place where "one preposition = one case" breaks down on purpose. Two dedicated pages drill each half: the locative set (na, v, o, za) and the instrumental set (nad, pod, před, za, mezi).
| Preposition | Motion (accusative) | Rest (locative / instrumental) |
|---|---|---|
| na | na stůl — onto the table | na stole — on the table (locative) |
| v / ve | věřit v Boha — believe in (idiom) | v domě — in the house (locative) |
| o | o hlavu vyšší — a head taller (measure) | o filmu — about the film (locative) |
| před | přede mě — to in front of me | přede mnou — in front of me (instrumental) |
| nad | nad les — up above the forest | nad lesem — above the forest (instrumental) |
| pod | pod stůl — under the table | pod stolem — under the table (instrumental) |
| za | za roh — around the corner | za rohem — behind the corner (instrumental) |
| mezi | mezi nás — in between us | mezi námi — between us (instrumental) |
The whole two-case set answers the same two questions: kam? (where to → accusative) versus kde? (where at → locative for na/v/o, instrumental for před/nad/pod/za/mezi). For the underlying theory, see prepositions that take two cases.
Common mistakes
❌ Jdu do dům.
Incorrect — do governs the genitive; the noun must become domu.
✅ Jdu do domu.
I'm going into the house.
❌ Píšu s tužkou.
Incorrect — the tool (means) is a bare instrumental with no preposition: tužkou.
✅ Píšu tužkou.
I write with a pencil.
❌ Byl jsem na koncert.
Incorrect — 'being at' is rest, so static na takes the locative: na koncertě.
✅ Byl jsem na koncertě.
I was at the concert.
❌ Jdu k lékaře.
Incorrect — k governs the dative; lékař becomes lékaři.
✅ Jdu k lékaři.
I'm going to the doctor.
❌ Ten dárek je pro tebou.
Incorrect — pro takes the accusative (tebe), not the instrumental.
✅ Ten dárek je pro tebe.
That present is for you.
Key takeaways
- Memorize each preposition with its case as a single chunk — the case is half the word.
- Genitive: do, z, od, bez, u, vedle, kolem, podle, místo, kromě, během.
- Dative: k, proti, kvůli, díky, vůči.
- Accusative-only: pro, skrz, mimo, přes.
- Locative-only: při (plus po, and static o/na/v).
- Instrumental-only: s (accompaniment; the tool/means is a bare instrumental).
- Two-case (na, v, o, za, před, nad, pod, mezi): accusative for motion, locative or instrumental for rest.
Now practice Czech
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Start learning Czech→Related Topics
- Prepositions with the Genitive: do, z, od, bez, uA1 — The five highest-frequency genitive-governing prepositions and the fine meaning distinctions English collapses into 'to' and 'from'.
- Prepositions with the Dative: k, proti, kvůli, díkyA2 — Dative-governing prepositions for direction toward, opposition, and cause.
- Prepositions with the Accusative: pro, za, skrz, mimoA2 — Accusative-governing prepositions for purpose, price, and passage.
- Prepositions with the Locative: v, na, o, po, přiA1 — The locative-governing prepositions and the only Czech case you can never use without a preposition.
- Prepositions with the Instrumental: s, před, za, nad, pod, meziA2 — Instrumental-governing prepositions for accompaniment and static position.
- Two-Case Prepositions: na, v, o, za with Accusative vs LocativeB2 — How na, v, o, and za change meaning depending on whether they take accusative or locative.
- Two-Case Prepositions: nad, pod, před, za, mezi with Accusative vs InstrumentalB2 — Spatial prepositions that take accusative for motion and instrumental for position.
- Prepositions Sorted by CaseB2 — A master reference grouping the common prepositions under the case each one governs.