jít / chodit — to go on foot (determinate / indeterminate) | Czech Grammar

Czech does not have one verb for "to go on foot." It has two: jít and chodit. They are not an aspect pair (both are imperfective) — they are a determinate / indeterminate pair, a distinction Slavic languages keep that English threw away centuries ago. jít is determinate: one specific trip, in one direction, usually right now. chodit is indeterminate: walking that is habitual, repeated, or made up of round trips. Pick the wrong one and your sentence is grammatical but means something you didn't intend. This page conjugates both in full and shows exactly when each is required.

The core distinction in one line

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jít = this trip, now, one way (Jdu do školy — I'm on my way to school right now). chodit = the habit (Chodím do školy — I go to / attend school, in general). The tense is the same; only the determinacy differs. English collapses both into "I go," which is why learners never think to choose.

Jdu do školy, mám tam za chvíli zkoušku.

I'm on my way to school, I've got an exam there in a bit.

Chodím do školy na Smíchově.

I go to a school in Smíchov (that's where I'm a student).

The first sentence is a single journey happening now. The second states a standing fact about your life — it says nothing about whether you are walking anywhere at this moment.

jít — determinate (one trip, now)

jít is one of the most irregular verbs in the language. The present stem is jd-; the past is suppletive (a different root, š-); and the future is not built with budu but with the fused prefix po-.

Person	Present	Future
já	jdu	půjdu
ty	jdeš	půjdeš
on / ona / ono	jde	půjde
my	jdeme	půjdeme
vy	jdete	půjdete
oni / ony	jdou	půjdou

Past (l-participle)	Imperative
šel (m), šla (f), šlo (n)	jdi (ty)
šli (m anim.), šly (f), šla (n)	jděme (let's) / jděte (vy)

Watch three traps: the future půjdu carries the ring ů (the present has plain jdu); the past masculine singular is the only form that keeps an -e- (šel, versus šla, šli, šly); and the everyday "let's go / come on" is the suppletive pojď / pojďme, not the bookish jděme.

Zrovna jdu do obchodu, nepotřebuješ něco?

I'm just heading to the shop, do you need anything?

Večer půjdeme na pivo, přidáš se?

We're going for a beer tonight, will you join us?

Včera jsem šel domů pěšky, bylo hezky.

Yesterday I walked home, the weather was nice (male speaker).

Jdi se podívat, kdo to zvoní.

Go and see who's ringing the bell.

chodit — indeterminate (habitual, repeated, round trips)

chodit is a regular Class IV (-í-) verb with a fully predictable paradigm. Because it is imperfective and indeterminate, its future is the ordinary budu + infinitive.

Person	Present	Future
já	chodím	budu chodit
ty	chodíš	budeš chodit
on / ona / ono	chodí	bude chodit
my	chodíme	budeme chodit
vy	chodíte	budete chodit
oni / ony	chodí	budou chodit

Past (l-participle)	Imperative
chodil (m), chodila (f), chodilo (n)	choď (ty)
chodili (m anim.), chodily (f), chodila (n)	choďme (let's) / choďte (vy)

The trigger words for chodit are the adverbs of frequency: každý den (every day), vždycky (always), často (often), nikdy (never), třikrát týdně (three times a week). Any of them forces the indeterminate verb.

Každé ráno chodím se psem ven.

Every morning I take the dog out.

Naše děti chodí do školy hned za rohem.

Our kids go to a school right around the corner.

Choď opatrně, na chodníku je náledí.

Walk carefully, there's ice on the pavement.

Jako malý jsem chodil na plavání.

As a kid I used to go to swimming lessons (male speaker).

Notice that last past form: chodil jsem describes a repeated childhood habit, while šel jsem would describe one particular walk. The determinacy distinction survives into the past tense untouched.

chodit s někým — to be dating someone

One idiom is worth memorizing on its own. chodit s + instrumental means "to go out with / to be dating" someone. The literal "walk with" has hardened into the standard way Czechs talk about a romantic relationship. It only works with the indeterminate chodit — a relationship is by nature an ongoing, repeated state, never a single trip.

Spolužačka chodí s mým bráchou už půl roku.

My classmate has been dating my brother for half a year now.

Chodíš s někým?

Are you seeing anyone?

By contrast, jít s + instrumental keeps its literal meaning of accompanying someone on one occasion: Jdeš dnes večer se mnou na večeři? asks about tonight, not about a relationship.

Common Mistakes

❌ Každý den jdu do práce.

Incorrect — a daily habit needs the indeterminate chodit, not jít.

✅ Každý den chodím do práce.

I go to work every day.

❌ Teď chodím do kina.

Incorrect — for one trip happening now, use the determinate jít.

✅ Teď jdu do kina.

I'm going to the cinema right now.

❌ Zítra budu jít na trh.

Incorrect — jít never forms its future with budu.

✅ Zítra půjdu na trh.

Tomorrow I'll go to the market.

❌ Často jsem šel do divadla.

Incorrect — a repeated past habit (often) needs the indeterminate chodit.

✅ Často jsem chodil do divadla.

I often used to go to the theatre (male speaker).

❌ Chodíš dnes večer se mnou na koncert?

Incorrect for a one-off invitation — chodit s means dating; use jít for tonight's outing.

✅ Jdeš dnes večer se mnou na koncert?

Are you coming with me to the concert tonight?

Key Takeaways

jít = one trip, one direction, now; chodit = habitual, repeated, round trips. Both are imperfective.
Frequency adverbs (každý den, často, vždycky) force chodit; a single "now / tomorrow" trip takes jít.
jít is irregular: present jdu, suppletive past šel / šla, prefixed future půjdu. chodit is a regular Class IV verb with a budu chodit future.
chodit s
- instrumental = "to be dating"; jít s
  - instrumental = "to go with someone (this once)."

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