Nepodváděj!

It comes from the verb podvádět, which means to cheat, to deceive, or in some contexts to be unfaithful.

So:

• podvádět = to cheat / deceive
• nepodváděj = don’t cheat / don’t deceive

This form is made from the verb stem plus an imperative ending.

Ne- is the normal Czech negation prefix.

So:

• podváděj! = Cheat! / Be cheating! as a command
• nepodváděj! = Don’t cheat!

In Czech, negation is usually attached directly to the verb like this.

It is the 2nd person singular imperative.

That means it is used when speaking directly to one person that you address informally, like:

• a friend
• a child
• a classmate
• someone you know well

So Nepodváděj! means Don’t cheat! when said to one person informally.

You would use Nepodvádějte!

Compare:

• Nepodváděj! = don’t cheat! (one person, informal)
• Nepodvádějte! = don’t cheat! (plural or formal singular)

This is a very important Czech distinction. English has just you, but Czech changes the verb form depending on whether you are speaking informally to one person or formally / to several people.

Because Czech usually leaves out subject pronouns when they are not needed.

The verb form itself already shows who the command is aimed at.

So Czech normally says just:

• Nepodváděj!

rather than:

• Ty nepodváděj!

Adding ty is possible, but it gives extra emphasis, something like You—don’t cheat!

That is part of how the imperative is formed for this verb.

The dictionary form is podvádět, and the imperative singular is:

• podváděj!

Then with negation:

• nepodváděj!

Many Czech verbs in -at / -ávat / -ět form the imperative with endings like -ej / -ěj / -ejte / -ějte, though the exact pattern depends on the verb. So this is something learners often have to get used to as a verb pattern rather than trying to translate it directly from English.

Podvádět is the imperfective verb. Its perfective partner is usually podvést.

In commands like Don’t cheat!, Czech very often uses the imperfective to express a general prohibition or to tell someone not to engage in that behavior.

So:

• Nepodváděj! = don’t cheat / stop cheating / don’t be cheating

This sounds natural for a general warning or instruction.

A perfective negative imperative can exist in Czech with some verbs, but in a sentence like this, the imperfective is the normal choice.

No. It has a wider range of meanings.

Depending on context, podvádět can mean:

• to cheat in a game or test
• to deceive someone
• to be unfaithful in a relationship

So Nepodváděj! could mean:

• Don’t cheat!
• Don’t deceive me!
• Don’t be unfaithful!

The exact meaning depends on the situation.

Roughly:

NE-po-dvaa-dyey

A few helpful points:

• Czech stress is almost always on the first syllable, so: NEpodváděj
• á is a long vowel, so it is held longer than a short a
• dě is not pronounced like plain de; the ě softens the preceding d
• j is pronounced like English y in yes

So the ending -děj sounds roughly like dyey.

There are two important marks here:

• á = a long a sound
• ě = an e-type sound that also affects the preceding consonant

In podváděj:

• á tells you the vowel is long
• dě is pronounced differently from plain de because ě softens the d

These marks are not optional in standard Czech spelling. They are part of the word.

By itself, it is a normal direct command. Its tone depends a lot on context and voice.

It can sound:

• neutral: a teacher warning a student
• firm: a parent scolding a child
• emotional: someone accusing a partner or friend

Commands in Czech are often more direct than in English, so whether it feels rude depends on who says it and how. If you want to sound softer, Czech often uses other phrasing, such as adding polite wording or changing the sentence structure.

Yes, very often it can.

Negative imperfective imperatives in Czech can express both:

• don’t do that
• stop doing that

So Nepodváděj! can mean either:

• Don’t cheat! if the action has not started yet, or
• Stop cheating! if the person is already doing it

The context tells you which one is meant.