Děkuji za jídlo.

to thank

Breakdown of Děkuji za jídlo.

• za: for
• jídlo: the food

Questions & Answers about Děkuji za jídlo.

How do you pronounce Děkuji?

The ď in Děkuji is pronounced similarly to the dy sound in "during," but made a bit softer. The ě modifies the preceding consonant to a soft or palatalized sound. So overall, Děkuji sounds like dyeh-kooyee.

Why do we use za in Děkuji za jídlo rather than something like pro?

In Czech, za often means for when expressing gratitude or thanks. Pro also translates to for, but in this context (thanking someone), za is the standard choice. Think of it as "Thank you for the meal."

Is there an informal way to say Děkuji za jídlo?

Yes. You might say Díky za jídlo. Díky is an informal way to say "Thanks." It's perfectly acceptable among friends and family, but in more formal situations, stick to Děkuji.

Does Děkuji literally mean something like "I thank"?

Exactly. Děkuji comes from the verb děkovat (to thank). Grammatically, it's the first-person singular form, so it literally means I thank, but it functions as Thank you in everyday speech.

Can I change za jídlo to something else if I'm thanking for a different thing?

Absolutely. You can replace jídlo with whatever you're grateful for. For example, Děkuji za pomoc (Thank you for the help), Děkuji za pozvání (Thank you for the invitation), and so on. The pattern remains the same: Děkuji za [what you are thanking for].