Breakdown of Když se chci učit, píšu si v knize poznámky.
Questions & Answers about Když se chci učit, píšu si v knize poznámky.
In Czech, a comma is normally used between a subordinate clause and the main clause.
- Když se chci učit = subordinate clause (when I want to study/learn)
- píšu si v knize poznámky = main clause (I write notes in the book)
Czech grammar requires a comma to separate these two clauses, so you write:
- Když se chci učit, píšu si v knize poznámky.
Even if in English you might sometimes omit the comma in similar sentences, in Czech it is standard and expected here.
Se is a reflexive pronoun that is part of the verb phrase učit se (to learn, literally to teach oneself).
- učit on its own means to teach (someone else).
- učit se means to learn / to study (for yourself).
So in když se chci učit, the se belongs to učit se. It does not mean myself in a way you can translate directly word‑for‑word; it’s just how the verb to learn is formed in Czech.
They are different verbs:
- učit = to teach (transitive, you teach someone):
- Učím děti angličtinu. – I teach children English.
- učit se = to learn / to study (reflexive, you learn yourself):
- Učím se česky. – I am learning Czech.
In the sentence Když se chci učit, you are talking about your own learning, so you must use učit se, not učit.
In Czech, reflexive pronouns se / si usually come right after the conjugated verb, not at the very end of the verb phrase.
- Conjugated verb: chci
- Infinitive: učit (se)
The standard word order is:
- chci se učit (I want to learn)
Chci učit se sounds unnatural and is generally incorrect in modern Czech. The reflexive se wants to stay close to the main (conjugated) verb chci.
Czech usually drops subject pronouns unless you need to emphasize or clarify.
- The verb form píšu is 1st person singular present tense of psát (to write).
- Because the ending clearly shows the subject, já is not necessary.
So:
- (Já) píšu si v knize poznámky. – já is optional.
- You say já píšu… if you want to emphasize I (as opposed to someone else).
Si is another reflexive pronoun, this time in the dative case. It often adds the nuance for myself / for my own benefit.
- píšu poznámky – I write notes (neutral).
- píšu si poznámky – I write myself notes / I make notes for myself.
In English you usually don’t say I write myself notes in everyday speech, but in Czech píšu si poznámky is very natural and common. It highlights that the action is for your own use.
Yes, grammatically you can say:
- Píšu v knize poznámky.
This still means I write notes in the book, but it loses the nuance of for myself.
- píšu si poznámky – natural, typical when you mean I’m taking notes (for myself).
- píšu poznámky – more neutral, can sound slightly more formal or impersonal.
Both are correct; si just adds the personal, self‑oriented flavor.
V knize is:
- Preposition v (in)
- Noun kniha in locative singular: (v) knize
In Czech, many prepositions require a particular case. V with the meaning in (somewhere) usually takes the locative case.
So you have:
- nominative (dictionary form): kniha (a book)
- locative (after v when meaning in): v knize (in the book)
You cannot say v kniha in standard Czech; the noun must change form according to the case.
Both are possible, but they mean different things:
- v knize (locative) = in the book (location, where the notes are)
- Píšu si v knize poznámky. – I write notes in the book.
- do knihy (genitive after do) = into the book (direction, movement to inside)
- Píšu si poznámky do knihy. – I am writing notes into the book.
In practice, both can describe writing notes in a book, but:
- v knize focuses on the place where the notes exist.
- do knihy focuses more on the movement of writing them into it.
In your sentence, v knize is perfectly natural and common.
Píšu is the 1st person singular present tense of the verb psát (to write).
The full present tense forms are:
- já píšu – I write
- ty píšeš – you (sg.) write
- on/ona/ono píše – he/she/it writes
- my píšeme – we write
- vy píšete – you (pl./formal) write
- oni píšou / píší – they write
So píšu is the correct, standard form for I write. Písi is not a valid form.
You can say Když chci studovat, píšu si v knize poznámky, and it is correct.
The nuance:
- učit se = learn, study (often a bit more general, can be used for learning a skill, a language, etc.)
- Učím se česky.
- studovat = to study, often in a more formal or academic sense, or be enrolled in a field of study
- Studuju medicínu. – I study medicine (at university).
In everyday talk about doing homework or learning from a book, učit se is very common and neutral. Studovat can sound a bit more formal or academic, but in this sentence both are fine and both will be understood as when I want to study.
You can say both, but they suggest slightly different things:
- poznámky (plural) = notes
- píšu si poznámky – I take notes (more than one, in general).
- poznámku (singular accusative) = a note
- píšu si poznámku – I write a note (one specific note).
In the context of studying, we usually talk about taking notes in general, so the plural poznámky is more natural.
If you drop když, the meaning changes.
Když se chci učit, píšu si v knize poznámky.
= When I want to learn, I write notes in the book. (conditional, time‑based relation)Chci se učit, píšu si v knize poznámky.
Literally: I want to learn, I write notes in the book.
This sounds like two separate statements put next to each other, not a clear when… then… relationship.
So if you want to express the idea whenever I want to learn, I take notes, you need když.
Czech word order is more flexible than English, but not completely free. In this sentence, you can move some parts, but you must keep:
- když at the beginning of the subordinate clause.
- Reflexive pronouns se / si close to their verbs.
Some acceptable variations:
- Když se chci učit, poznámky si píšu v knize. (emphasis on poznámky)
- Když se chci učit, v knize si píšu poznámky. (emphasis on in the book)
But forms like:
- Když chci se učit…
- Píšu v knize si poznámky…
sound wrong or at least very unnatural. The given word order is natural and neutral.