Breakdown of Pojď dál a sedni si, dnes máme čas.
Questions & Answers about Pojď dál a sedni si, dnes máme čas.
In Czech, pojď (2nd person singular imperative of jít / jít si with prefix po-) is the standard way to invite or urge someone to move somewhere, and it covers both English come and go, depending on context.
- Pojď dál literally: Go further
- Pragmatic meaning: Come in / Come on in
Czech does not make the same strict come vs. go distinction that English does. Pojď + adverb/preposition simply means move to this place / to that place / further, and in the doorway context it is always understood as come in.
Dál is an adverb meaning further, farther, onwards.
In Pojď dál, it is used idiomatically:
- Literal sense: Go further (inside / along)
- Usual idiomatic translation: Come in
It implies move further in from where you are now (for example, from the doorway into the room). Other similar combinations are:
- Pojď sem – Come here (literally: go here)
- Pojď ven – Come outside (literally: go out)
So Pojď dál is a fixed, very common phrase for inviting someone in.
The full infinitive is sednout si – a reflexive verb meaning to sit down / to take a seat.
- sedni si = imperative of sednout si
- si is the reflexive pronoun that belongs to this verb; without it, the verb feels incomplete or has a different nuance.
Compare:
- sednout si → sedni si = sit down / take a seat (natural, idiomatic)
- sednout (without si) is more like to sit (on something) as a simple physical action, and the bare imperative sedni sounds abrupt or even a bit rude in everyday speech.
So in neutral, friendly speech, you normally say sedni si to invite someone to sit.
Both are imperatives related to sitting, but they express different aspects:
sedni si – imperative of sednout si (perfective)
- Focus on the action of sitting down, the change of position.
- English equivalent: Sit down, Take a seat.
seď – imperative of sedět (imperfective)
- Focus on the state of sitting, staying seated.
- English equivalent: Sit (still / stay seated).
In the context Pojď dál a sedni si, you want the guest to sit down, so the perfective sedni si is the natural choice.
They are both slightly irregular.
pojď
- Infinitive: jít (to go) / jít si
- Imperative: pojď (2nd person singular), pojďte (2nd person plural / polite)
- The form pojď includes the prefix po-, and the stem changes from jít to jď / jd, which surfaces as jď → jď / jď but spelled pojď. It is a special, irregular imperative that must be memorised.
sedni si
- Infinitive: sednout si (to sit down)
- Stem: sedn-
- Imperative singular: sedni si
- Imperative plural / polite: sedněte si
So the pattern is:
- sednout si → sedni si
- sednout si → sedněte si
Pojď dál a sedni si is informal, used with:
- Friends
- Family
- Children
- People you tykat (address with ty, the informal you)
For polite / formal address to a single person (using vy):
- Pojďte dál a sedněte si.
This version is appropriate for strangers, customers, older people (if you use vy with them), etc.
Literally, máme čas = we have time.
Usage is very similar to English:
- Dnes máme čas. – Today we have time. / We have time today.
(Implying: we are not in a hurry, we are free today.)
You can also use it in other contexts:
- Nemáme čas. – We don’t have time.
- Máš čas? – Do you have time?
Czech usually omits subject pronouns (like já, ty, my) because the person and number are clear from the verb ending.
- máme ends in -me, which uniquely marks 1st person plural (we).
- So my dnes máme čas is grammatically fine but sounds emphasized (like we have time today, as opposed to others).
In normal, neutral speech, dnes máme čas is enough.
Both are grammatical:
- Dnes máme čas.
- Máme dnes čas.
The difference is in emphasis and rhythm:
- Dnes máme čas. – neutral, slightly emphasizing today (contrasting with other days).
- Máme dnes čas. – more neutral emphasis on we have time, with dnes in a less prominent position.
Czech word order is relatively flexible, and both versions are perfectly acceptable in conversation. In this sentence, Dnes máme čas works well as a relaxed, reassuring statement after the invitation.
The sentence is:
Pojď dál a sedni si, dnes máme čas.
We have:
- First part: Pojď dál a sedni si – Come in and sit down
- Second part: dnes máme čas – (because) today we have time / we’re not in a hurry today
The comma links two closely related but separate clauses. In English, you might express the relationship with because, since, or just a pause:
- Come in and sit down; we have time today.
- Come in and sit down, we have time today.
Czech often uses just a comma in this kind of loose connection, where English might use a conjunction or a semicolon.
You could, but the meaning and situation change slightly.
Pojď dál a sedni si.
- Said typically at a doorway or entrance, inviting someone further inside (into the flat, office, room).
- Idiomatic translation: Come in and sit down.
Pojď sem a sedni si.
- Pojď sem = Come here (towards the speaker’s current spot).
- This would fit if the person is somewhere in the same room and you want them to come closer and then sit, not necessarily to come from outside to inside.
So for welcoming someone from the door into your place, Pojď dál a sedni si is the natural choice.
Approximate pronunciation (in IPA):
- Pojď – [poj̚c] or [poj̚t͡ɕ]
- ď is a soft d, similar to d in duty in some British accents, followed by a soft y-like sound.
- dál – [daːl]
- á is a long a sound, like aa in father, held longer.
- sedni – [ˈsɛdɲɪ]
- dn here is pronounced with a palatal quality ([dɲ]); Czech ň is like Spanish ñ.
- si – [sɪ] (short i, like in sit but a bit closer/fronted).
Altogether, roughly:
- Pojď dál a sedni si → [poj̚c daːl a ˈsɛdɲɪ sɪ]
Stress is always on the first syllable of each word in Czech: Pojď, dál, sedni, si.