Neměl bys dávat moc soli a pepře do polévky.

You should not put too much salt and pepper into the soup.

Breakdown of Neměl bys dávat moc soli a pepře do polévky.

• být: to be
• mít: to have
• a: and
• ty: you

Questions & Answers about Neměl bys dávat moc soli a pepře do polévky.

What does Neměl bys mean, and how does it express you shouldn't?

Neměl bys + infinitive is a very common Czech way to say you shouldn't + verb.

• měl bys = you should
• neměl bys = you shouldn't

Even though it is built from the verb mít (to have), learners should usually treat měl bys / neměl bys as a fixed pattern meaning should / shouldn't.

So:

• Neměl bys dávat... = You shouldn't put/add...

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Why is it měl and not měla?

Because in Czech, this form shows the gender of the person being addressed.

• to a man or boy: Neměl bys
• to a woman or girl: Neměla bys

So this sentence is addressed to one male person.

If you were speaking to a female, it would be:

• Neměla bys dávat moc soli a pepře do polévky.

This is very different from English, where you does not show gender.

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What exactly is bys?