nemluvě o + Locative

Not to Mention Nemluvě O

Level 6

The phrase nemluvě o means "not to mention," "to say nothing of," or "let alone." It is used to add a significant, often undeniable point that reinforces your previous statement.

How It Works

While productive transgressives are highly archaic in modern Czech, frozen forms like nemluvě o are fully lexicalized and highly frequent in formal, journalistic, and educated spoken Czech. They are essential vocabulary for advanced learners.

Punctuation Rule: In Czech, phrases introduced by nemluvě o act as an appended, amplifying remark (dodatečně připojený větný člen). Therefore, standard Czech punctuation requires a comma before the phrase. If the phrase is inserted in the middle of a sentence, it must be set off by commas on both sides (e.g., Všichni, nemluvě o Petrovi, s tím souhlasili.).

Note on Variants: You will also frequently encounter the variant nemluvíc o. Like nemluvě o, it is a fully lexicalized, invariable phrase meaning the exact same thing, and the two can be used interchangeably regardless of the subject's gender or number.

Key Distinctions:

  • Versus Natož: While natož (pak) is a conjunction and nemluvě o is a prepositional phrase, they are frequently used as direct synonyms in modern Czech to mean "let alone" or "not to mention".
  • Versus nehledě na + akuzativ: Nehledě na means "regardless of" and dismisses or concedes a point. Nemluvě o amplifies an argument by adding a weighty element.

Examples (4)

  1. Padělané léky mají obrovský negativní dopad na veřejné zdraví, nemluvě o jejich dopadu hospodářském.

    Counterfeit medicines have a huge negative impact on public health, not to mention their economic impact.

    Word by Word: Counterfeit medicines have huge negative impact on public health, not-speaking about their impact economic.

    A formal, journalistic example showing the pattern followed by a noun phrase in the locative case.

  2. Je to naprosto směšné, nemluvě o tom, že je to nelegální.

    It's absolutely ridiculous, not to mention that it's illegal.

    Word by Word: Is it absolutely ridiculous, not-speaking about that, that is it illegal.

    Demonstrates how to connect a full subordinate clause using 'o tom, že'.

  3. Náklady na opravu jsou vysoké, nemluvě o riziku zpoždění.

    The repair costs are high, not to mention the risk of delay.

    Word by Word: Costs for repair are high, not-speaking about risk of-delay.

    The word 'riziko' (risk) correctly takes the locative neuter ending '-u' after the preposition 'o'.

  4. Tento projekt vyžaduje spoustu času, nemluvě o penězích.

    This project requires a lot of time, not to mention money.

    Word by Word: This project requires a-lot-of time, not-speaking about money.

    Shows the pattern used with a plural noun in the locative case ('penězích').

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative case instead of the locative.

    Zabere to spoustu času, nemluvě o ten problém.
    Zabere to spoustu času, nemluvě o tom problému.

    The phrase strictly requires the preposition 'o' followed by the locative case (6. pád), never the accusative.

  • Omitting the preposition 'o'.

    Je to velmi drahé, nemluvě riziko.
    Je to velmi drahé, nemluvě o riziku.

    The expression must always include the preposition 'o'. You cannot attach a noun directly to 'nemluvě'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

nemluvě o + LocativeLevel 6Not to Mention Nemluvě O

Learn This First

To learn 'nemluvě o + lokál', a learner needs to understand the locative case following the preposition 'o'. Additionally, they should be familiar with the fixed transgressive form 'nemluvě' (derived from the verb 'mluvit'), which acts as a connector to introduce an additional, stronger point.

Words in This Pattern

nemluvěo