o / po / pri + Locative

About, After and Near: O, Po and Pri

Level 2

kniha o Slovensku (about), po obede (after), po meste (around), pri okne (by the window).

How It Works

o + locative

  • about: hovoriť o filme (talk about a film), kniha o Slovensku
  • clock time: o piatej (at five), o pol ôsmej (at half past seven). See Telling the Time.

With the accusative, o means something else: o týždeň (in a week), starať sa o deti (look after the children). See By How Much: o. To think of someone is myslieť na: Myslím na teba.

po + locative

  • after, in time: po obede, po škole, po práci
  • around, all over a place: po meste, po celom Slovensku
  • along a surface: po ceste (along the road)

With the accusative, po means to fetch or up to: Idem po chlieb. See Up To and To Fetch: po.

pri + locative

  • near, by, at: pri okne, pri mori, pri stole, pri Bratislave
  • during an activity: pri jedle (while eating), pri práci (at work, while working)

pri or k? pri tells where something is. Toward: k and ku tells where something moves: Sadni si k oknu. → Sedím pri okne.

For the endings, see Locative Singular Endings.

Examples (6)

  1. Čítam knihu o Slovensku.

    I'm reading a book about Slovakia.

  2. Po obede ideme na prechádzku.

    After lunch we're going for a walk.

  3. Celý deň sme chodili po meste.

    We walked around town all day.

  4. Sedím pri okne.

    I'm sitting by the window.

  5. Stretneme sa o piatej.

    Let's meet at five.

    o with the locative also tells the clock time.

  6. Bývame pri mori.

    We live by the sea.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative after po meaning after.

    Po obed idem domov.
    Po obede idem domov.

    Po meaning after takes the locative: po obede. Po obed with the accusative would mean going to get lunch.

  • Using k for a position.

    Sedím k oknu.
    Sedím pri okne.

    K is for movement toward something. To say where you are, use pri with the locative.

  • Leaving the noun in the nominative after o.

    Hovoríme o Slovensko.
    Hovoríme o Slovensku.

    O meaning about takes the locative: Slovensko becomes Slovensku.

How It Connects

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

o / po / pri + LocativeLevel 2About, After and Near: O, Po and Pri

Learn This First

Before About, After and Near: o, po and pri, learn Locative Singular Endings. o, po and pri take the locative endings.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

o