Being in and Getting Into a Position
Slovak has one verb for being in a position and another for getting into it: sedieť / sadnúť si (sit / sit down), stáť / postaviť sa (stand / stand up), ležať / ľahnúť si (lie / lie down).
How It Works
Two verbs for each position.
- sedieť (sedím, sedia; sedel) – to be sitting · sadnúť si (sadnem si; sadol si; sadni si!) – to sit down
- stáť (stojím, stoja; stál) – to be standing · postaviť sa (postavím sa; postavil sa; postav sa!) – to stand up
- ležať (ležím, ležia; ležal) – to be lying · ľahnúť si (ľahnem si; ľahol si; ľahni si!) – to lie down
Where versus where to. The position verbs take a location in the locative: Sedím na stoličke. Ležal v posteli. The movement verbs take a direction in the accusative: Sadol si na stoličku. Ľahol si do postele. This is the same split as na with the locative versus na with the accusative.
Keep si and sa. Sadnúť and ľahnúť take si; postaviť takes sa. Without sa, postaviť means to put something upright or to build: Postavili nový most. (They built a new bridge.)
Other meanings of stáť. Stáť also means to stand still or stop, and to cost: Autobus stojí na zastávke. (The bus is standing at the stop.) Koľko to stojí? (How much does it cost?) Vstať is another common way to say get up, especially out of bed.
Examples (6)
- Sedím pri okne.
I'm sitting by the window.
Word by Word: I-sit by window.
- Sadnite si, prosím.
Please sit down.
Word by Word: Sit-down(pl) yourself, please.
A polite command to one person or several people.
- Sadol si na stoličku a čakal.
He sat down on the chair and waited.
Word by Word: He-sat-down himself onto chair and waited.
Movement onto the chair, so stoličku is accusative.
- Celé ráno som ležal v posteli.
I lay in bed all morning.
Word by Word: Whole morning I-have lain in bed.
Being in a position, so posteli is locative.
- Ľahla si na gauč, lebo bola unavená.
She lay down on the sofa because she was tired.
Word by Word: She-lay-down herself onto sofa, because she-was tired.
- Všetci sa postavili a tlieskali.
Everyone stood up and clapped.
Word by Word: All self stood-up and clapped.
Common Mistakes
Using the locative after a movement verb.
Sadni si na stoličke.Sadni si na stoličku.Sitting down is movement onto the chair, so it takes the accusative stoličku. Na stoličke goes with sedieť.
Using the position verb for the movement.
Sedel som si na stoličku.Sadol som si na stoličku.Getting into a seat needs sadnúť si. Sedieť only means being seated and does not take si or a direction.
Dropping sa from postaviť sa.
Keď vošiel učiteľ, žiaci postavili.Keď vošiel učiteľ, žiaci sa postavili.Without sa, postaviť means to put something somewhere or to build it. To stand up yourself, you need sa.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Being in and Getting Into a Position, learn Going Onto and To: na and Reflexive Verbs With si. Getting into a position uses na + accusative, being in it uses the locative. sadnúť si and ľahnúť si use si, while postaviť sa uses sa.
Related Patterns
- v / vo / na + LocativeWhere: V and Na with the Locative
The position verbs take a location in the locative.
Level 1 - Verb + saReflexive Verbs with Sa
Postaviť sa uses sa to mean stand up.
Level 2 - Commands to One Person
Gives commands such as sadni si, postav sa and ľahni si.
Level 2 - Imperfective and Perfective Aspect
The position verbs are imperfective and the movement verbs perfective.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Being in and Getting Into a Position in Bubblegum
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