roz- + sa

Bursting into Action: Roz- and Sa

Level 5

plakať → rozplakať sa (burst into tears), smiať sa → rozosmiať sa (burst out laughing), bežať → rozbehnúť sa (start running), pršať → rozpršať sa (start raining), hovoriť → rozhovoriť sa (start talking freely).

How It Works

Starting and getting going. Roz- has several meanings, such as apart in rozbiť (to smash) or rozdeliť (to divide). With sa, it very often means that an action suddenly begins and develops:

  • rozplakať sa: to burst into tears
  • rozosmiať sa: to burst out laughing (with the vowel o added before s)
  • rozbehnúť sa: to break into a run
  • rozkašľať sa: to start coughing
  • rozhovoriť sa: to open up and start talking
  • rozpršať sa: to start raining in earnest, used without a subject: Rozpršalo sa.

Already perfective. These verbs are perfective, so the present form refers to the future: Keď to uvidí, rozosmeje sa. (When he sees it, he will burst out laughing.) Since the idea of starting is built in, do not add začať: say rozplakala sa or začala plakať, but not začala sa rozplakať.

Other uses of roz- + sa. Sometimes the meaning is spreading apart instead: rozísť sa (to go separate ways), rozutekať sa (to scatter).

Examples (5)

  1. Keď to počula, rozplakala sa.

    When she heard it, she burst into tears.

    Word by Word: When it she-heard, she-burst-crying self.

  2. Pes sa rozbehol k bráne.

    The dog broke into a run towards the gate.

    Word by Word: Dog self started-running to gate.

  3. Všetci sa rozosmiali.

    Everyone burst out laughing.

    Word by Word: All self burst-laughing.

  4. Po obede sa rozpršalo.

    After lunch it started to rain.

    Word by Word: After lunch self started-raining.

    An impersonal verb: there is no subject.

  5. Pri káve sa starý otec rozhovoril o mladosti.

    Over coffee, Grandpa opened up and started talking about his youth.

    Word by Word: Over coffee self old father started-talking about youth.

Common Mistakes

  • Combining začať with a roz- + sa verb.

    Dieťa sa začalo rozplakať.
    Dieťa sa rozplakalo. / Dieťa začalo plakať.

    Rozplakať sa already means to start crying, and začať only combines with an imperfective infinitive.

  • Leaving out sa.

    Rozosmiala, keď ho uvidela.
    Rozosmiala sa, keď ho uvidela.

    Rozosmiať is always used with sa in this meaning.

  • Using budem with these perfective verbs.

    Určite sa budem rozplakať.
    Určite sa rozplačem.

    Rozplakať sa is perfective, so its future is rozplačem sa.

How It Connects

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

roz- + saLevel 5Bursting into Action: Roz- and Sa

Learn This First

Before Bursting Into Action: roz- and sa, learn Verb Prefixes and Meaning and Reflexive Verbs With sa. roz- is a prefix with a specific meaning. These verbs use reflexive sa.

Words in This Pattern

roz-