o + Accusative (Difference)
By How Much: O
Put o + accusative before a comparative or a verb of change to say by how much: o dva roky starší (two years older), Ceny stúpli o päť percent (Prices rose by five percent).
How It Works
By how much. With a comparative, o + accusative gives the size of the difference:
- o hlavu vyšší a head taller
- o dva roky starší two years older
- o hodinu neskôr an hour later
- o niečo lacnejší a bit cheaper
See comparing adjectives.
Changes. Verbs of change use the same o: zvýšiť o (raise by), znížiť o (lower by), stúpnuť o (rise by), klesnúť o (fall by), predĺžiť o (extend by), zdražieť o (get more expensive by).
o or na? o gives the difference, na gives the new value:
- Teplota stúpla o päť stupňov. The temperature rose by five degrees.
- Teplota stúpla na päť stupňov. The temperature rose to five degrees.
Delays. Vlak mešká o desať minút. (The train is ten minutes late.) Let sa posunul o hodinu. (The flight was moved by an hour.)
How soon. o chvíľu (in a moment), o týždeň (in a week). Za is also common here, see za with the accusative: Prídem za hodinu.
Watch the case. This o takes the accusative: hodina → o hodinu. With the locative, o gives a clock time or a topic: o piatej (at five), hovoriť o filme. See o with the locative. After numbers from five up, the noun is in the genitive plural: o päť percent, o desať minút.
Examples (6)
- Prídem o hodinu neskôr.
I'll come an hour later.
Word by Word: I-come by hour later.
- Brat je o hlavu vyšší ako ja.
My brother is a head taller than me.
Word by Word: Brother is by head taller than I.
- Vlak mešká o desať minút.
The train is ten minutes late.
Word by Word: Train is-late by ten minutes.
- Ceny stúpli o päť percent.
Prices rose by five percent.
Word by Word: Prices rose by five percent.
- Uvidíme sa o týždeň.
See you in a week.
Word by Word: We-will-see each-other in week.
- Je o dva roky staršia ako jej manžel.
She is two years older than her husband.
Word by Word: She-is by two years older than her husband.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the noun in the nominative.
Prídem o hodina neskôr.Prídem o hodinu neskôr.This o takes the accusative, so hodina becomes hodinu.
Using the locative, as for clock time.
Prídem o hodine.Prídem o hodinu.The intended meaning is "I will come in an hour". O + locative is for clock times (o piatej). A length of time before something happens takes the accusative: o hodinu.
Using na when you mean the size of the change.
Teplota stúpla na päť stupňov.Teplota stúpla o päť stupňov.The intended meaning is "The temperature rose by five degrees". Na gives the new value (rose to five degrees). O gives the difference.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before By How Much: o, learn Comparing Adjectives and The Accusative Case for Objects. o + accusative states the size of a comparative difference. o takes the accusative in this meaning.
Related Patterns
- ako / nežThan: Ako and Než
Says what you compare with, while o says by how much.
Level 2 - o / po / pri + LocativeAbout, After and Near: O, Po and Pri
The same o with the locative means about or at a clock time.
Level 2 - za + AccusativeIn, For and Thanks for: Za
Za + accusative also says how soon something happens: za hodinu.
Level 2 - How Long and How Often
Other uses of the accusative for time: celý deň, každý týždeň.
Level 3 - päť a viac + Genitive PluralFive and More
Explains o päť percent and o desať minút.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice o + Accusative (Difference) in Bubblegum
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