dovoľujem si + Infinitive

Formal Politeness Formulas

Level 6

Dovoľujem si Vás pozvať means I would like to invite you. The phrase makes a formal action sound modest and polite.

How It Works

Announcing an action politely. In letters, e-mails and speeches, Slovak often introduces an action with dovoľujem si + infinitive. Literally it means I allow myself to, and it sounds like English I would like to or I take the liberty of: Dovoľujem si Vás pozvať (I would like to invite you), Dovoľujem si Vás informovať (I would like to inform you), Dovoľujem si Vás upozorniť (I would like to point out to you).

The little word si is required. The verb is dovoľovať si, and si sits in the second position of the sentence like other unstressed words. Without si, dovoľujem means I permit someone else to do something.

Other set formulas.

  • Dovoľte mi + infinitive or Dovoľte mi, aby som...: allow me to: Dovoľte mi, aby som vás privítal.
  • Bol by som rád / Bola by som rada, keby...: I would be glad if... This uses the conditional and keby with the past form of the verb.
  • Budem rád / rada, ak...: I will be glad if...
  • Vopred ďakujem za odpoveď. Thank you in advance for your reply.

Agreement. Rád agrees with the writer, so a woman writes Bola by som rada and a group writes Boli by sme radi.

Where to use them. These phrases belong to formal writing and official occasions, often after a greeting such as Vážený pán / Vážená pani. In letters the polite pronouns are often capitalized: Vás, Vám, Váš. In a message to a friend they sound stiff, so a simple Chcem ťa pozvať is better.

Examples (6)

  1. Dovoľujem si Vás pozvať na stretnutie, ktoré sa uskutoční v piatok.

    I would like to invite you to a meeting that will take place on Friday.

    Word by Word: I-allow myself you to-invite to meeting which will-take-place on Friday.

  2. Dovoľujem si Vás upozorniť, že termín uplynie 30. júna.

    I would like to point out that the deadline expires on 30 June.

    Word by Word: I-allow myself you to-alert that deadline will-expire 30th of-June.

  3. Dovoľte mi, aby som vás privítal na našej konferencii.

    Allow me to welcome you to our conference.

    Word by Word: Allow me so-that I-would you welcome at our conference.

  4. Bol by som rád, keby ste mi poslali podrobnejšie informácie.

    I would be glad if you could send me more detailed information.

    Word by Word: I-would-be glad if you me sent more-detailed information.

  5. Budeme radi, ak sa podujatia zúčastníte.

    We will be glad if you take part in the event.

    Word by Word: We-will-be glad if yourselves of-event take-part.

  6. Vopred Vám ďakujem za odpoveď.

    Thank you in advance for your reply.

    Word by Word: In-advance to-you I-thank for reply.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out si.

    Dovoľujem Vás pozvať na stretnutie.
    Dovoľujem si Vás pozvať na stretnutie.

    The formula is dovoľovať si. Without si the verb means to permit someone, which does not fit here.

  • Using the masculine form when a woman writes.

    Bol by som rád, keby ste mi odpovedali. (written by a woman)
    Bola by som rada, keby ste mi odpovedali.

    Both bol and rád agree with the writer, so a woman writes bola ... rada.

  • Using the present tense after keby.

    Bol by som rád, keby ste mi pošlete zmluvu.
    Bol by som rád, keby ste mi poslali zmluvu.

    Keby is followed by the past form of the verb: poslali, not pošlete.

How It Connects

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

dovoľujem si + InfinitiveLevel 6Formal Politeness Formulas

Learn This First

Before Formal Politeness Formulas, learn Formal Letters and Capital Vy. Formal politeness formulas belong to formal letters.

Words in This Pattern

kebydovoľovať si