spod / spoza / sponad / spomedzi + Genitive

From Under, From Behind and from Among

Level 5

pod stolom (under the table), pod stôl (to under the table), spod stola (from under the table). The same three-way pattern holds for za, nad, pred and medzi: spoza, sponad, spopred, spomedzi.

How It Works

Three questions, three cases. The spatial prepositions pod, nad, pred, za, medzi take the instrumental for position and the accusative for direction. For movement out of that position, Slovak adds s- (or spo-) and uses the genitive:

  • Kde? pod stolom · Kam? pod stôl · Odkiaľ? spod stola
  • Kde? za domom · Kam? za dom · Odkiaľ? spoza domu
  • Kde? nad lesom · Kam? nad les · Odkiaľ? sponad lesa
  • Kde? pred domom · Kam? pred dom · Odkiaľ? spred / spopred domu
  • Kde? medzi stromami · Kam? medzi stromy · Odkiaľ? spomedzi stromov

Why s- and the genitive. Each is z (from) joined to the second preposition (with an extra po- in spoza, sponad, spopred, spomedzi), and z takes the genitive. The spelling follows pronunciation, so it is spod, not z pod.

Choosing from a group. Spomedzi is often used figuratively for choosing one from many, with a genitive plural: spomedzi všetkých uchádzačov (out of all the applicants).

Examples (5)

  1. Mačka vyliezla spod postele.

    The cat crawled out from under the bed.

    Word by Word: Cat crawled-out from-under bed-GEN.

    Posteľ becomes postele in the genitive.

  2. Spoza rohu sa vynoril autobus.

    A bus appeared from around the corner.

    Word by Word: From-behind corner-GEN self emerged bus.

  3. Sponad lesa vyšiel mesiac.

    The moon rose from above the forest.

    Word by Word: From-above forest-GEN came-out moon.

  4. Spomedzi všetkých návrhov vybrali ten najjednoduchší.

    Out of all the proposals, they chose the simplest one.

    Word by Word: From-among all-GEN proposals-GEN they-chose that simplest.

  5. Spod snehu už vykúkajú prvé snežienky.

    The first snowdrops are already peeking out from under the snow.

    Word by Word: From-under snow-GEN already peek first snowdrops.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the preposition as two words with z.

    Mačka vyliezla z pod postele.
    Mačka vyliezla spod postele.

    These compound prepositions are written as one word, spelled with s- as they are pronounced.

  • Keeping the instrumental of the position after spod.

    Pes vybehol spod stolom.
    Pes vybehol spod stola.

    Spod means movement out of a place and always takes the genitive: stôl → stola.

  • Using the plain position preposition for movement away.

    Vyšiel za domom.
    Vyšiel spoza domu.

    Za domom only says where he is. To come out from behind something, use spoza + genitive.

How It Connects

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

spod / spoza / sponad / spomedzi + GenitiveLevel 5From Under, From Behind and from Among

Learn This First

Before From Under, From Behind and From Among, learn Above, Under, In Front, Behind and Between and From: z and zo. spod and spoza are formed from pod and za. Like z, these compound prepositions take the genitive.

Words in This Pattern

spodspomedzinadspred