do + Genitive

Going into: Do

Level 1

Do with the genitive says where you are going: Idem do školy (I am going to school), do obchodu (into the shop), do Bratislavy (to Bratislava).

How It Works

Do takes the genitive case. It answers kam? (where to?) and means going into or to a place:

  • Feminine -a → -y: škola → do školy, Bratislava → do Bratislavy.
  • Feminine soft -a → -e: práca → do práce (to work).
  • Masculine things → usually -u: obchod → do obchodu, dom → do domu. Some take -a: les → do lesa (into the forest).
  • Neuter → -a: kino → do kina, mesto → do mesta.

Do and v make a pair. Do shows where you are going, and v shows where you are:

  • Idem do školy. (I am going to school.) → Som v škole. (I am at school.)
  • Idem do obchodu. → Som v obchode.

Places that use na for location use na with the accusative for direction: Som na pošte → Idem na poštu. When you go to a person, use k with the dative: Idem k lekárovi (I am going to the doctor's).

Do can also mean until: Pracujem do piatej. (I work until five.) Počkaj do zajtra. (Wait until tomorrow.)

Examples (6)

  1. Idem do školy.

    I am going to school.

    Škola becomes školy after do.

  2. Večer ideme do kina.

    In the evening we are going to the cinema.

    Neuter kino becomes kina.

  3. Zajtra cestujem do Bratislavy.

    Tomorrow I am traveling to Bratislava.

    Towns take do when you travel to them.

  4. Daj mlieko do chladničky.

    Put the milk in the fridge.

    Do also means into when you put something inside.

  5. Idem do obchodu.

    I am going to the shop.

    Obchod takes the genitive ending -u.

  6. Pracujem do piatej.

    I work until five.

    Do can also mean until.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the dictionary form after do.

    Idem do škola.
    Idem do školy.

    Do always takes the genitive, so škola becomes školy.

  • Using do for going to a person.

    Idem do lekára.
    Idem k lekárovi.

    When you go to a person, use k with the dative. Do is for going into places.

  • Using do with a place that takes na.

    Idem do pošty.
    Idem na poštu.

    You are na pošte (at the post office), so you go na poštu, with na and the accusative.

How It Connects

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

do + GenitiveLevel 1Going into: Do

Learn This First

Before Going Into: do, learn From: z and zo. do takes the genitive like z / zo, pointing the opposite way.

Words in This Pattern