ísť

Going with Ísť

Level 1

Ísť means to go on one trip, whether you walk or ride: Idem do práce. Ideme autom.

How It Works

  • ja idem, ty ideš, on, ona, ono ide
  • my ideme, vy idete, oni, ony idú

Slovak uses the same verb for walking and for riding. Add the vehicle in the instrumental: Idem autobusom. (I'm going by bus.) Ideme vlakom. (We're going by train.) To make it clear that you walk, say ísť pešo (to go on foot).

Ísť tells where you are heading, so use direction words: domov (home), do + genitive, or na + accusative. Idem do školy. (I'm going to school.) Ideme na koncert. (We're going to a concert.) To ask, say Kam ideš? (Where are you going?)

The negative is nejdem, with a j: nejdem, nejdeš, nejde, nejdeme, nejdete, nejdú.

Ísť is for one trip, usually one that is happening now or soon. For a trip you make again and again, Slovak uses chodiť: Každý deň chodím do práce. (I go to work every day.) You will compare the two later.

Ísť also appears in common phrases: Ako to ide? (How is it going?) Ideme! (Let's go!)

Examples (6)

  1. Idem domov.

    I'm going home.

    Domov means to home, so it goes with ísť.

  2. Kam ideš?

    Where are you going?

  3. Ideme vlakom do Košíc.

    We're going to Košice by train.

    The vehicle is in the instrumental with no preposition.

  4. Deti idú do školy.

    The children are going to school.

  5. Dnes nejdem do práce.

    I'm not going to work today.

    The negative has a j: nejdem.

  6. Idete na koncert?

    Are you going to the concert?

Common Mistakes

  • Using a location phrase instead of a direction phrase.

    Idem v obchode.
    Idem do obchodu.

    Ísť needs a direction. V obchode means in the shop; do obchodu means into the shop.

  • Using doma (at home) instead of domov (home, as a direction).

    Idem doma.
    Idem domov.

    Doma tells where something is. After ísť, use domov.

  • Forming the negative without j.

    Dnes neidem von.
    Dnes nejdem von.

    The negative forms of ísť are nejdem, nejdeš, nejde and so on.

How It Connects

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ísťLevel 1Going with Ísť

Learn This First

Before Going With ísť, learn Present Verbs in -em and -iem. ísť follows the -em pattern: idem, ideš.

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