za + Accusative

In, For and Thanks for: Za

Level 2

Za + accusative is used for time (Prídem za hodinu, I will come in an hour), price (za desať eur, for ten euros) and thanks (Ďakujem za pomoc, Thank you for the help).

How It Works

Time. Za + a length of time tells how soon something will happen or how long it takes to finish:

  • Prídem za hodinu. I will come in an hour.
  • Urobila som to za pol hodiny. I did it in half an hour.
  • Raz za týždeň means once a week.

Price and exchange. Kúpil som to za desať eur. (I bought it for ten euros.) Vymenil som staré auto za nové. (I swapped my old car for a new one.) After numbers from five up, the noun is in the genitive plural: za desať eur.

Thanks and reasons. Ďakujem za pomoc. Ďakujem za všetko. The noun is accusative: feminine -a becomes -u (kniha → za knihu), while pomoc keeps its form (za pomoc).

Other za patterns. With the instrumental, za means behind: za domom (behind the house). See the instrumental prepositions and ísť za.

Examples (6)

  1. Prídem za hodinu.

    I'll come in an hour.

    Word by Word: I-will-come in hour.

    Prísť is perfective, so its present form prídem has future meaning.

  2. Kúpil som to za desať eur.

    I bought it for ten euros.

    Word by Word: I-bought it for ten euros.

  3. Ďakujem za pomoc.

    Thank you for the help.

    Word by Word: I-thank for help.

  4. Urobila som to za pol hodiny.

    I did it in half an hour.

    Word by Word: I-did it in half hour.

    A female speaker says urobila; za gives how long the task took.

  5. Raz za týždeň chodím plávať.

    I go swimming once a week.

    Word by Word: Once per week I-go to-swim.

  6. Vymenil som staré auto za nové.

    I swapped my old car for a new one.

    Word by Word: I-exchanged old car for new.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the instrumental after za when thanking.

    Ďakujem za pomocou.
    Ďakujem za pomoc.

    Za + instrumental means behind. For thanks, za takes the accusative, and pomoc stays pomoc.

  • Using pre for a price.

    Kúpil som to pre desať eur.
    Kúpil som to za desať eur.

    A price takes za. Pre means for someone’s benefit.

  • Translating in an hour with v.

    Prídem v hodine.
    Prídem za hodinu.

    To say how soon something will happen, use za with the accusative.

How It Connects

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

za + AccusativeLevel 2In, For and Thanks for: Za

Learn This First

Before In, For and Thanks For: za, learn The Accusative Case for Objects. za takes the accusative in these meanings.

Words in This Pattern