dá sa + Infinitive

It Can Be Done: Dá Sa

Level 4

Dá sa (literally "it lets itself") with an infinitive expresses general possibility: Dá sa to zjesť? (Is it edible?), Tu sa dá dobre najesť (You can eat well here). The negative nedá sa means it is not possible.

How It Works

General possibility. Compare:

  • Môžem tu parkovať? Can I (am I allowed to) park here?
  • Dá sa tu parkovať? Is it possible to park here? (Is there space, is it allowed at all?)

Dá sa talks about what the circumstances allow for anyone, not about one person.

Tenses. dá sa (present), dalo sa (past), bude sa dať (future): Bude sa to dať opraviť? (Will it be possible to fix it?) As a short answer: Dá sa to? – Dá sa. / Nedá sa.

Agreement. When a thing is the subject, dať sa agrees with it, just like the reflexive passive:

  • Okno sa nedá otvoriť. The window won't open.
  • Tieto lístky sa dajú kúpiť aj online. These tickets can also be bought online.
  • Počítač sa už nedal opraviť. The computer could no longer be fixed.
  • Dalo sa to čakať. That was to be expected. (neuter, with to)

Where sa goes. Sa follows the rule of second position: Dá sa to opraviť? or To sa dá opraviť. It never starts the sentence.

Useful phrases. Nedá sa nič robiť. (It can't be helped.) To sa nedá opísať. (That is indescribable.) Dá sa povedať, že... (One could say that...)

Keep apart. Formal texts use možno + infinitive or je možné for the same idea. Do not confuse dať sa with dať si (to have, order: Dám si kávu.) or with dať si + infinitive (to have something done).

Examples (6)

  1. Dá sa to opraviť?

    Can it be fixed?

    Word by Word: Gives itself it to-repair?

  2. V centre sa nedá parkovať.

    You can't park in the center.

    Word by Word: In center itself not-gives to-park.

  3. Okno sa nedá otvoriť.

    The window won't open.

    Word by Word: Window itself not-gives to-open.

    Okno is the subject, so the verb is third person singular.

  4. Tieto lístky sa dajú kúpiť aj online.

    These tickets can also be bought online.

    Word by Word: These tickets themselves give to-buy also online.

    The subject is plural, so the verb is plural: dajú sa.

  5. Nedalo sa nič robiť.

    Nothing could be done.

    Word by Word: Not-gave itself nothing to-do.

  6. Dalo sa to čakať.

    That was to be expected.

    Word by Word: Gave itself that to-expect.

Common Mistakes

  • Starting the sentence with sa.

    Sa dá to opraviť?
    Dá sa to opraviť?

    Sa is an unstressed word and can never come first. In a question, start with the verb: Dá sa to...?

  • Using a masculine past form with to.

    Dal sa to opraviť.
    Dalo sa to opraviť.

    To is neuter, so the past form ends in -lo: dalo sa. A masculine subject would take dal: Počítač sa dal opraviť.

How It Connects

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

dá sa + InfinitiveLevel 4It Can Be Done: Dá Sa

Learn This First

Before It Can Be Done: dá sa, learn Reflexive Passive. dá sa uses reflexive sa to say that something is possible.

Words in This Pattern

dať