Leaving Words Out
Slovak often drops words that everyone can supply from the context: Vstup zakázaný. (No entry.) Kam? – Domov. (Where to? – Home.) Kávu? – Áno, jednu. (Coffee? – Yes, one.)
How It Works
What an elliptical sentence is. Slovak calls leaving words out elipsa or výpustka. The sentence is shorter than the full grammatical pattern, but the meaning is still clear, because the listener can easily fill in the gap.
Where you see it.
- Notices and signs: Vstup zakázaný. (No entry.) Fajčenie zakázané. (No smoking.) The full form would be Vstup je zakázaný.
- Headlines: Premiér v Bruseli. (The prime minister in Brussels.) Na východe opäť sneh. (Snow again in the east.)
- Short replies: Kam ideš? – Domov. Kto je tam? – Ja.
- Wishes and set phrases: Všetko najlepšie k narodeninám! (Happy birthday!), where a verb like želám (I wish) is understood. Ďalší, prosím. (Next, please.)
The remaining words keep their case. This is the key grammar point. A short answer takes the same form it would have in a full sentence: Koho hľadáš? – Petra. (accusative, because hľadám Petra), Komu to dáš? – Mame. (dative), S kým ideš? – S bratom. (instrumental). A participle or adjective still agrees with its noun: Fajčenie zakázané uses the neuter form because fajčenie is neuter.
How it differs from subject-less sentences. A sentence like Prší. is complete; it simply has no subject. An elliptical sentence is missing something that could be added back.
Examples (6)
- Vstup zakázaný.
No entry.
Word by Word: Entry forbidden.
The verb je is left out: Vstup je zakázaný.
- Kam ideš? – Domov.
Where are you going? – Home.
Word by Word: Where you-go? – Home.
- Koho hľadáš? – Petra.
Who are you looking for? – Peter.
Word by Word: Whom you-look-for? – Peter(acc).
The answer keeps the accusative Petra from the full sentence Hľadám Petra.
- Kávu? – Áno, jednu, prosím.
Coffee? – Yes, one, please.
Word by Word: Coffee(acc)? – Yes, one(acc), please.
The verb (Dáte si kávu?) is understood, so kávu and jednu are accusative.
- Na východe opäť sneh a mráz.
Snow and frost again in the east.
Word by Word: In east again snow and frost.
A typical headline without a verb.
- Všetko najlepšie k narodeninám!
Happy birthday!
Word by Word: Everything best to birthday!
A verb such as želám (I wish) is understood.
Common Mistakes
Answering in the nominative instead of the case the question requires.
Koho hľadáš? – Peter.Koho hľadáš? – Petra.The short answer stands for Hľadám Petra, so it keeps the accusative Petra.
Dropping the case ending in a short answer about a recipient.
Komu to dáš? – Mama.Komu to dáš? – Mame.The full sentence is Dám to mame, so the answer is in the dative: mame.
Dropping the preposition and its case in a short answer.
S kým ideš do kina? – Brat.S kým ideš do kina? – S bratom.The answer keeps the whole phrase from the full sentence: Idem s bratom.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Leaving Words Out, learn Sentences Without a Subject. Elliptic sentences, like subjectless ones, leave words out.
Related Patterns
- kde / kam / kedy / ako / prečoWhere, When, How and Why
Question words that are often answered with a single elliptical phrase.
Level 1 - Passive Participles
Notices such as Vstup zakázaný use a passive participle without the verb byť.
Level 4 - The Infinitive as a Command
Another short, verb-light form used in notices and instructions.
Level 5 - Interjections Used as Verbs
Lively narration also shortens sentences by using an interjection instead of a verb.
Level 6 - s / so + InstrumentalWith: S and So
Short answers keep prepositional phrases like s bratom whole.
Level 1
Practice Leaving Words Out in Bubblegum
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