nech + Present Tense

Let Him or Her: Nech

Level 3

Nech príde zajtra. (Let him come tomorrow.) Nech sa ti darí! (Good luck!) Nech žije Slovensko! (Long live Slovakia!)

How It Works

Commands about someone else

Compare the imperative, Commands to One Person, with nech:

  • Počkaj! (Wait!), spoken to the person who should wait.
  • Nech počká. (He should wait. / Let him wait.), about someone else.
  • Nech počkajú. (They should wait.)

The verb after nech is an ordinary present-tense form. A perfective verb points to one future action: Nech mi zavolá. (He should call me.)

Passing on a request

Povedz Petrovi, nech mi zavolá. (Tell Peter to call me.) See also Reported Commands.

Good wishes

  • Nech sa ti darí! (Good luck! / May things go well for you!)
  • Nech sa vám splnia všetky želania. (May all your wishes come true.)
  • Nech žije Slovensko! (Long live Slovakia!)

The everyday phrase Here You Are is built the same way.

Letting it be

Nech si robí, čo chce. (Let him do what he wants.) This shows the speaker does not mind or has given up.

Two English lets

English let has two meanings. For let's, use the -me imperative: Poďme! (Let's go!), see Commands With -te and -me. For allow, use nechať: Nechaj ho spať. (Let him sleep.), see Letting and Having Something Done.

Examples (6)

  1. Nech príde zajtra ráno.

    Let him come tomorrow morning.

    Word by Word: Let comes tomorrow morning.

    A command about a third person.

  2. Nech sa ti darí v novej práci!

    Good luck in your new job!

    A good wish with nech.

  3. Nech žije Slovensko!

    Long live Slovakia!

    A fixed celebratory phrase.

  4. Povedz Petrovi, nech mi zavolá.

    Tell Peter to call me.

    Passing on a request through another person.

  5. Deti sú unavené, nech si idú ľahnúť.

    The children are tired; they should go to bed.

    Nech with a plural verb for they.

  6. Nech si robí, čo chce.

    Let him do whatever he wants.

    The speaker has stopped trying to decide for him.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the imperative after nech.

    Nech príď zajtra.
    Nech príde zajtra.

    Príď is spoken directly to one person. After nech, use the ordinary present tense: príde, prídu.

  • Using nech for let's. The intended meaning is "Let's go home!", a suggestion that includes you.

    Nech ideme domov!
    Poďme domov!

    For a suggestion that includes you, Slovak uses the -me imperative: Poďme domov! Nech with a we-form only states a wish, as in Nech sme všetci zdraví! (May we all stay healthy!)

How It Connects

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

nech + Present TenseLevel 3Let Him or Her: Nech

Learn This First

Before Let Him or Her: nech, learn Commands to One Person. nech + present tense works as a command to a third person.

Words in This Pattern

nech