Nominal Style
In formal Slovak an action often becomes a noun: Po skončení stretnutia odišiel (After the end of the meeting he left) instead of Keď sa stretnutie skončilo, odišiel (When the meeting ended, he left).
How It Works
Actions as nouns. Official, legal, business and news texts like to replace a clause with a verbal noun (see verbal nouns with a genitive object):
- Keď sa stretnutie skončilo, ... → Po skončení stretnutia ...
- Skôr ako začnete pracovať, ... → Pred začatím práce ...
- Keď riešite úlohu, ... → Pri riešení úlohy ...
- Kým budovu opravujú, ... → Počas rekonštrukcie ...
The case after the preposition. Po and pri take the locative (see o, po and pri): po skončení, pri riešení. Pred takes the instrumental: pred začatím. The object of the verbal noun is a genitive: skončenie stretnutia.
Verb + noun phrases. Formal texts also like pairs such as vykonať kontrolu (skontrolovať), podať žiadosť (požiadať), pristúpiť k zvýšeniu cien (zvýšiť ceny), and prepositions like na základe and v rámci.
Purpose: s cieľom, not za účelom. The common office phrase za účelom is not codified Standard Slovak. Use na, s cieľom (see s cieľom) or aby.
Use it with care. Long chains of genitives, such as zabezpečenie zlepšenia kvality poskytovania služieb, are hard to read. In ordinary speech, and even in good formal writing, a clause with a verb is often clearer: Keď sme skončili, išli sme domov. Recognizing nominal style helps you read official Slovak; you do not need to speak this way.
Examples (6)
- Po skončení stretnutia odišiel domov.
After the meeting ended, he went home.
Word by Word: After ending of-meeting he-left home.
- Pred začatím práce si prečítajte návod.
Read the instructions before starting work.
Word by Word: Before starting of-work yourself read instructions.
- Pri riešení úlohy postupujte opatrne.
Proceed carefully when solving the task.
Word by Word: At solving of-task proceed carefully.
- Počas rekonštrukcie je budova zatvorená.
The building is closed during the renovation.
Word by Word: During reconstruction is building closed.
- Z dôvodu opravy cesty je premávka obmedzená.
Traffic is restricted because of road repairs.
Word by Word: From reason of-repair of-road is traffic restricted.
- Colníci vykonali kontrolu dokladov.
The customs officers checked the documents.
Word by Word: Customs-officers carried-out check of-documents.
In everyday speech: Colníci skontrolovali doklady.
Common Mistakes
Using the wrong case after po.
Po skončenie stretnutia odišiel.Po skončení stretnutia odišiel.In the sense of "after", po takes the locative: po skončení, po obede.
Keeping an accusative object after the verbal noun.
Po prečítaní knihu ju vrátil do knižnice.Po prečítaní knihy ju vrátil do knižnice.The object of a verbal noun is a genitive: prečítanie knihy.
Using za účelom for purpose.
Prišiel za účelom kontroly.Prišiel na kontrolu.Za účelom is not codified Standard Slovak. Use na, s cieľom or a clause with aby.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Nominal Style, learn Verbal Nouns With a Genitive Object. Nominal style relies on verbal nouns with genitive objects.
Related Patterns
- -nie / -tieVerbal Nouns
How the verbal nouns themselves are formed.
Level 4 - o / po / pri + LocativeAbout, After and Near: O, Po and Pri
Po and pri take the locative: po skončení, pri riešení.
Level 2 - na základe / v rámci / z hľadiska + GenitiveFormal Prepositions with the Genitive
Formal prepositions that go with nominal style.
Level 5 - skôr ako / potom akoBefore and After Clauses
The everyday clauses that nominal phrases replace.
Level 4 - s cieľom + InfinitivePurpose Phrase: S Cieľom
The standard way to express purpose in formal texts.
Level 6
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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