Prepositions With an Extra Vowel

Level 2

V, s, z and k add a vowel before a word that would be hard to say without one: vo vode (in the water), so sestrou (with my sister), zo školy (from school), ku kamarátovi (to a friend).

How It Works

Same or matching sound.

  • v → vo before v or f: vo vode, vo filme, vo februári
  • s → so before s, z, š or ž: so sestrou, so ženou
  • z → zo before s, z, š or ž: zo zeme, zo školy, zo Slovenska
  • k → ku before k or g: ku kamarátovi, ku gymnáziu

Consonant groups. The vowel is usually also added when a matching sound is the second or third consonant of a group at the start of the word: vo štvrtok, so všetkými, zo vzduchu, ku skale.

Forms of ja. Before forms of ja, the vowel is always added: ku mne, so mnou, zo mňa, vo mne. Other prepositions do this too: bezo mňa, predo mnou.

Fixed and optional forms. Some set phrases have the vowel anyway: vo dne, zo dňa na deň, ku cti. Vo sne is the usual form, next to v sne. A few words accept both forms, such as v dverách and vo dverách. Bez and cez do not add a vowel before s or z: bez zmeny, cez zimu.

Pronunciation: so and ku are pronounced [zo] and [gu]. The four prepositions are taught in detail in v and vo, s and so, z and zo and k and ku.

Examples (6)

  1. Ryba pláva vo vode.

    A fish swims in the water.

    Word by Word: Fish swims in water.

    V becomes vo before v.

  2. Idem do kina so sestrou.

    I'm going to the cinema with my sister.

    Word by Word: I-go into cinema with sister.

    S becomes so before s.

  3. Deti sa vracajú zo školy.

    The children are coming back from school.

    Word by Word: Children themselves return from school.

    Z becomes zo before š.

  4. Večer idem ku kamarátovi.

    In the evening I'm going to my friend's.

    Word by Word: Evening I-go to friend.

    K becomes ku before k.

  5. Poď so mnou!

    Come with me!

    Word by Word: Come with me!

    Before forms of ja, the vowel is always added.

  6. Vo štvrtok nemám čas.

    I'm not free on Thursday.

    Word by Word: On Thursday not-I-have time.

    The group štv contains a v, so v becomes vo.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving s bare before s.

    Idem s sestrou.
    Idem so sestrou.

    Two s sounds in a row are hard to say, so s becomes so.

  • Leaving k bare before k.

    Idem k kamarátovi.
    Idem ku kamarátovi.

    Before k or g, k becomes ku.

  • Leaving z bare before š.

    Idem z školy.
    Idem zo školy.

    Z becomes zo before s, z, š and ž.

How It Connects

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

Prepositions With an Extra VowelLevel 2

Learn This First

Before Prepositions With an Extra Vowel, learn Where: v and na With the Locative, With: s and so and From: z and zo. v becomes vo before some words. s becomes so before some words. z becomes zo before some words.

Words in This Pattern

sk