po + Accusative

Up to and to Fetch: Po

Level 4

Po + accusative says how far something reaches (po kolená, až po Dunaj) or what or whom you go to fetch (ísť po chlieb, prísť po deti). With the locative, po means after or around, so the case changes the meaning.

How It Works

Up to a limit. Po + accusative says how far something reaches, often with až:

  • voda po kolená water up to the knees, sneh po pás snow up to the waist
  • od Tatier až po Dunaj from the Tatras all the way to the Danube
  • od riaditeľa až po vrátnika from the director down to the doorman

To fetch. After verbs of going and sending, po + accusative names what or whom you go to get:

  • Idem po chlieb. I'm going to get bread.
  • Prídem po teba o siedmej. I'll pick you up at seven.
  • Idem po deti do škôlky. I'm going to pick up the kids from kindergarten.
  • poslať po lekára to send for a doctor

Set phrases. po prvý raz (for the first time), po celý deň (throughout the day).

Accusative or locative? With the locative, po means after or around, see po with the locative:

  • Idem po obed. I'm going to get lunch. (accusative)
  • Po obede idem von. After lunch I'm going out. (locative)

Forms. Use the accusative: chlieb → po chlieb, voda → po vodu, lekár → po lekára. Pronouns: po mňa, po teba, po neho, po ňu.

To go to see someone, rather than to fetch them, use ísť za: Idem za babkou.

Examples (6)

  1. Voda nám siahala po kolená.

    The water came up to our knees.

    Word by Word: Water to-us reached up-to knees.

  2. Idem do obchodu po chlieb.

    I'm going to the shop to get bread.

    Word by Word: I-go to shop for bread.

  3. O štvrtej idem po deti do škôlky.

    At four I'm going to pick up the kids from kindergarten.

    Word by Word: At four I-go for children to kindergarten.

  4. Prídem po teba o siedmej.

    I'll pick you up at seven.

    Word by Word: I-come for you at seventh.

  5. Prešli sme Slovensko od Tatier až po Dunaj.

    We travelled across Slovakia from the Tatras all the way to the Danube.

    Word by Word: Crossed are Slovakia from Tatras up to Danube.

  6. Vtedy som ju videl po prvý raz.

    That was when I saw her for the first time.

    Word by Word: Then am her saw for first time.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the locative when you mean fetching.

    Idem po chlebe.
    Idem po chlieb.

    To go and get something, po takes the accusative: po chlieb. Po with the locative means after or around.

  • Using the accusative when you mean "after".

    Po obed si zdriemnem.
    Po obede si zdriemnem.

    The intended meaning is "After lunch I'll take a nap". "After" takes the locative: po obede. Po obed means "to get lunch".

  • Using the nominative pronoun after po.

    Prídem po ty o siedmej.
    Prídem po teba o siedmej.

    Po takes the accusative here, so ty becomes teba.

How It Connects

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

po + AccusativeLevel 4Up to and to Fetch: Po

Learn This First

Before Up To and To Fetch: po, learn About, After and Near: o, po and pri and The Accusative Case for Objects. po + accusative is contrasted with po + locative. In this meaning po takes the accusative.

Words in This Pattern