trvať na / zúčastniť sa na + Locative
Verbs with Na and the Locative
Trvať na (to insist on), pracovať na (to work on), podieľať sa na (to share in), zúčastniť sa na (to take part in) and dohodnúť sa na (to agree on) take na + locative: na tom, na projekte, na súťaži.
How It Works
A fixed preposition with the locative. Many Slovak verbs have a fixed preposition. For this group it is na, and the noun after it stands in the locative, the same case you use for places in na stole or na Slovensku.
- trvať na: to insist on: Trvám na tom. (I insist on it.) Trvá na svojom. (He insists on his own way.)
- pracovať na: to work on: pracovať na projekte, na diplomovej práci
- podieľať sa na: to have a share in: podieľať sa na úspechu
- zúčastniť sa na: to take part in: zúčastniť sa na súťaži
- dohodnúť sa na / zhodnúť sa na: to agree on: dohodli sme sa na cene
- lipnúť na: to cling to, zakladať si na: to pride oneself on
Not a direction. In ísť na koncert, na means movement and takes the accusative. With these verbs nothing moves, so the case stays locative: pracujem na projekte, never na projekt. The verb záležať na belongs to the same family.
A note on zúčastniť sa. Language advisers at the Ľ. Štúr Institute accept zúčastniť sa na zasadnutí, zúčastniť sa v boji and also the bare genitive zúčastniť sa olympijských hier, but they recommend the forms with a preposition. Use na + locative and you will always be right.
With a clause. To insist on a whole idea, use na tom, že or na tom, aby: Trvala na tom, aby sme prišli včas. (She insisted that we come on time.)
Examples (5)
- Trvám na tom, aby si mi to vrátil.
I insist that you give it back to me.
Word by Word: I-insist on that, so-that you me it returned.
Tom is the locative of to; the clause with aby says what is insisted on.
- Na tomto projekte pracujeme už pol roka.
We have been working on this project for half a year.
Word by Word: On this project we-work already half year.
- Na úspechu sa podieľal celý tím.
The whole team had a share in the success.
Word by Word: On success self shared whole team.
- Na konferencii sa zúčastnilo vyše sto ľudí.
More than a hundred people took part in the conference.
Word by Word: On conference self took-part over hundred people.
- Nakoniec sme sa dohodli na cene.
In the end we agreed on the price.
Word by Word: Finally we self agreed on price.
Common Mistakes
Using the accusative after na, as if it meant movement.
Pracujem na nový projekt.Pracujem na novom projekte.Pracovať na takes the locative: nový projekt → novom projekte. Na + accusative is for direction, as in ísť na koncert.
Saying na to instead of na tom after trvať.
Trvám na to, aby prišiel.Trvám na tom, aby prišiel.The pronoun must be locative too: to → tom.
Leaving out na with zúčastniť sa and keeping the accusative.
Zúčastnil sa súťaž.Zúčastnil sa na súťaži.Zúčastniť sa never takes the accusative. Use na + locative (na súťaži); the bare genitive súťaže also exists but is less recommended.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Verbs With na and the Locative, learn Verbs With Fixed Prepositions. trvať na and zúčastniť sa na are verbs with fixed prepositions.
Related Patterns
- Locative Singular Endings
The locative endings you need after na: projekte, súťaži, tom.
Level 2 - záležať na / závisieť odDepending on
Záležať na is another verb that takes na with the locative.
Level 4 - v / vo / na + LocativeWhere: V and Na with the Locative
The basic locative use of na for places, which these verbs borrow.
Level 1 - na + AccusativeGoing Onto and to: Na
Na with the accusative shows direction and must not be mixed up with this pattern.
Level 2 - disponovať / zaoberať sa + InstrumentalVerbs with the Instrumental
A neighbouring group of verbs whose object takes a fixed case, here the instrumental.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice trvať na / zúčastniť sa na + Locative in Bubblegum
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