chcieť
Wanting with Chcieť
Learn chcieť as a set: chcem, chceš, chce, chceme, chcete, chcú. Then add a noun or another verb in the infinitive.
How It Works
- ja chcem, ty chceš, on, ona, ono chce
- my chceme, vy chcete, oni, ony chcú
Wanting a thing. The thing is a direct object, so it takes the accusative: Chcem kávu. (I want a coffee.) Chceš psa? (Do you want a dog?)
Wanting to do something. Add a second verb in the infinitive, the form ending in -ť: Chceme ísť domov. (We want to go home.) Chcete sa učiť slovenčinu? (Do you want to learn Slovak?) Only chcieť changes. The second verb stays in the infinitive.
The negative is nechcem, nechceš and so on: Nechcem jesť. (I don't want to eat.)
Be polite. Chcem is direct. In a shop or a café, people usually say Prosím si kávu or Dám si kávu (I'll have a coffee), or the softer Chcel by som (I would like).
Examples (6)
- Chcem kávu s mliekom.
I want a coffee with milk.
Káva becomes kávu in the accusative.
- Čo chceš robiť zajtra?
What do you want to do tomorrow?
Robiť stays in the infinitive.
- Deti chcú ísť k moru.
The children want to go to the sea.
The they form is chcú.
- Chceme bývať v centre.
We want to live in the center.
- Ešte nechcem spať.
I don't want to sleep yet.
- Chcete čaj alebo vodu?
Do you want tea or water?
Common Mistakes
Giving chcieť a regular-looking they form.
Oni chcejú odísť.Oni chcú odísť.Chcieť is irregular. They want is chcú.
Leaving a feminine noun in the dictionary form.
Chcem voda.Chcem vodu.The thing you want is the object, so voda changes to vodu.
Conjugating both verbs.
Chcem idem domov.Chcem ísť domov.After chcieť, the second verb stays in the infinitive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Wanting With chcieť, learn Present Verbs in -em and -iem. chcieť has -em forms: chcem, chceš.
Related Patterns
- The Accusative Case for Objects
The thing you want goes in the accusative.
Level 1 - -uFeminine Accusative in -u
Feminine nouns change -a to -u after chcem.
Level 1 - môcť / musieť + InfinitiveCan and Must
Môcť and musieť also take an infinitive.
Level 1 - rád + VerbLiking to Do Something
Rád is for things you like doing, while chcieť is for things you want to do.
Level 1 - chcel by somPolite Requests: Chcel by Som
A softer, more polite way to ask for something.
Level 3 - abySo That: Aby
Chcieť with aby is for wanting someone else to do something.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice chcieť in Bubblegum
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