čo (Referring to a Whole Clause)
Which, Referring to a Whole Clause
Meškal, čo ma nahnevalo. (He was late, which annoyed me.) Čo refers to the whole fact that he was late.
How It Works
Commenting on a whole clause. English uses which to comment on everything just said: He was late, which annoyed me. Slovak uses čo:
- Meškal, čo ma nahnevalo. (He was late, which annoyed me.)
- Vyhrali, čo nikto nečakal. (They won, which nobody expected.)
Not ktorý. Ktorý agrees with a noun, so it can only point to a noun. When there is no noun, only a whole event, use čo.
Čo changes case. Čo takes the case that its own verb or preposition needs, using the forms of čo:
- čo (nominative / accusative): Meškal, čo ma nahnevalo. Vyhrali, čo nikto nečakal.
- čoho (genitive): Neprišiel, čoho som sa bála. (báť sa + genitive; see verbs with the genitive)
- čomu (dative): Vraj sa sťahuje do Ameriky, čomu neverím.
- o čom (locative): Presťahovali sa, o čom som vôbec nevedel.
- čím (instrumental): Nezavolal, čím ma sklamal.
- za čo (preposition + accusative): Pomohol mi, za čo som mu vďačný.
When čo is the subject, a past-tense verb is neuter: čo ma nahnevalo, čo ma prekvapilo.
Comma and position. This čo clause always comes after the clause it comments on, with a comma before it. A similar idea can be said with a + to (and that), written without a comma: Meškal a to ma nahnevalo. Pričom can also comment on a whole clause, but čo is the most common choice.
Examples (6)
- Meškal, čo ma nahnevalo.
He was late, which annoyed me.
Word by Word: He-was-late, what me annoyed.
Čo is the subject, so the verb nahnevalo is neuter.
- Vyhrali, čo nikto nečakal.
They won, which nobody expected.
Word by Word: They-won, what nobody not-expected.
- Nezavolal, čím ma sklamal.
He didn't call, which disappointed me.
Word by Word: Not-he-called, by-what me he-disappointed.
Čím is instrumental: he disappointed me by not calling.
- Vraj sa sťahuje do Ameriky, čomu neverím.
He's supposedly moving to America, which I don't believe.
Word by Word: Supposedly self moves to America, to-what not-I-believe.
Veriť takes the dative, so čo becomes čomu.
- Presťahovali sa, o čom som vôbec nevedel.
They moved, which I didn't know anything about.
Word by Word: They-moved self, about what I-have at-all not-known.
- Pomohol mi, za čo som mu vďačný.
He helped me, for which I'm grateful.
Word by Word: He-helped to-me, for what I-am to-him grateful.
Common Mistakes
Using ktorý to refer to a whole clause.
Meškal, ktoré ma nahnevalo.Meškal, čo ma nahnevalo.Ktorý needs a noun to agree with. To refer to the whole fact, use čo.
Keeping čo in the nominative when the verb needs another case.
Neprišiel, čo som sa bála.Neprišiel, čoho som sa bála.Báť sa takes the genitive, so čo becomes čoho.
Using the Czech word což.
Meškal, což ma nahnevalo.Meškal, čo ma nahnevalo.Což is Czech. Slovak uses čo.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Which, Referring to a Whole Clause, learn Relative čo After všetko and niečo. čo can also refer back to a whole clause.
Related Patterns
- Relative Pronoun ktorý
Ktorý refers to a noun, so it cannot replace čo here.
Level 3 - kto / čoWho and What
Gives the case forms čoho, čomu, čím and o čom.
Level 1 - ten, kto / to, čoWhoever and Whatever
Another pattern where čo starts a relative clause.
Level 4 - pričomWhile at the Same Time: Pričom
Also adds a comment to the whole previous clause.
Level 5 - báť sa / týkať sa / držať sa + GenitiveVerbs with the Genitive
Verbs like these decide the case of čo, as in čoho som sa bála.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice čo (Referring to a Whole Clause) in Bubblegum
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