Thursday, August 5, 2010

UTAHOVAT

It seems to me that you can take any word and add -ovat to it and it becomes a verb in the Czech language.
For example, emailovat and parkovat mean emailing and parking. Get it?
Well, I recently found this sign posted at a train station:


I don't know what it really translates as, but that's what I'm doing today. Utahovat-ing. See you after about 23 hours of traveling in God's country.

Side note:

this was a beautiful way to spend my last few nights in Plzeƈ.

4 comments:

FindOverstock.com said...

HAHA FUNNY. LOVING YOUR CZECH EXPERIENCE.

THIS LITTLE SIGN'S LITERAL TRANSLATION BASICALLY SAYS "TIDY UP RESTROOM EVERYTIME".

I SUSPECT THIS IS A DOOR TO A BATHROOM

"OVAT' IS QUITE POPULAR WITH EASTERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGES, YOUR PARKING AND EMAIL EXAMPLES WOULD BE ALMOST IDENTICAL IN RUSSIAN, UKRINIAN, VARIATIONS OF POLISH AND FEW OTHERS.

safe travels

MARIA

www.findoverstock.com
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A GAL NEEDS... said...

Wow! An instant education in the Czech language! And welcome back to Utah! It's gorgeous isn't it?

Sybil said...

that last image was just breath taking!! :D

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Unknown said...

Even though I never learned "utahovat" on my mission, the literal translation is "wear out (utahovat) up to the knocker (poradne) every time (pokazde)"

Poradne actually has about a dozen different meanings, and the one I cited is one I've never used, but given that it's posted on a door (and that I don't know the context for it) I'm just assuming it has something to do with knocking in this case. Also, if you add "si" after utahovat it vastly changes the meaning.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but my Czech has really gone downhill in the last use from not being used, and I never encountered this phrase even back when it was good!

Take care,
Will (Elder) McBride