Czech Dates & Celebrations: třetího května, svátek, Ježíšek
Dates run on ordinals and the genitive; celebrations run on a calendar where every day has a first name. Both are pure Czech joy.
Ordinals and Dates
první, druhý, třetí, čtvrtý, pátý… — first, second, third… The date question: Kolikátého je dnes? — literally "of the how-many-eth is it?" Answer in the genitive: Dnes je třetího května — it's the third of May.
Narodila jsem se pátého června.
I was born on the fifth of June (f).
Note: Dates are genitive: pátého června — fifth OF June.
Czech Months Are Slavic
No borrowed Januaries here — every month is a picture:
| Czech | English | The picture |
|---|---|---|
| leden | January | led — ice |
| únor | February | ice sinking |
| březen | March | bříza — birch |
| duben | April | dub — oak |
| květen | May | květ — blossom |
| červen / červenec | June / July | red fruit |
| srpen | August | srp — sickle |
| září | September | glowing light |
| říjen / listopad / prosinec | Oct / Nov / Dec | rut, leaf-fall, midwinter |
svátek — the Name Day
Every day of the Czech calendar carries a first name; when yours comes up, cake happens. Kdy máš svátek? — when's your name day? Czechs congratulate twice a year — birthday (narozeniny) and svátek — both with Všechno nejlepší!
The Holiday Code
Vánoce — Christmas: presents arrive on the 24th evening (Štědrý den), delivered by Ježíšek (baby Jesus), not Santa — and dinner is kapr, the carp, with potato salad. Velikonoce — Easter, with the pomlázka willow switch. Silvestr — New Year's Eve.
Kdo je Ježíšek?
Who is Ježíšek?
Nosí dárky. Čtyřiadvacátého večer.
He brings the presents. On the 24th, in the evening.
A ten kapr ve vaně?
And the carp in the bathtub?
To je večeře. Neptej se.
That's dinner. Don't ask.
Common Mistakes
- Dnes je třetí květen. Spoken Czech prefers the genitive date: třetího května.
- Santa at Christmas. Gifts come from Ježíšek, on the 24th — wishing a Czech child Santa on the 25th misses the whole event.
- Skipping the svátek. Forgetting a Czech friend's name day is a real (if forgivable) miss — the calendar is public.
What You Can Do Now
You can say any date in the right case, navigate the poetic months, congratulate people twice a year — and explain to visitors why there's a carp in the bathtub.