Legenda o pražském Golemovi
The Legend of the Prague Golem
The most famous Prague legend: how Rabbi Loew shaped a servant from Vltava clay, brought it to life with a shem — and what happened when he forgot to remove it.
You will practice: Past tense of both aspects (žil, pomáhal vs. udělal, vložil, spadl), purpose clauses with aby (aby Golema oživil), and the impersonal říká se (it is said).
Words to know
Skim these before you read — they carry the story. Tap the star to add one to your saved words.
- legendalegend
- tajemstvímystery, secret
- hlínaclay, earth
- stoletícentury
- moudrýwise
- rabínrabbi
- chránitto protect
- sochastatue
- oživitto bring to life
- ústamouth
- sílastrength, power
- zapomenoutto forget
- ničitto destroy
- spadnoutto fall down
- půdaattic; soil
Did you get it?
4 quick questions — no grades, just a comprehension check.
1. What was the Golem made of?
2. Why did Rabbi Loew create the Golem?
3. What brought the Golem to life?
4. Where is the Golem said to lie today?
Too hard? Pick an easier text in the Czech reading library. Understanding most of a text without translations is the goal — struggling through is not.