"Kam vede ta ulice?"

Translation: Where does that street lead?

[Lars1o2]

Why isn't road accepted as a translation for ulice?

[David_Sarif]

Road is usually "cesta, silnice".

[LeinadSpoon]

I don't think I make a meaningful distinction between street and road in my dialect of English. What distinction is being made between those Czech words?

[BoneheadBass]

I had the same question. I asked someone, who is a native speaker of Russian, about it, and he surmised that "silnice" (road) refers to the paved portion of a street, while "ulice" references the whole environment of a street, i.e., the paved part along with the buildings, houses, etc. Then we asked a native Czech speaker about it, and she supported this interpretation. But maybe she was just being nice... :-)

[endless_sleeper]

"Ulice" is located in a built-up environment.

"Silnice" is a 'paved road.' It mostly refers to roads between cities/villages etc.

'Paved portion of a street' is either "vozovka" ('road(way)/carriageway') or "chodník" ('pavement/sidewalk').

[BoneheadBass]

This is VERY helpful! Now... where does "dálnice" fit in?

[endless_sleeper]

"Dálnice" is a shortening of dálková silnice ('long-distance road') and it is the word used for grade-separated, dual carriageway roads = controlled-access highways = motorways (UK) = freeways (US). They are for the most part tolled.

[Leo970566]

Could you also say "Where (does it) lead TO"?

[VladaFu]

yes

[Praha2023]

In English, I would say: Where does that street go? I hear 'lead' less commonly.

[VladaFu]

And it is accepted. However, "to lead" has the important benefit of being the close counterpart of "vést" in other meanings as well (to lead someone - vést někoho, a leader - vedoucí, vůdce).

[Praha2023]

Ohhhhhhh. That makes sense!