"Jsi chytřejší než před týdnem?"

Translation: Are you smarter than a week ago?

[Doug-S]

The "correct" answer is so wrong in so many ways. It asks me if I'm smarter than the ambigious "one week ago." I realize how it would be interpreted in casual conversation, but it doesn't make the grade in written communication.

[EinatAdar]

Absolutely agree. It should be smarter than you were a week ago, which is not accepted.

[Renardo_11]

Leaving out the repeated subject + predicate is called an ellipsis. It's a common figure of speech in both languages.

[Matt706745]

You should accept both if no one makes the distinction between their meanings.

[Renardo_11]

Like almost all discussants here I am a learner, and nobody gives a damn about what I accept or not. But if the Czech sentence makes the ellipsis, why should the English translation without the ellipsis be accepted? Precision helps in learning; in practice you can be as sloppy as you want.

[AgnusOinas]

Exactly.

"Jsi chytřejší než jsi byl před týdnem?" would translate to "Are you smarter than you were a week ago?". Symmetry. :)

[PritelBobka]

I have to agree with this as well. In order for the "ellipses" to be valid, there has to be something to compare "last week" to. The subject intended to be compared to "last week" is "now," not "you." So in order for you to be able to omit "you were," the correct sentence is "Are you smarter now than a week ago?" The Czech may not require this, but i believe the English does.

[Pedro_42]

Fun fact: The game show "Jsi chytřejší než páťák?" (Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?) exists in the Czech Republic (e.g., see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuyKG35o5qY ).

[VietnamskK]

"Are you smarter than last week?"
Why is this incorrect?

[Renardo_11]

The “last week” (poslední týden) is a period of time that extends over seven days (in Czechia from Monday to Sunday). “Před týdnem” is a date or moment within that period. So it's “a week ago” in English.