"Co hrajou?"

Translation: What are they playing?

[RiTpEZ]

Why in some phrases there is "co + verb hrat" and in other the question starts with "na co + verb hrat" . When do i have to write the "na" ?

[VladaFu]

You use na for musical instruments.

[Pollyhs]

is it the same for statements too? I am playing -hraji si oder hraji na or do i have to specify -- hraji na klavir?

[klarka.sob]

I would prefer "hrají" than "hrajou". I think "hrají" is more polite.

[VladaFu]

It is not polite/non-polite. It is more about standard literary language / spoken (vernacular) language. "Hrajou" used to be non-standard and was made standard relatively recently. In speech it is very common, even when speaking the standard form and not the common dialect. In the Common Czech dialect "hrají" is non-existent.

It is actually called "hovorový tvar". It is hard to translate it to English and it is a strange concept - an alternative form which is standard and still less standard than the absolute standard. A strange invention indeed.

It has NOTHING to do with politeness, only with formality.

[VladaFu]

By the way, in a Jewish anecdote "Co hrajou?" would mean "What are you playing?" as a question to an individual. This usage was a germanism and is strongly archaic.

[Dlehrke]

These are the best kind of comments. Based on my experience of meeting many English speakers. I would like to learn the most polite speech I can in other languages, as long as it doesn't sound too silly.

Thanks for this post.

[Milunka96763]

Mohla by se česká věta vyložit i jako: Co dávají? (v kině atp.) Samozřejmě s odpovídajícím překladem: What is on..nebo, jak je to správně.

[VladaFu]

No dalo, ale překlad bych nechal ten přímej.