Flek and kvit

Hello, this is a fresh edition of SoundCzech, our signature series in which you can learn some interesting Czech phrases while listening to a song. Today, we‘ll hear the song S nebem to mám dobrý, in English “I’m in good with heaven”, by the rock singer Vladimír Mišík and his band, Etc. The song appeared on his latest album, Ztracený podzim, or “Lost Autumn”, which came out this May. The first phrase to listen out for is držej mi tam flek, or “they’re holding a spot for me there”.

Držej mi tam flek, “they’re holding a spot for me there”, says Vladimír Mišík an old singer who plays his blues to God when others pray. He’s broke and has nothing to drink, but they will be good to him in heaven, the priest told him.

The word flek is one of many Czech borrowings from the German Fleck. In both languages, it means spot or stain. In the former meaning it’s quite colloquial in today’s Czech, while most people would probably use it when referring to a stain. There is another use of the word, in the phrase nezůstane po tobě ani mastnej flek, not even a greasy spot will be left of you, to suggest you will be completely wiped out. In the card-players’ parlance, to flek means to challenge your opponent and double the stakes. Have another listen.

The other expression I want to tell you about in today’s SoundCzech is s nebem jsme si kvit. This means “I’m square with heaven”, but the word kvit is quite interesting. Czech linguists have apparently been arguing about its origin since the 1920s; the most commonly accepted theory is that it came from Latin through French and German, the original word meaning quietus, or quiet. With time it has come to express being debt-free. It was first recorded in Czech in the 15th century – and is still used so in vernacular Czech.

That’s the end of today’s SoundCzech. I hope you enjoyed the song and learned something to impress your friends with, whatever nice flek you might be at. Good bye.