Get a move on!

Welcome to another edition of SoundCzech – a programme in which you can learn new Czech phrases with the help of song lyrics. Today’s song is by Ewa Farna, it is called Ponorka –Submarine - and the phrase to listen out for is “hejbni se”.

“Hejbni se” or “hejbni sebou” means “get a move on”. In the refrain Farna sings “hury, hury, I’m flying, time goes by so fast, so get a move on, no time to sit around, we only live once.” There are many ways in Czech to hurry someone along – apart from “hejbni se”, you will also hear people saying “hoď sebou” literally meaning “throw yourself”. Funnily enough, the verb to throw is also used to express the opposite – “hoď se do klidu” or “hoď se do pohody” mean relax or take it easy – and translates as “throw yourself into a state of tranquility” or “throw yourself into a state of wellbeing”.

When people want to hurry a child along they will say “honem, honem,” meaning quick, quick or “šup, šup,” but grown ups – particularly young people - use much more colourful expressions – like “hejbni kostrou” - move your skeleton (or move your bones) and “hejbni zadkem”–move your ass. Also widely used is “šlápni na plyn”, step on the gas pedal – all of which require no explanation.

A very simple way of saying hurry up is to say simply “dělej”. Dělat means to do something – the imperative “dělej” means “get along with it” whatever you are doing. “Mrskni sebou” is a bit like “hoď sebou” only “mrskat” means to crack – as in to crack a whip – so “mrskni sebou” means get cracking. Hopefully all your days will not be that hectic – and there will be occasions when you can throw yourself headlong into tranquility. As we like to say in Czech “klídek” meaning take it easy, don’t fuss. This is Daniela Lazarová saying thanks for learning Czech with me and nashledanou!