On your knees!

Welcome to another edition of SoundCzech, Radio Prague’s Czech language course in which you can learn new phrases with the help of song lyrics. Today’s song is by Ivan Hlas and is called Na kolena.

Photo: CTK

“Na kolena” means on your knees – and can be used to describe a state where someone has been knocked down by adverse circumstances. “Ten vyhazov mi srazil na kolena” means getting fired brought me to my knees. As in most languages it is also used to describe an attitude of supplication “odprosit na kolenou”– means to beg forgiveness on one’s knees. To get someone into such a position is “dostat někoho na kolena”.

Knees also appear in a number of phrases where you might not expect them. When Czechs say they have taken to doing something in their old age they will use the expression “na stará kolena”– on my old knees. “Na stará kolena se učím jazyky“ translates literally as “on my old knees I’ve started learning languages – an means - I’ve started learning languages in my old age. Or “na stará kolena jsem začal cestovat”– means I have taken to travelling in my old age. Another funny expression involving knees refers to someone who is thrifty. “Pro pětník by si nechal koleno vrtat” means he would let them drill his knee for a dime.

And finally there is the expression “z druhého kolena”, “bratranec z druhého kolena” translates as cousin from the second knee –and means cousin twice removed, or “bratranec z třetího kolena”– the cousin from the third knee – is cousin three times removed. And finally when in the Czech Republic, someone may offer you “vepřová kolena”– meaning pigs’ knees – which will arrive on your plate grilled together with radish and apple sauce.

That’s it for today’s Czech lesson - this is Daniela Lazarová saying thanks for learning Czech with me and na shledanou.