This is a reference list — the kind of vocabulary that appears constantly in Czech news reports and detective novels. We’ll move from everyday disagreements up to the formal legal terms.
1. Everyday conflict
- hádat se — to argue / quarrel
- hádka — an argument, a quarrel
- manželské hádky — marital quarrels
Pořád se hádají.
They argue all the time.
2. The language of crime
These are the standard legal / news terms. The verb spáchat (“to commit”) pairs with serious offences.
- vražda — murder
- vraždit (imperfective) — to murder / kill (= zabíjet)
- zavraždit (perfective) — to murder (= zabít)
- vrah — a murderer · masový vrah — a mass murderer
- spáchat — to commit (a crime)
- pokus o vraždu — attempted murder (note the o + accusative again)
Policie vyšetřuje pokus o vraždu.
The police are investigating an attempted murder.
3. A sensitive term
For completeness, the formal term you’ll see in the news:
- sebevražda — suicide
- spáchat sebevraždu — to commit suicide
For Russian speakers: vražda → убийство, zavraždit → убить, vraždit → убивать, spáchat → совершить, masový vrah → массовый убийца, sebevražda → самоубийство.
Heavy words, but useful ones for reading the news or following a Czech crime drama. Note how spáchat keeps recurring — it’s the go-to verb for “to commit” an offence.
Want to reveal all the secrets of Czech?
Whether it’s news vocabulary or everyday chat, I help you understand real Czech as it’s actually used. Come and see how it all fits together.
Check out the courses