Czech Prepositions Unpacked: U
Being near, not inside, and why English has no perfect equivalent
The Czech preposition u expresses a very specific spatial idea: being near, next to, or in the proximity of something — without being inside.
This makes u different from v (inside) and k (movement towards).
Core Rule: U + Genitive
The preposition u is always followed by the genitive case.
There are no exceptions. The key question it answers is: KDE? “Where?”
Important: u is static. It never expresses movement.
Core Meaning: Proximity, Not Inclusion
U means:
near
next to
by
in the vicinity of
It explicitly does not mean “inside.”
Počkám u školy.
“I’ll wait near the school.”Seděli jsme u okna.
“We were sitting by the window.”Stojí u dveří.
“He’s standing by the door.”
You are close, but not inside.
U vs. V: Near vs. Inside
This contrast is essential.
Čekám u školy.
“I’m waiting near the school.”Čekám ve škole.
“I’m waiting inside the school.”
Same noun. Different preposition. Different physical reality.
U with People: “At Someone’s Place”
When u is used with people, it usually means at someone’s place. This is one of the most common and natural uses of u.
Byl jsem u doktora.
“I’ve been at the doctor’s.”Sejdeme se u mě.
“We’ll meet at my place.”Bydlí u rodičů.
“She lives with her parents.”
Here, u does not mean standing next to a person, but being in their home, office, or place of responsibility.
U vs. K (Common Learner Confusion)
Both u and k involve proximity, but the difference is clear:
k → movement towards (KAM?)
u → location near (KDE?)
Compare:
Jdu k lékaři.
“I’m going to the doctor.”Jsem u lékaře.
“I’m at the doctor’s.”
Movement vs. location.
U with Institutions and Places
U is used with places when the focus is on being nearby, not entering.
Bydlí u centra.
“He lives near the city center.”Restaurace je u nádraží.
“The restaurant is near the station.”Hotel stojí u řeky.
“The hotel is by the river.”
U in Fixed Expressions and Names
Fixed phrases
U nás.
“At our place.”U vás.
“At your place.”U sebe.
“At one’s place.”
These expressions are extremely common in spoken Czech.
Names of pubs and places
U often appears in names of Czech pubs and businesses.
U Tygra.
“The Tiger (pub name).”U Tří koček.
“The Three Cats.”
Here, u roughly means “at the place of.”
What U Does NOT Do
It’s important to be clear about what u cannot express:
not movement
not being inside
not direction
Incorrect:
Jdu u školy.
Correct:
Jdu ke škole.
“I’m going to the school.”
Common Learner Mistakes
Using V instead of U
Incorrect:
Byl jsem v doktora.
Correct:
Byl jsem u doktora.
“I’ve been at the doctor’s.”
Forgetting the genitive
Incorrect:
u Petr
Correct:
u Petra
“at Peter’s place”
Summary: How to Think About U
Instead of translating u, think:
near
next to
by
at someone’s place
If the question is KDE? and the meaning is proximity, u is usually the right choice.
Final Learning Tip
Czech spatial prepositions form a precise system:
DO → into
V → inside
Z → out of
K → towards
U → near
Once you see where u fits, the system becomes complete.
