Dovolovat

Dovolovat is a Czech verb meaning to allow or permit. It is imperfective, while its perfective counterpart is dovolit. The verb is transitive and typically governs the thing being allowed as the direct object, with a recipient or beneficiary often expressed in the dative. It can also introduce subordinate clauses with aby to describe allowing someone to do something.

In standard usage, dovolovat describes ongoing or repeated permission, whereas dovolit conveys a single, completed act of granting permission. The phrase dovolovat si means to allow oneself to do something and is used both literally and in polite, sometimes ironic, expressions. The imperative form Dovolte (mi) is used as a courteous request to permit the speaker to proceed, e.g., Dovolte mi říci pár slov.

Examples:

- Dovolíme vám vstup. (We allow you to enter.)

- Dovolil mu odjet. (He allowed him to leave.)

- Dovolovali mu, aby odjel, i když to někomu nepřidávalo na jistotě. (They allowed him to leave, even though that did not reassure someone.)

- On si dovoluje tvrdit, že se mýlíte. (He dares to claim that you are mistaken.)

Negation and related forms:

- nedovolovat means not to allow, to withhold permission.

- Dovolit and povolit are related verbs; dovolit is perfective, povolit is often used in formal or institutional contexts to grant permission.

Dovolovat appears in formal, administrative, and everyday speech, especially when describing permission that is granted, granted repeatedly, or requested politely.