Napomáhat

Napomáhat is a Czech verb meaning to help or assist in achieving a goal, or to contribute to a process by facilitating someone's effort. It can be used in neutral or positive contexts, as well as in expressions that emphasize aiding the realization of a particular outcome.

The verb is imperfective, with the corresponding perfective form napomoci. In use, napomáhat is often combined with a dative indirect object and, more commonly, with the preposition k to indicate the goal or result being facilitated. For example: "Rada napomáhá studentům k úspěchu," meaning the advice helps students toward success; or "Jeho činnost napomáhala rozvoji regionu." It can also take bodies of wrongdoing in a negative sense: "napomáhat k trestnému činu," meaning to facilitate or aid a criminal act.

Grammatical notes: present tense forms include já napomáhám, ty napomáháš, on/ona napomáhá, my napomáháme, vy napomáháte, oni napomáhají. Imperative forms are napomáhej and napomáhejte. The relation to the perfective napomoci marks a completed act of aiding, often used when emphasizing the result or culmination.

Related terms include pomáhat (to help in general) and napomínat (to admonish, which is a different sense). The noun form napomáhání denotes the act of facilitating or aiding, and napomínání is unrelated etymologically.

In summary, napomáhat denotes active assistance or facilitation, typically with a clear aim or outcome, and is contrasted with its perfective counterpart napomoci for completed aiding.