Odmítají

Odmítají is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Czech verb odmítat, meaning to refuse or reject. The verb is imperfective and transitive, typically taking a direct object in the accusative, as in: odmítají nabídku.

In usage, odmítají describes a decision by a subject (they) to decline something—an offer, request, proposal, or accusation. It is common in everyday speech and in formal discourse, including journalism and official statements. The sense is a straightforward act of refusal rather than a denial of a factual claim; for denying a proposition Czech often uses popírají or zpochybňují.

Common related forms include odmítat (infinitive), odmítnout (perfective, “to refuse” in a completed action), and odmítající (present participle). The noun form is odmítání, referring to the act of refusal. The verb follows regular Czech conjugation patterns: já odmítám, ty odmítáš, on/ona odmítá, my odmítáme, vy odmítáte, oni odmítají.

Etymology centers on the prefix od- combined with a root related to “to have” in historical Slavic development, with the prefix conveying a sense of separation or reversal that contributes to the meaning “to refuse.” In modern usage, odmítat and its forms are common across speaking styles, from everyday conversations to official communications.

Examples: „Nabídku odmítají kvůli podmínkám.“ „Odmítají spolupráci s novým partnerem.“ These illustrate straightforward declines of proposals or arrangements.