Podstupovali

Podstupovali is the imperfective past tense form of the Czech verb podstupovat, meaning to undergo, to submit oneself to a process, or to undertake a risk. It signals that the action was ongoing or repeated in the past, rather than completed. The corresponding perfective form is podstoupit, with past tense forms like podstoupili for completed actions.

Usage and nuance

Podstupovat describes ongoing or repeated experiences in the past, such as undergoing treatment, examinations, or various procedures. It is commonly used in medical or formal contexts. It contrasts with podstoupili (and other perfective forms) which indicate a completed action, for example, “Oni podstoupili operaci” meaning they underwent surgery (and completed it).

Examples

- Pacienti podstupovali chemoterapii. (The patients were undergoing chemotherapy.)

- Odborníci uvedli, že lidé podstupovali riziku kvůli opakovaným testům. (The specialists noted that people were subjecting themselves to risk due to repeated tests.)

Form and related terms

Podstupovali is the past imperfect plural form used with masculine or mixed-gender subjects; feminine plural would use podstupovaly, and neuter contexts use forms such as podstupovalo in corresponding singular neuter situations. The verb’s perfective counterpart is podstoupit; related noun forms include podstoupení, referring to the act of undergoing something.

Etymology and overview

The verb is formed with the prefix pod- attached to stoupovat, and it has a frequent medical and formal usage in Czech. It pairs with a broad range of direct objects, from medical procedures to examinations and proposed risks.