Pokus

Pokus is a noun used in Czech and Slovak that denotes an act of trying something, a trial, or an experiment. It covers both everyday attempts to achieve a goal and formal scientific or technical experiments. In general usage, pokus can mean simply an effort to test or prove something, while in scientific contexts it is often translated as “experiment” or “trial.”

Common phrases illustrate its use. For example, udělat pokus means to perform an experiment or attempt, and na první pokus refers to a first try. The phrase tento pokus byl úspěšný can mean that the attempt or experiment was successful. The word is flexible enough to describe both casual endeavors and more systematic investigations.

Morphology and related forms: pokus is masculine and typically appears in the plural as pokusy. An adjective form, pokusový, describes things related to experiments or trials, such as pokusový design or pokusové metody. The term is closely related to other Czech and Slovak words denoting testing or examination, such as zkouška (test or exam) and experiment.

Etymology and regional use: pokus belongs to a family of Slavic terms associated with trying, testing, or proving. It is widely understood in Czech and Slovak-speaking regions and is used in both everyday language and academic or technical writing. In English-language translations, pokus is generally rendered as “attempt” or “experiment,” depending on context.