Pracovat

Pracovat is a Czech verb meaning to work, to be employed, or to operate and function. It is used for physical and mental labor, for performing a task, and for the functioning of devices or processes. The base form is infinitive: pracovat.

Conjugation and forms. Pracovat is an imperfective verb; it describes ongoing or repeated action without emphasis on completion. In the present tense the typical forms are: já pracuji, ty pracuješ, on/ona pracuje, my pracujeme, vy pracujete, oni pracují. The verb can also appear in colloquial speech as pracuju. The past tense is formed with the auxiliary být and a past participle: pracoval (masculine), pracovala (feminine), pracovalo (neuter), pracovali (masculine plural), pracovaly (feminine plural). Past forms reflect the gender and number of the subject.

Perfective counterparts. As an imperfective verb, pracovat commonly pairs with prefixes to express completed actions or specific aspects. Examples include odpracovat (to work off, to complete hours), zpracovat (to process or to treat), vypracovat (to work out, to develop or draft). These prefixed forms convey completed action or a completed result related to work.

Usage and expressions. Pracovat is used with direct objects or phrases such as pracovat na čem (to work on something), pracovat pro koho (to work for someone), and pracovat jako co (to work as something). It also appears in constructions describing employment, responsibilities, and functioning of machines, e.g., “Tento stroj pracuje správně” (This machine works correctly).

Related terms. The noun prac e means work or labor; related adjectives include pracovní (work-related, occupational) and pracovitý (hardworking). The word is cognate with similar Slavic verbs such as Russian rabotat’ and Polish pracować.