Rádo

rádo is a word used in the Czech language as an adverb meaning “gladly” or “with pleasure,” typically indicating willingness or a positive attitude toward an action. It is historically linked to the adjectives rád (masculine), ráda (feminine), and rádo (neuter), and it appears in older or literary texts as the neuter form. In everyday speech, Czech speakers normally use rád (masc.) or ráda (fem.) to express willingness, while rádo is encountered mainly in fixed phrases or in historical style.

The most well-known and frequently cited example of rádo in use is the expression “Rádo se stalo,” which functions as a polite or gracious response to thanks and can be translated roughly as “You’re welcome” or “My pleasure.” This phrase preserves the neuter usage of rádo and is widely recognized in Czech-language speech and writing.

In modern usage, rádo tends to appear in literary, ceremonial, or archaic contexts rather than in casual conversation. When indicating personal willingness in contemporary Czech, speakers rely on gendered forms, such as “Rád pomohu” (I will gladly help) or “Ráda bych šla” (I would like to go), depending on the speaker’s gender. The word’s etymology traces back to Proto-Slavic *radъ, meaning “willing” or “pleasant,” and it remains a marked, less common variant within the language’s repertoire of expressions of willingness.

See also: rád, ráda, Czech language, fixed expressions.