Sáhnout

Sáhnout is a Czech verb meaning to reach out with the hand to touch or grasp something, or to extend toward something with the arm. It is used for both literal actions (reaching for an object) and figurative uses (resorting to a measure or option). The sense can range from a simple physical gesture to taking hold of something or obtaining it.

Usage commonly involves prepositional phrases. Literally, sáhnout can appear with phrases describing reaching for an object, as in reaching for a book or other item. Figuratively, it is used with po to indicate resorting to a resource or last resort, as in sáhnout po poslední možnosti (to resort to the last option).

Etymology and form: sáhnout is derived from the noun sáh, a traditional unit of length (about 1.8 meters), together with a suffix that marks a completed action. This origin reflects the core idea of extending the arm to reach a distance. In contemporary Czech, the verb is common in everyday speech as well as in written language, conveying both concrete physical movement and figurative acts of choosing or obtaining something.

See also: related Czech verbs such as sahat (to reach out, imperfective) and other expressions using po or na to convey reach or resort in various contexts.