Zvolili

Zvolili is a Czech verb form from zvolit, meaning to elect or to choose by vote, or to appoint. It is the past tense, third-person plural form used for masculine or mixed-gender subjects, as in Zvolili nového prezidenta. The feminine plural form is zvolily. The corresponding singular forms are zvolil (masculine) and zvolila (feminine). The imperfective counterpart is volit, while zvolit is perfective, indicating a completed act of choosing or electing.

Etymology and meaning: The prefix z- adds a sense of completion or result to volit, producing zvolit, “to elect/choose.” The related adjective zvolený means “the elected” or “chosen,” used in phrases like zvolený prezident.

Usage: Zvolili is used in reporting and narration to describe groups that have voted to elect someone or select a course of action. It appears in political, organizational, and formal contexts. It is not used for ongoing or hypothetical choices; for ongoing action one would use volí (present) or zvolí (future), while zvolený is used as a predicative or attributive participle.

Examples:

- Zvolili nového předsedu. (They elected a new chairman.)

- Politické strany zvolily několik členů výboru. (The political parties elected several members of the committee.)

See also: volit, zvolený, volba, volič.

Note: Zvolili is distinct from zvolený, which functions as a participle or adjective meaning “the elected.”