chápe

Chápe is a present-tense form of the verb chápat in Czech and Slovak, meaning "to understand" or "to comprehend." It is used to indicate that the subject understands something in the moment of speaking.

In both languages, chápe functions as the third-person singular form. For example, in Czech you might say "On chápe, co se stalo," meaning "He understands what happened." In Slovak, a parallel sentence would be "On chápe, čo sa stalo," also meaning "He understands what happened." These forms appear in everyday conversation as well as in written text.

Phonetics and spelling notes: chápe is pronounced with a hard ch sound (as in ch in loch) followed by a long á, and a final short e. In Czech it is commonly realized as roughly [ˈxaː.pɛ], while Slovak pronunciation is broadly similar, with the stress typically on the first syllable and a final [e] sound.

Relation to other forms: chápat is the infinitive, meaning "to understand." Other related forms include já chápu (I understand), vy chápete (you understand), and other person-number combinations in each language. The verb is regular in its present tense conjugation and is commonly used across formal and informal registers.

Etymology is typical of Slavic languages, with chápe derived from the root chápa- shared by related verbs in Czech and Slovak that express perception or understanding. The word is not a noun and does not function as a standalone name or title.