chráni

Chráni is a Slovak verb form meaning "protects" or "is protecting," and it is the third-person singular present tense of the verb chrániť (to protect). It is used to describe someone or something that safeguards people, places, or things in the present moment.

The root chráni derives from the same Slavic concept of protection found in related languages. In Slovak, the present tense has distinct endings for each subject pronoun, and chráni follows the pattern for third-person singular. The related infinitive is chrániť, and its perfective counterpart is ochrániť (to protect completely or to protect from a specific threat). The form chráni is often contrasted with the Czech chrání, which serves a similar function in Czech but is spelled and accented differently due to language-specific orthography.

Usage examples include sentences such as "Chráni svoje deti pred nebezpečenstvom" (He protects his children from danger) or "Štát chráni práva občanov" (The state protects the rights of citizens). In everyday language, chráni appears in legal, security, medical, and social contexts where protection or safeguarding is discussed. The word is commonly accompanied by nouns like ochrana (protection), bezpečnosť (safety), or práva (rights).

Grammatical notes: chráni is the present-tense form; the imperative forms are chráň (informal singular) and chráňte (plural or formal). The related adjective is chránený (protected), and the noun chrána or ochrana denotes protection or protection measures.

See also: chrániť, ochrániť, ochrana, bezpečnosť, obrana.