dotázat

Dotázat is a Czech verb meaning to ask a question of someone or to inquire in order to obtain information or clarification. It is a perfective verb, signaling a completed act of asking, and is commonly used in formal, journalistic, or administrative contexts. The verb often occurs with the reflexive form dotázat se, which emphasizes the act of asking itself. By contrast, the imperfective counterparts tázat se or ptát se describe asking in a more general or iterative sense.

Usage and syntax: Dotázat is transitive and typically takes the person asked as the direct object in the accusative, and can be followed by na + the topic of the question. Examples: "Novinář se dotázal ministra na jeho postoj." (The journalist asked the minister about his stance.) "Vedoucí se dotázala zaměstnanců na jejich názory." (The manager asked the employees for their opinions.) The form is inflected for person and number, with past forms like dotázal se, dotázala se, and so on.

Nuances and context: Dotázat se carries a sense of a specific, purposeful inquiry and is often used in official, media, or formal discourse. It is more precise than ptát se or zeptat se when the speaker intends to convey that the act of asking was completed or directed toward obtaining particular information. The related adjective dotázaný means “asked” or “polled.”

See also: dotaz (a question or inquiry), dotázání (the act of asking, in some contexts), dotázaný, ptát se, tázat se, zeptat se.