lietajú

Lietajú is a Slovak verb form meaning “they fly” or “they are flying.” It is the third-person plural present-tense form of the verb lietať, which means to fly. The form is used for multiple subjects actively flying at the moment. Example: Vtáky lietajú nad oblohou.

Etymology and cognates: The verb lietať belongs to the Slavic verb family for flight. It has cognates in other Slavic languages, such as Czech létat, Polish latać, and Russian летать. The root is tied to the concept of flight and mobility through air.

Conjugation and aspect: Lietať is a regular verb of the -ať class in Slovak. Present tense forms include: ja lietám, ty lietáš, on/ona lietá, my lietáme, vy lietáte, oni lietajú. The infinitive is lietať, and the present participle is lietajúci (flying). The verb is imperfective, describing repeated or ongoing flight rather than a single completed act.

Usage: Lietajú is used for both animals and aircraft. It describes birds and other creatures in flight, as well as airplanes or helicopters when speaking of their ability to fly. To discuss travel by air from a passenger’s perspective, one would typically use first-person or other forms of lietať or tautological constructions with lietadlo (airplane), for example: Lietajú lietadlá po svete. In Slovak, the present tense form itself does not distinguish between habitual, general, or ongoing actions; context determines meaning.

See also: lietanie, lietadlo, lietať.