pochádza

Pochádza is a Slovak verb form meaning to originate or to come from. It is the third-person singular present tense of the verb pochádzať (to originate, to come from). It is used to state the source or provenance of a person, place, object, or idea, often in biographical, journalistic, or descriptive contexts. For example, Pochádza zo Slovenska means “He/She comes from Slovakia.”

Etymology and form: pochádzať is formed with the prefix po- attached to chádzať (to go, to come). The combination conveys the sense of moving away from a source or origin. The present tense form pochádza is widely used across varieties of Slovak and is appropriate for neutral to formal registers.

Usage notes: Common constructions include pochádza z (or zo) followed by a place or origin, such as Pochádza z Bratislavy or Pochádza zo starej rodiny. The verb can describe origins of people, institutions, works of art, traditions, and information. For nouns referring to origin, the noun pôvod is often used as a synonym but with a different grammatical role (pôvod is a noun, pochádza is a verb).

Related terms: Pôvod, which denotes origin as a noun, is used when describing the source rather than stating a verb action. Cognates exist in other Slavic languages, such as Czech pochází and Polish pochodzi, with similar meanings.

In summary, pochádza is the key verb form to express that someone or something originates from a particular place or source in Slovak.