zavát

Zavítať is a Slovak verb meaning to drop in or to stop by briefly, typically referring to a short, informal visit. The sense is spatial and time-limited, emphasizing a quick appearance rather than a long stay. The term is common in everyday speech and is used for visiting friends, family, or acquaintances without formal arrangements.

Forms and usage: The verb is conjugated regularly in Slovak. Present tense forms include zavítam, zavítaš, zavíta, zavítame, zavítate, zavítajú. The past forms include zavítal (masculine) or zavítala (feminine), and the imperative forms include zavítaj (singular) and zavítajte (plural). Zavítať is typically used with locatives or prepositional phrases such as ku nám (to our place), do mesta (to the town), or na návštevu (for a visit). Example sentences: Zval som zavítať ku nám na večeru. She dropped by the town for a quick visit: Zavítala do mesta na pár minút. The imperative: Zavítaj k nám na kávičku.

Relation to other terms: Zavítať is closely related to návšteva and navštíviť, but Zavítať emphasizes the brevity and informality of the encounter, whereas navštíviť often implies a visit with a purpose or longer stay. In formal writing, zavítať is used sparingly; mais commonly found in conversational Slovak.

Etymology and history: The word is formed with a prefix that conveys a brief, local movement and a root associated with greeting or meeting. The exact origin is not universally detailed, but it is understood as a natural development in Slovak to describe a brief stopover to be greeted or to greet someone.

See also: navštíviť, návšteva, prísť.