zhruba

Zhruba is a Czech adverb meaning approximately, roughly, about. It signals that a value, quantity, time, or extent is an estimate rather than an exact figure. The word is widely used in everyday speech and in written Czech aimed at a broad audience, including journalism, business, and informal communication. In formal contexts, synonyms such as přibližně are often preferred, but zhruba remains common in ordinary prose and spoken language.

Etymology and form: The origin of zhruba is not entirely certain. It is generally understood to be derived from a form related to the adjective hrubý (rough), combined with the prefix z- to convey a sense of “from rough terms” or “in approximate terms.” The construction is attested in historical Czech and remains productive in modern usage.

Usage and examples: With numbers, zhruba can precede a numeral, as in zhruba 100 lidí (about 100 people) or zhruba tři tisíce korun (roughly three thousand crowns). With time, it appears as zhruba v pět hodin (roughly at five o’clock). It also appears in phrases such as zhruba do dvou týdnů (about two weeks). A common standalone collocation is zhruba řečeno (roughly speaking).

Variants and related terms: Synonyms include přibližně and kolem, and colloquial forms such as cca (circa) are used in informal writing and signage. In precise or technical writing, zhruba is often replaced by přibližně.

See also: Přibližně, Kolem, Cca.