# Slovak: učiteľ[om]



## monalisa!

We can say "he is a teacher" = je učiteľ/  učiteľom

Does a native speaker perceive a difference?, or you would choose one or the other _depending on the context_? or on the profession?

Is there any instance where one choice is wrong (with the auxiliary "to be")?

Thanks!


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## francisgranada

I think there is no rule, at least not an _exact _one. Spontaneousely I should say: 
XY je učiteľ _(a simple constatation of his profession)._
XY je učiteľom na Univerzite (_expresses his "charge/function" at the university, whatever is his "original" profession)
_
An other example, to illustrate the difference (I hope that other "slovacophones" will agree, as well):
XY je lekár (_i.e. XY is really a physician/doctor, this is his profession, that's what he has studied, etc...)
_XY je teraz našim lekárom (_i.e. XY is now our doctor, normally a professional physician, but in a particular context, even if this is not his original profession .... )

_(An Italian example, though not the same, but it may be helpful for illustration: _sono medico_ versus _faccio il medico_)


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## Duya

Is it similar to Spanish _ser_ (identity) : _estar_ (condition)? Looks like that, from the surface. (My mother tongue pretty much lost instrumental with copulative verbs).


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## francisgranada

Duya said:


> Is it similar to Spanish _ser_ (identity) : _estar_ (condition)? Looks like that, from the surface. (My mother tongue pretty much lost instrumental with copulative verbs).


Maybe, in some cases there is some correspondance or analogy with this. But in general, it is not the case.


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## monalisa!

Thanks, I suppose that with "to become" -om would be more natural: stal sa ....-om., right?


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## francisgranada

monalisa! said:


> Thanks, I suppose that with "to become" -om would be more natural: stal sa ....-om., right?


Yes. _Stal som sa učiteľ _is not good.


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## bibax

In Czech the instrumental case generally expresses a transitory quality (je učitelem na střední škole) or a subjective opinion (je mi učitelem) whereas nominative denotes a permanent quality or an undisputable fact (tygr je šelma). I think Slovak is quite similar in this respect.

otec je učitel/učitelem - both variants are correct, theoretically it depends on the intended meaning, effectively no much of a difference

otec je učitel na střední škole - rather incorrect, colloquial
otec je pokladník spolku zahrádkářů - incorrect, colloquial
otec je mi učitel - incorrect even in colloquial Czech
tygr je šelmou - incorrect, however "měď je dobrým vodičem tepla" is possible

There is no simple precise rule in Czech. I can recommend the article "Konkurence nominativu a instrumentálu přísudkového substantiva v současné spisovné češtině" in Naše řeč, volume 63 (1980), issue 4.


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## Azori

francisgranada said:


> XY je učiteľ _(a simple constatation of his profession)._
> XY je učiteľom na *u*niverzite (_expresses his "charge/function" at the university, whatever is his "original" profession)
> _
> An other example, to illustrate the difference (I hope that other "slovacophones" will agree, as well):
> XY je lekár (_i.e. XY is really a physician/doctor, this is his profession, that's what he has studied, etc...)
> _XY je teraz našim lekárom (_i.e. XY is now our doctor, normally a professional physician, but in a particular context, even if this is not his original profession .... )_


In my opinion...

XY je učiteľom.

and

XY je učiteľ na univerzite.

...could also work (not sure if these would be considered "correct", though). Perhaps the nominative form is more common when it comes to simpler statements (like "XY je učiteľ"). I don't perceive any difference in meaning between them.


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## monalisa!

Do your remarks aplly indifferently to_ all _professions?,
what about _klavirista_ and_ budovateľ_, for example?


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## Azori

monalisa! said:


> Do your remarks aplly indifferently to_ all _professions?,
> what about _klavirista_ and_ budovateľ_, for example?


Yes, I'd say it is the same with all professions.


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## francisgranada

Azori said:


> Yes, I'd say it is the same with all professions.


I agree. I'd like to add that not only with professions, but also _Ja som tvojim otcom, Ona mi je sesternicou etc ._..

P.S. I agree with Bibax (#7) also for the Slovak. But I have to agree with Azori (#8) as well, i.e. that in the today's colloquial Slovak the difference between the two possibilities is very little and they are practically interchangeable (almost) in all the cases. However, I still feel the difference  ...


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## monalisa!

Thank you, my friends, very comprehensive !


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## Apollodoros

I remember that my high school teacher of Slovak (very fussy about what is correct and what is not, by the way) tought us, that only the version with instrumental is correct and this is what I feel too by now. 

Also, thinking about this further, there is a specific way how to ask about someone's profession in Slovak:
Kým som/si/je?
čím som/si/je? 

Who/what am I/are you/is he? (where 'who' or 'what' is declined to instrumental)
The only correct answer could be given in instrumental too: Som/si/je učiteľom.


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## slovac

I would say that both of options are correct and mean same

XY je ucitelom. - This is used by people wanting to look like inteligent people

XY je učiteľ. - used in spoken Slovak


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