# Zaujímat/Zaujmout



## stelingo

Maybe I’m completely wrong, but I get the impression that the imperfective zaujimat isn’t really used in the sense of to fascinate. I want to say: ‘Brazil is a country which fascinates me because of its warm people, rich culture and beautiful scenery.‘ My attempt:
'Brazilie je země, která mě zaujme díky svého srdečného národu, své bohaté kultury a své krásné krajiny.'


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## Enquiring Mind

Don't forget that the perfective aspect doesn't have a present tense - only future and past.  Your example using the future perfective "zaujme" means Brazil is a country which *will *fascinate me.  You certainly will find zaujímá - present imperfective, on this blog page, for example.

I suppose it's also fair to say that "fascinate" in the sense of "capture one's imagination" intrinsically tends to have a perfective meaning. It's often a one-off action that has happened (past perfective), or an action which will have a specific result - your imagination will be captured (in a sudden, single action), rather than an ongoing process (although that is possible too) which would require a present tense, which can only exist in the imperfective.

Note, too, that díky takes the dative, so it will be "svému srdečnému národu ... etc." The rest of the phrase will have to agree in the dative, not genitive.


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## stelingo

Ok, thanks.


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## werrr

stelingo said:


> Maybe I’m completely wrong, but I get the impression that the imperfective zaujimat isn’t really used in the sense of to fascinate.


That's it. Different verbs are used to render the meaning of _to fascinate_, e.g. "uchvacovat" or (big surprise ) "fascinovat".

"Zaujmout/zaujímat" has slightly different meaning of _to catch somebody's attention_.



> My attempt: 'Brazilie je země, která mě zaujme díky svého srdečného národu, své bohaté kultury a své krásné krajiny.'


Brazílie (je země, která) mě uchvacuje svými srdečnými obyvateli, (svou) bohatou kulturou a (svou) krásnou krajinou. 




Enquiring Mind said:


> Don't forget that the perfective aspect doesn't have a present tense - only future and past.  Your example using the future perfective "zaujme" means Brazil is a country which *will *fascinate me.


Yes, and the past tense can be used to express present state caused by a perfective action in the past. Hence "fascinates me" could be translated as "uchvátila/zaujala mě".



> You certainly will find zaujímá - present imperfective, on this blog page, for example.


"Zaujímat" is mostly used as "to occupy", occasionally also as "to keep attracting somebody's interest/attention".



> Note, too, that díky takes the dative


Yes, but better to use mere instrumental.



> so it will be "svému srdečnému národu"


"Národ" in its modern meaning stays for "one body of persons" (one political nation, one tribe...).


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