# I'd like to know if you have received a mail from me



## Tagarela

Ahoj,

How can I say "_I'd like to know if you have received a mail from me_"?

I was thinking in something like:

_Chtěl bych vědět, že jsi dostal(a) něco dopis od mne._

or

_Chtěl bych vědět, jestli jsi dostal(a) můj dopis. 
_
But for some reason, I guess that both have mistakes_ 
_
Nashled.:


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## winpoj

Ahoj,

I fact your second attempt is perfect.


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## Tagarela

Ahoj,

Thank you, Winpoj, I must be more confident =)

I was in doubt about that contraction of the verb in the past + jsi.

I could also say _Chtěl bych vědět, jestli *dostals* můj dopis_ right?
And if it was to a female _(...)jestli *dostalas*(...)_ ?

Nashled.:


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## werrr

Tagarela said:


> I could also say _Chtěl bych vědět, jestli *dostals* můj dopis_ right?
> And if it was to a female _(...)jestli *dostalas*(...)_?


It is understandable and you could notice it in colloquial Czech, but the correct place for the clitics is the second slot in the sentence (counting the conjunctions with exception of “a”, “i” and “ale”). You should also notice that the clitics tend to be in clusters (“-li” in “jestli” is clitic as well):

…jestlis dostal(a)…


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## Tagarela

Ahoj,

So, (...) _jestlis dostal(a)_ or _jestli jsi dostal(a)_ are standard, while_ jestli dostal(a)s_ is colloquial, right?

Nashled.:


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## winpoj

I'd describe the construction "_jestli dostal(a)s_" as plain wrong. I can't rule out that somebody uses it but would strongly recommend any student of Czech to avoid it.


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## kusurija

"_jestli dostal(a)s (dopis)_" is plain wrong, because of clitics. (Should be _jestlis dostala (dopis) _or_ jestli jsi dostala (dopis)_" 
Short "Dostalas dopis?" is one of possible constructions, where You can use _"dostalas"._
P.S. "Mail" nowadays may be interpreted also as SMS [esemeska].


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## Tagarela

Ahoj,



kusurija said:


> P.S. "Mail" nowadays may be interpreted also as SMS [esemeska].



It is real _mail _indeed. Not actually a letter, in the case it is a postcard. I'm not sure if *dopis* is the best option. 

And thank you all for the explanations.

Nashled.:


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## winpoj

letter = dopis, psaní, list

postcard = pohled or pohlednice; the latter is more formal but also more accurate because "pohled" can also mean a view or look

There is also a general word "zásilka" which can be anything mailed or even sent in another way.


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## texpert

_jestli jsi dostal(a_) is obviously correct and most common. 

_jestli dostals (dostalas)_ is - to the best of my knowledge - commonly used only in Moravia. 

_jestlis dostal(a)_ - personally I can't decide if it's correct, colloquail or plain wrong, all I know is that most people would avoid it.


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## Tagarela

Ahoj,



winpoj said:


> letter = dopis, psaní
> 
> postcard = pohled or pohlednice; the latter is more formal but also more accurate because "pohled" can also mean a view or look
> 
> There is also a general word "zásilka" which can be anything mailed or even sent in another way.



Ops, it is not postcard, but a Christmas card  sorry for the confusion!
Anyway, *zásilka* is the word that I was looking for, I guess that it is the same of Portuguese _correspondência_. 

Texpert, well, but wasn't _jestli dostals_ the wrong one? 

Nashled.:


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## winpoj

I'd describe "Christmas card" as "přání k Vánocům" in Czech. I should have added that "zásilka" sounds a bit formal and impersonal. I wouldn't actually use it for a Christmas card unless I were a post office employee or something like that.


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## texpert

I wouldn't call it wrong, just geographically limited to Moravia. _*Jestli jsi dostal, please *_ I would not use anything else myself. 

Also - _jestli jsi dostal *zásilku*_ is damn official. More like a police jargon in this context. *Psaní*, if you want to be more neutral.

txp


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## ytre

Also if writing familiar friendly letter then you can surprise using čumkarta (Jestli jsi dostala čumkartu) instead of pohlednice(book) or pohled.


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