# moct/smět



## Orreaga

Greetings,

I heard once that the modal verb *moct* (can, be able) has replaced the verb *smět* (be allowed), which is now considered old fashioned.  Will anyone here confirm or deny this to be the case?  

Thanks,

Orreaga


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## Interfector

I don't think so. Both verbs are in common use. Each word has slightly different meaning and these words can sometimes overlap in use, but neither of them is considered old-fashioned or obsolete.


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## werrr

Orreaga said:


> I heard once that the modal verb *moct* (can, be able) has replaced the verb *smět* (be allowed)


Partly true, but only in its usage, not as for the meaning. It’s similar to the replacing of English “may” with “could”. It’s rather a change in social convention of forming the polite expressions.


> …which is now considered old fashioned.


By no means, “may” is more “old fashioned” in English than “smět” in Czech. Especially the negative meaning “nesmět” (= must not, not to be allowed) is very frequent.


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## Orreaga

Thanks to you both for the information.  Looking back at my notes, I was told by a native speaker that the use of _*smět*_ was not common in the positive sense (more common in the negative), and that I could use *moct* instead.  

Which would you say is the more common (not necessarily the more correct) way to ask permission to go to the movie theater?

_*Smím jít do kina?
Můžu jít do kina?*_

Or to tell someone they are allowed to smoke:

*Smíš kouřit.
Můžeš kouřit.*

O.


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## thilleli

Hi there!

The two sentences with the verb * smět *don't sound very natural to me - they're not incorrect, but I think that it's more common to say *Můžu jít do kina?* or *Můžeš kouřit.* 

In my opinion, it's much more frequent to use *smět *in negative sentences (*Nesmíš kouřit.* = You're not allowed to smoke.)

Z.


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## Interfector

Thirelli is right. It's such a dichotomy, I'd say. Můžeš/nesmíš. But it is not a rule. _Smět_ is more polite, but by no means "old fashioned".


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## mishiczka

I've always used _'smět'_ as well as '_moct_'. The truth is that smět is not very common at all.

You can totally get by with just using moct, but _nesmět_ is used all the time.  _Nemůžeš_ (you cannot) is not as forceful as _nesmíš_ (you must not).


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