Tady jsem byla mladá

Here I was young

Get to know the neighbours and practise what you've learned in a new story.

The storyThe day after Eliška's birthday party, Marie takes you and Eliška along her photo wall: Marie at twenty-two, her husband, the old house, forty years of school, and Eva as a little girl.

New words in the story

učitelka female teacher
otočený turned
zeď wall
narodit se to be born
školní school, adjective
nakreslit to draw to completion
lékařka female doctor; another word for doktorka
muž man; husband, according to context

Tap a word to see what it means.

AutoplayEnglish

The day after the party. Marie's living room smells of strong black tea.
Paní Nováková, Eliška a vy sedíte v obývacím pokoji. Na zdi je celá rodina.
Mrs Nováková, Eliška and you are sitting in the living room. On the wall: Marie's whole family.
A kde je Janova fotka?
And where's Jan's photo?
A kde je Janova fotka?
And where's Jan's photo?
Marie
Teď je na stole. Není otočená ke zdi.
It's on the table now. Not facing the wall.
Eliška points at an old black-and-white photo of a young woman in front of a green door.
Eliška
Babi, kdo je ta mladá žena?
Grandma, who's that young woman?
Marie
To jsem já! Tady jsem byla mladá. Bylo mi dvacet dva.
That's me! I was young here. I was twenty-two.
Eliška
Ty? Byla jsi moc krásná!
You? You were very beautiful!
Marie
Byla. A pořád jsem!
I was. And I still am!
A kdo je ten vysoký muž?
And who's that tall man?
A kdo je ten vysoký muž?
And who's that tall man?
Marie
Můj manžel. Eliško, tvůj dědeček.
My husband. Eliška, that's your grandfather.
Eliška
Když jsem se narodila, dědeček už nebyl s námi.
When I was born, Grandpa wasn't with us any more.
Marie
Ano. Byl moc dobrý a hodný člověk. Jako ty, Eliško.
Yes. He was a very good, friendly man. Like you, Eliška.
Kde jste tady byli?
Where were you here?
Kde jste tady byli?
Where were you here?
Marie
U řeky. Byl srpen. Byli jsme mladí a šťastní.
By the river. It was August. We were young and happy.
The next photo shows an old house with a green door and dark, empty windows.
Marie
A to je dům číslo sedm. Byl moc starý a prázdný.
And this is number 7. It was very old and empty.
Prázdný? Jako můj byt první den!
Empty? Like my flat on the first day!
Prázdný? Jako můj byt první den!
Empty? Like my flat on the first day!
Marie
Byl to dům rodičů mého manžela.
It was my husband's parents' house.
Marie
Jeho rodiče byli staří. Dům byl pro ně moc velký.
His parents were old, and the house was too big for them.
Marie
Pro nás ne. Teď je můj. Už padesát let.
Not too big for us. Now it's mine. For fifty years now.
Eliška
Padesát let? Jako maminčin bratr!
Fifty years? Like my mum's brother!
On the next photo: a school yard full of children, and at the side, a young teacher.
A tady? Tolik dětí!
And here? So many children!
A tady? Tolik dětí!
And here? So many children!
Marie
To je moje škola. Byla jsem učitelka. Čtyřicet let!
This is my school. I was a teacher. For forty years!
Tak to jsou všechny vaše děti?
So they're all your children?
Tak to jsou všechny vaše děti?
So they're all your children?
Marie
Ne moje. Školní děti. Ale všechny byly moje. Půl města!
Not mine, the school's children. But they were all mine. Half the town!
Eliška
A moje maminka?
And my mum?
Marie
Ano. Byla jsem její učitelka. Byla moc hodná. A moc hlasitá.
Yes. I was her teacher. She was very good... and very loud.
A small colour photo: a girl of seven with long light-brown hair and a big smile.
Marie
A to je Eva. Tady je jí sedm.
And this is Eva. She's seven here.
Eliška
Maminka! Tak malá! Má dlouhé vlasy a modré oči.
Mum! She's so small! She has long hair and blue eyes.
Marie
Modré oči, jako já. Narodila se tady, v domě číslo sedm.
Blue eyes, like me. She was born here, at number 7.
Eliška
A já jsem se narodila dvacátého osmého března!
And I was born on the twenty-eighth of March!
Marie
A to je můj syn. Tady je mu pět.
And this is my son. He's five here.
Má velký koláč!
He's got a big cake!
Má velký koláč!
He's got a big cake!
Marie
Ano. Vždycky měl hlad. Jako vy!
Yes. He was always hungry. Like you!
Já? Nemám hlad!
Me? I'm not hungry!
Já? Nemám hlad!
Me? I'm not hungry!
Marie takes two small photos out of her cardigan pocket.
Marie
Eliško, to je pro tebe. Dědeček a já u řeky.
Eliška, this is for you. Your grandpa and me, by the river.
Eliška
Pro mě? Děkuji, babi!
For me? Thank you, Grandma!
Marie
A tohle pro vás. Dům číslo sedm, když byl prázdný.
And this is for you. Number 7, when it was empty.
Marie
A vy? Kde jste byl v deseti letech?
And you? Where were you when you were ten?
Marie
A vy? Kde jste byla v deseti letech?
And you? Where were you when you were ten?
V Hamburku. Narodil jsem se v Hamburku. Moji rodiče tam pořád bydlí.
In Hamburg. I was born in Hamburg, and my parents are still there.
V Hamburku. Narodila jsem se v Hamburku. Moji rodiče tam pořád bydlí.
In Hamburg. I was born in Hamburg, and my parents are still there.
Mourek jumps onto the shelf and sits down in front of the wall, between the photos.
Eliška
Babi, a kde je Mourkova fotka?
Grandma, and where's Mourek's photo?
Marie
Mourkova? Není to můj kocour!
Mourek's? He's not my cat!
Eliška
Ale je pořád tady. Taky je rodina!
But he's always here. He's family too!
Marie
No dobře. Eliško, nakreslíš Mourka?
Oh, all right. Eliška, could you draw Mourek?
Eliška
Jistě! Do nového skicáku!
I can! In my new sketchbook!
That evening, a bright yellow page hangs among the old photos.
Teď je na zdi celá Mariina rodina. A Mourek.
Now Marie's whole family is on the wall. And Mourek.