vlak

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch vlak, from Middle Dutch vlac, from Old Dutch *flak, from Proto-Germanic *flakaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /flak/

Adjective

vlak (attributive vlak, comparative vlaker, superlative vlakste)

1. flat, level, even
2. shallow

Noun

vlak (plural vlakke)

1. plane, surface
2. (figurative) domain, area, sphere of interest
3. level, elevation
4. (in animal compounds): plain

Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech vlak, from Proto-Slavic *volkъ. Derived from vláčet (“tow, haul”), calque of German Zug.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈvlak]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: vlak
• Rhymes: -ak

Noun

vlak m inan (relational adjective vlakový, diminutive vláček)

1. train

Declension

Declension of vlak (velar masculine inanimate)

	singular	plural
nominative	vlak	vlaky
genitive	vlaku	vlaků
dative	vlaku	vlakům
accusative	vlak	vlaky
vocative	vlaku	vlaky
locative	vlaku	vlacích
instrumental	vlakem	vlaky

Derived terms

nouns

• expresní vlak
• nákladní vlak
• osobní vlak
• rychlovlak
• silniční vlak
• zvláštní vlak

verbs

• křičet jako u vlaku

• přes to nejede vlak

Further reading

• “vlak”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “vlak”, in Lingea (in Czech), 2025
• “vlak”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “vlak”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vlɑk/
• Hyphenation: vlak
• Rhymes: -ɑk

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch vlac, from Old Dutch *flak, from Proto-West Germanic *flak, from Proto-Germanic *flakaz.

Adjective

vlak (comparative vlakker, superlative vlakst)

1. flat, plane

   Synonym: plat

Declension

Declension of vlak
uninflected	vlak
inflected	vlakke
comparative	vlakker
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		vlak	vlakker	het vlakst het vlakste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	vlakke	vlakkere	vlakste
	n. sing.	vlak	vlakker	vlakste
	plural	vlakke	vlakkere	vlakste
definite		vlakke	vlakkere	vlakste
partitive		vlaks	vlakkers	—

Derived terms

• afvlakken
• bovenvlak
• oppervlak, oppervlakte
• uitvlakken
• vlakbank
• vlakdruk
• vlakhamer
• vlakogig
• vlakschaaf
• vlakte
• vlakversiering
• vlakvulling

Descendants

• Afrikaans: vlak

Noun

vlak n (plural vlakken, diminutive vlakje n)

1. (literally) a plain, a flat surface
2. (figuratively) a domain, sphere, field of interest
3. (geometry) face (flat bounding surface of a polyhedron)
4. (nautical) a flat bottom, the flat-bottomed section of a hull

Derived terms

• achtvlak
• raakvlak
• twaalfvlak
• twintigvlak
• veelvlak
• viervlak
• vijfvlak
• werkvlak
• zesvlak
• zitvlak

Descendants

• Afrikaans: vlak

Adverb

vlak

1. (modifies prepositions) straight, immediately, just, right

   De natuurlijke satelliet van de Aarde, de Maan, moet vlak na de vorming van de Aarde zijn ontstaan.

   Earth's natural satellite, the Moon, must have arisen just after the formation of the Earth.

Derived terms

• vlakaf
• vlakuit
• vlakweg

Etymology 2

alternative form of vlek

Noun

vlak f (plural vlakken, diminutive vlakje n)

1. a spot, soiled mark

Verb

vlak

1. inflection of vlakken:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

Anagrams

• valk

Old Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *volkъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (13^th CE) /ˈʋɫak/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈvlak/

Noun

vlak m inan

1. dragnet

Declension

Declension of vlak (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	vlak	vlaky	vlaci, vlakové
genitive	vlaka, vlaku	vlakú	vlakóv
dative	vlaku	vlakoma	vlakóm
accusative	vlak	vlaky	vlaky
vocative	vlače	vlaky	vlaci, vlakové
locative	vlacě, vlaku	vlakú	vlaciech
instrumental	vlakem	vlakoma	vlaky

This table shows the most common forms around the 13th century.

Further reading

• Jan Gebauer (1903–1916), “vlak”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Czech vlak, itself calqued after German Zug.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋlâːk/

Noun

vlȃk m inan (Cyrillic spelling вла̑к)

1. (Croatia) train

   Synonym: (Bosnia, Serbia) vȏz

Declension

Declension of vlak

	singular	plural
nominative	vlȃk	vlȁkovi
genitive	vlaka	vlakova
dative	vlaku	vlakovima
accusative	vlak	vlakove
vocative	vlače	vlakovi
locative	vlaku	vlakovima
instrumental	vlakom	vlakovima

Further reading

• “vlak”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

Slovak

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *volkъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vlak/, [ˈʋlak]
• Rhymes: -ak

Noun

vlak m inan (relational adjective vlakový, diminutive vláčik)

1. train (line of connected cars or carriages)

Declension

Declension of vlak
(pattern dub)

	singular	plural
nominative	vlak	vlaky
genitive	vlaku	vlakov
dative	vlaku	vlakom
accusative	vlak	vlaky
locative	vlaku	vlakoch
instrumental	vlakom	vlakmi

Further reading

• “vlak”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Slovene

Etymology

Borrowed from Czech vlak, itself calqued after German Zug.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋláːk/

Noun

vlȃk m inan

1. train (line of connected cars or carriages)

Declension

The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.

Masculine inan., hard o-stem
nom. sing.	vlák
gen. sing.	vláka
	singular	dual	plural
nominative (imenovȃlnik)	vlák	vláka	vláki
genitive (rodȋlnik)	vláka	vlákov	vlákov
dative (dajȃlnik)	vláku	vlákoma	vlákom
accusative (tožȋlnik)	vlák	vláka	vláke
locative (mẹ̑stnik)	vláku	vlákih	vlákih
instrumental (orọ̑dnik)	vlákom	vlákoma	vláki

Further reading

• “vlak”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2026