# vlak
## Afrikaans
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /flak/

### Adjective

vlak (attributive vlak, comparative vlaker, superlative vlakste)
* flat, level, even
* shallow

### Noun

vlak (plural vlakke)
* plane, surface
* (figurative) domain, area, sphere of interest
* level, elevation
* (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: [ˈvlak]
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ak

### Noun

vlak m inan
* train

#### Derived terms

* nákladní vlak m
* osobní vlak m

### Further reading

* “vlak”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
* “vlak”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
* “vlak”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech)

## Dutch
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /vlɑk/
* Hyphenation: vlak
* Rhymes: -ɑk

### Etymology 1

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

#### Adjective

vlak (comparative vlakker, superlative vlakst)
* flat, plane
    Synonym: plat

##### 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)
* (literally) a plain, a flat surface
* (figuratively) a domain, sphere, field of interest
* (nautical) a flat bottom, the flat-bottomed section of a hull

##### Derived terms

* raakvlak
* werkvlak
* zitvlak

##### Descendants

* Afrikaans: vlak

#### Adverb

vlak
* straight, immediately, just
    De Aardes natuurlijke satelliet, 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)
* a spot, soiled mark

#### Verb

vlak
* inflection of vlakken:
** first-person singular present indicative
** (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
** imperative

### Anagrams

* valk

## Serbo-Croatian
### Etymology

Borrowed from Czech vlak, itself calqued after German Zug.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ʋlâːk/

### Noun

vlȃk m (Cyrillic spelling вла̑к)
* (Croatia) train
    Synonym: (Bosnia, Serbia) vȏz

#### Declension
### Further reading

* “vlak”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

## Slovak
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *volkъ.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [vlak]

### Noun

vlak m inan (relational adjective vlakový, diminutive vláčik)
* train (line of connected cars or carriages)

#### Declension
### 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, 2003–2025

## Slovene
### Etymology

Borrowed from Czech vlak, itself calqued after German Zug.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ʋláːk/

### Noun

vlȃk m inan
* train (line of connected cars or carriages)

#### Inflection
### Further reading

* “vlak”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2025