How to Decline Adjectives in Czech: A Guide for English Speakers

What is Adjective Declension in Czech?

In Czech, adjectives change their endings based on the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe. This process is called declension. Unlike English, where adjectives remain the same regardless of the noun, Czech adjectives must agree with the noun in all these aspects.

Why is Declension Important for English Speakers?

English speakers often find Czech adjective declension challenging because it requires understanding of grammatical cases and gender, which English does not have. Mastering declension is essential for speaking and writing Czech correctly.

The Basics: Gender, Number, and Case

Czech nouns and adjectives have three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. They can be singular or plural. Additionally, there are seven grammatical cases that affect adjective endings: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative, Vocative, Locative, and Instrumental.

The Seven Cases in Czech

• Nominative (subject)
• Genitive (possession)
• Dative (indirect object)
• Accusative (direct object)
• Vocative (addressing)
• Locative (location)
• Instrumental (means or accompaniment)

Declension Patterns for Adjectives

Adjectives in Czech follow different declension patterns depending on whether they are hard or soft adjectives, and on the gender and number of the noun they modify.

Hard vs Soft Adjectives

Hard adjectives typically end in -ý in the masculine nominative singular, while soft adjectives end in -í. This distinction affects their endings in other cases.

Examples of Adjective Declension

Let's look at the adjective "nový" (new) which is a hard adjective, and how it changes with masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns in the nominative case.

• Masculine singular: nový dům (new house)
• Feminine singular: nová kniha (new book)
• Neuter singular: nové auto (new car)
• Masculine plural: noví lidé (new people)
• Feminine plural: nové ženy (new women)
• Neuter plural: nová města (new cities)

Declension Table for 'Nový' (Hard Adjective)

Here is a simplified table showing the endings of the adjective "nový" in singular for masculine animate nouns:

• Nominative: nový
• Genitive: nového
• Dative: novému
• Accusative: nového
• Vocative: nový
• Locative: novém
• Instrumental: novým

Tips for Learning Adjective Declension in Czech

• Learn the gender of nouns as you learn new vocabulary.
• Practice the seven cases regularly with examples.
• Memorize common adjective endings for each gender and case.
• Use tables and charts to visualize declension patterns.
• Practice speaking and writing to reinforce learning.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using English adjective forms without declension.
• Confusing masculine animate and inanimate forms.
• Forgetting to match adjective endings with noun gender and case.
• Ignoring plural forms and their specific endings.

Useful Czech Adjective Phrases