Adjectives - Přídavná jména¶
Main concepts¶
Adjectives describe or qualify nouns.
They can be used as attributive adjectives, forming part of the noun phrase:
-
mladý kluk (young boy)
-
dobrý nápad (good idea)
-
zajímavá kniha (interesting book)
-
staré auto (old car)
Adjectives can also function as predicative adjectives, serving as complements to a verb—typically být (to be)—and referring back to the noun they qualify:
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Ten kluk je mladý. (That boy is young.)
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Ten nápad je dobrý. (That idea is good.)
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Ta kniha je zajímavá. (That book is interesting.)
-
To auto je staré. (That car is old.)
Positioning¶
Attributive adjectives usually precede the nouns they modify.
In some cases, however, they appear after the noun:
-
Historical names: Alexandr Veliký (Alexander the Great)
-
Hierarchical classifications (botany, zoology, chemistry, etc.):
- konopí seté (Cannabis sativa)
- kočka domácí (Felis catus, domestic cat)
- oxid uhličitý (Carbon dioxide)
-
Religious expressions: Bible svatá (Holy Bible)
Agreement¶
Adjectives agree with nouns in gender, case, and number. The noun is the leading word in the phrase.
Nominative forms¶
Hard adjectives¶
| Gender | Number | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ma | SG PL |
-ý -í |
mladý (student) mladí (studenti) |
| Mi | SG PL |
-ý -é |
mladý (sport) mladé (sporty) |
| F | SG PL |
-á -é |
mladá (studentka) mladé (studentky) |
| N | SG PL |
-é -á |
mladé (město) mladá (města) |
Refer to the Hard group for a complete overview of this declension pattern.
Exercise No. 7575¶
Practice the gender agreement of hard adjectives
Soft adjectives¶
| Gender | Number | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ma | SG PL |
-í -í |
lepší (student) lepší (studenti) |
| Mi | SG PL |
-í -í |
lepší (sport) lepší (sporty) |
| F | SG PL |
-í -í |
lepší (studentka) lepší (studentky) |
| N | SG PL |
-í -í |
lepší (město) lepší (města) |
Refer to the Soft group for a complete overview of this declension pattern.