Nominative and accusative

Why Czech has cases

Czech shows a word's job in the sentence with its ending, not with word order or little helper words. There are seven cases, and you will meet them one at a time.

The nominative is the dictionary form and is used for the subject: whoever does something. The accusative is used for the direct object: the thing you see, want, have, read or drink. English only does this with pronouns ('he sees her', not 'he sees she'). Czech does it with every noun.

You have been using the accusative since unit 1: 'Kávu, prosím' and 'Dobrou noc' are both accusative.

• Marie čte knihu. ▶slow Marie reads a book. (kniha → knihu)
• Tomáš má sestru. ▶slow Tomáš has a sister. (sestra → sestru)
• Kávu, prosím. ▶slow A coffee, please. (káva → kávu)
• Dobrou noc. ▶slow Good night. (dobrá noc → dobrou noc)

Feminine nouns in -a

Most feminine nouns end in -a. In the accusative, that -a becomes -u. Adjectives agree with the noun: the feminine ending -á becomes -ou.

• Chci kávu. ▶slow I want coffee.
• Čtu knihu. ▶slow I am reading a book.
• Mám malou sestru. ▶slow I have a little sister.
• Dám si polévku. ▶slow I'll have the soup.
• Vidím ženu. ▶slow I see a woman.

Feminine nouns in -e and in a consonant

Feminine nouns ending in -e change it to -i. Feminine nouns ending in a consonant, like noc (night), don't change at all.

• Chci novou židli. ▶slow I want a new chair.
• Mám lekci. ▶slow I have a lesson.
• Hledám ulici. ▶slow I am looking for the street.

Things that don't change

Masculine nouns for things (inanimate) and all neuter nouns look the same in the nominative and the accusative. Their adjectives don't change either. Nothing to learn here.

• Hledám nový byt. ▶slow I am looking for a new apartment.
• Dám si čaj. ▶slow I'll have tea.
• Vidím hrad. ▶slow I see a castle.
• Chci pivo. ▶slow I want a beer.
• Mám dítě. ▶slow I have a child.

Masculine people and animals

Masculine nouns for people and animals (animate) are different: the accusative adds an ending. Hard stems add -a. Soft stems, such as Tomáš and učitel, add -e. Adjectives change too: -ý becomes -ého.

In a few words the e of the last syllable drops out when an ending is added: pes becomes psa, and otec becomes otce.

• Hledám kamaráda. ▶slow I am looking for a friend.
• Vidím učitele. ▶slow I see the teacher.
• Znám Tomáše. ▶slow I know Tomáš.
• Mám psa. ▶slow I have a dog.
• Mám jednoho bratra. ▶slow I have one brother.

Pronouns

Personal pronouns have their own accusative forms, and you need them all the time.

• Vidím tě. ▶slow I see you.
• Vidíš mě? ▶slow Do you see me?
• Znám ho. ▶slow I know him.
• Znám ji. ▶slow I know her.
• Vidím vás. ▶slow I see you (formal or plural).

Verbs that take the accusative

Many everyday verbs take a direct object in the accusative: mít (to have), chtít (to want), vidět (to see), znát (to know a person or place), hledat (to look for), číst (to read), dát si (to order, to have).

To say you like something, use mít rád and the accusative. A man says rád and a woman says ráda.

• Mám rád kávu. ▶slow I like coffee. (said by a man)
• Mám ráda čaj. ▶slow I like tea. (said by a woman)
• Hledám kamaráda. ▶slow I am looking for a friend.

Prepositions with the accusative

Some prepositions are always followed by the accusative: pro (for) and přes (across, through). Na (to, onto) takes the accusative when it shows where you are going. When it shows where you are, it takes a different case, which comes later.

• To je dárek pro mámu. ▶slow That is a present for mum.
• Jdu na poštu. ▶slow I am going to the post office.
• Jedu přes Prahu. ▶slow I am travelling through Prague.