Vyjmenovaná slova after b, l, m | Czech Grammar

After the consonants b, l, m (and p, s, v, z), Czech writes i in some words and y in others — even though the two letters are pronounced exactly the same. There is no sound to guide you and no rule to derive: there is only a memorised list of the words that take y. Everything not on the list takes i. This page gives you the three core lists — the b-list, the l-list, and the m-list — with glosses, the most useful derivatives, and the homophone traps where the choice of letter changes the word's meaning entirely. (For the underlying logic and the b-list in brief, see the vyjmenovaná slova overview; for p, s, v, z, the companion page.)

Why these consonants need a list at all

Czech consonants come in three groups for spelling. After soft consonants you always write i; after hard consonants you always write y; both are automatic (see automatic i/y). But b, l, m, p, s, v, z are ambiguous (obojetné): centuries ago some words after them had a hard y and some a soft i, the two sounds later merged, and the spelling froze in place. Modern Czech keeps the old distinction alive only as an inventory — the vyjmenovaná slova, the "listed words". Czech children chant them by heart for years. As a learner you will absorb the frequent ones by reading and check the rest.

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There is nothing to understand and nothing to reason out — the lists are the rule. Learn each root once, and the whole family of words built on it inherits the y automatically.

The b-list

být, bydlit, obyvatel, byt, příbytek, nábytek, dobytek, obyčej, bystrý, bylina, kobyla, býk, Přibyslav

Listed word	Meaning	Common derivatives (also y)
být	to be	bytí, bývat, zbytek (remainder)
bydlit / bydlet	to live, reside	bydliště, obydlí, bydlení
obyvatel	inhabitant	obyvatelstvo, obyvatelný
byt	flat, apartment	bytný, bytový, obývák
příbytek	abode, dwelling	—
nábytek	furniture	nábytkový
dobytek	cattle, livestock	dobytče
obyčej	custom	obyčejný (ordinary), obyčejně
bystrý	quick-witted, sharp	bystře, bystrost
bylina	herb, plant	bylinka, bylinný
kobyla	mare	kobylka (also "grasshopper")
býk	bull	býček, býčí
Přibyslav	place / personal name	—

Odjakživa bydlíme na kraji města.

We've always lived on the edge of town. (bydlet → y)

Koupili jsme do obýváku nový nábytek.

We bought new furniture for the living room. (nábytek and obývák both trace to the b-list → y)

Je to úplně obyčejný den.

It's a completely ordinary day. (obyčejný, from obyčej → y)

The l-list

slyšet, mlýn, blýskat se, polykat, plynout, plýtvat, vzlykat, lysý, lýko, lýtko, lyže, pelyněk, plyš

Listed word	Meaning	Common derivatives (also y)
slyšet	to hear	slýchat, slýchávat, doslýchavý
mlýn	mill	mlýnek, mlynář (miller), mlýnský
blýskat se	to flash, to lightning	blýskavý, zablýsknout se
polykat	to swallow	spolykat, polykání
plynout	to flow, to pass (of time)	plyn (gas), plynný, plynárna, plynulý
plýtvat	to waste, squander	plýtvání
vzlykat	to sob	vzlyk, vzlykot
lysý	bald, bare	lysina, lyska (coot bird)
lýko	bast (plant fibre)	lýčí, lýkový
lýtko	calf (of the leg)	lýtkový
lyže	ski	lyžovat, lyžař, lyžařský
pelyněk	wormwood (a herb)	—
plyš	plush (fabric)	plyšový, plyšák (soft toy)

Slyšíš to taky, nebo se mi to jen zdá?

Do you hear that too, or am I just imagining it? (slyšet → y)

V zimě jezdíme každý víkend na lyže.

In winter we go skiing every weekend. (lyže → y)

Neplýtvej vodou, je sucho.

Don't waste water, there's a drought. (plýtvat → y)

Venku se blýská a hřmí.

Outside there's lightning and thunder. (blýskat se → y)

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The l-list has a famous trap that even native speakers stumble on: the noun mlýn (mill) and its family — mlýnek, mlynář — take y, but the related verb mlít (to grind) and its present mele are spelled with i / e. Same root, different spelling. Pin mlýn = y to the building and mlít = i to the action.

The m-list

my, mýt, myslit, mýlit se, hmyz, myš, hlemýžď, mýtit, zamykat, smýkat, dmýchat, chmýří, nachomýtnout se

Listed word	Meaning	Common derivatives (also y)
my	we	— (pronoun)
mýt	to wash	umýt, umývat, umyvadlo, myčka, mýval (raccoon), pomyje
myslit / myslet	to think	myšlenka, mysl, smysl, průmysl, myslivec (hunter), smýšlení
mýlit se	to be mistaken	omyl (error), mylný (mistaken)
hmyz	insects	hmyzí, hmyzožravec
myš	mouse	myší, myšák
hlemýžď	snail	—
mýtit	to clear (forest)	mýtina (clearing), vymýtit (to eradicate)
zamykat	to lock	zámek, odemykat, zamykání
smýkat	to drag, skid	smyk (skid), usmýkat
dmýchat	to fan, blow (a fire)	rozdmýchat
chmýří	down, fluff	—
nachomýtnout se	to happen by, turn up	—

My jdeme do kina, jdeš s námi?

We're going to the cinema — are you coming with us? (my = we → y)

Musím si umýt ruce, mám je špinavé.

I need to wash my hands, they're dirty. (umýt, from mýt → y)

Český průmysl prošel velkou změnou.

Czech industry went through a big change. (průmysl hides the root myslit → y)

Na zahradě je spousta hmyzu.

There are lots of insects in the garden. (hmyz → y)

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The richest pay-off on the m-list is myslit. It hides inside high-frequency words you would never guess: smysl (sense), průmysl (industry), myslivec (hunter), myšlenka (thought). Spot the root and they all take y.

Derived words inherit the y — even when shortened

The single most useful principle is that a word built from a listed root keeps the y, no matter how the vowel changes or what prefix is bolted on. mýt has a long ý, but its derivative umyvadlo ("washbasin") has a short y — still y, because the root is mýt. myslit gives průmysl. zamykat gives zámek. Your real job is to recognise the listed root inside a longer word, even when it is half-hidden.

V koupelně máme nové umyvadlo.

We have a new washbasin in the bathroom. (umyvadlo, from mýt → short y, still y)

Vždycky večer zamykám dveře.

I always lock the door in the evening. (zamykat → y)

Homophone traps: the y/i choice that changes the word

The lists matter most where two words sound identical and differ only in i vs y — and therefore in meaning. Choose the wrong letter and you have written a different word.

On the list → y	Not on the list → i
být (to be)	bít (to beat, hit)
nabýt (to acquire, gain)	nabít (to load, to charge)
dobýt (to conquer)	dobít (to recharge, finish off)
mýt (to wash)	mít (to have)
mýval (raccoon / he washed)	míval (he used to have)
my (we)	mi (to me)

Chci tady prostě v klidu být.

I just want to be here in peace. (být = to be → y)

Není slušné nikoho bít.

It's not decent to hit anyone. (bít = to hit → i)

Chtěl bych mít víc času na sebe.

I'd like to have more time for myself. (mít = to have → i)

Dej mi to, my to dofakturujeme.

Give it to me, we'll sort out the invoicing. (mi 'to me' → i; my 'we' → y, side by side)

The pair my / mi is worth singling out: both are tiny grammatical words you use constantly. my ("we") is the subject pronoun and takes y; mi ("to me", the short dative of já) takes i. They are never interchangeable.

Common Mistakes

❌ Chci tady prostě bít.

Incorrect if you mean 'to be' — that's být (y); bít means 'to beat'.

✅ Chci tady prostě být.

I just want to be here.

❌ V koupelně máme nové umivadlo.

Incorrect — umyvadlo comes from mýt, so it keeps y even though the vowel is short.

✅ V koupelně máme nové umyvadlo.

We have a new washbasin in the bathroom.

❌ Český průmisl prošel velkou změnou.

Incorrect — průmysl hides the root myslit, so it takes y, not i.

✅ Český průmysl prošel velkou změnou.

Czech industry went through a big change.

❌ Slišíš to taky?

Incorrect — slyšet is on the l-list, so it takes y: slyšíš.

✅ Slyšíš to taky?

Do you hear that too?

❌ Pejsek mi lýzal ruku.

Over-correction — lízat ('to lick') is NOT on the list, so it takes i: lízal. Not every l-word is a y-word.

✅ Pejsek mi lízal ruku.

The dog was licking my hand.

Key Takeaways

After b, l, m the letters i and y sound the same; only the list decides which to write, and everything off the list takes i.
The b-list: být, bydlit, obyvatel, byt, příbytek, nábytek, dobytek, obyčej, bystrý, bylina, kobyla, býk, Přibyslav.
The l-list: slyšet, mlýn, blýskat se, polykat, plynout, plýtvat, vzlykat, lysý, lýko, lýtko, lyže, pelyněk, plyš — and remember mlýn (y) vs mlít (i).
The m-list: my, mýt, myslit, mýlit se, hmyz, myš, hlemýžď, mýtit, zamykat, smýkat, dmýchat, chmýří, nachomýtnout se — with myslit hiding inside smysl, průmysl, myslivec.
Derivatives keep the y even when shortened (mýt → umyvadlo); learn the root and recognise it inside longer words.
The lists settle homophones: být/bít, mýt/mít, my/mi differ only in i/y — and in meaning.

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