Přístřešek je prázdný.

Breakdown of Přístřešek je prázdný.

být
to be
prázdný
empty
přístřešek
the shelter

Questions & Answers about Přístřešek je prázdný.

How do you pronounce Přístřešek?

A rough pronunciation guide is:

  • Přístřešek ≈ PRZHEE-strzheh-shek
  • je ≈ yeh
  • prázdný ≈ PRAAZD-nee

The hardest sound is ř, which is a special Czech sound. It is something like a rolled r mixed with the s sound in measure. English does not really have it.

A few helpful notes:

  • ř is always the tricky letter for learners.
  • ě does not usually sound like a long yeh by itself; it often affects the consonant before it.
  • á is a long vowel, so prázdný has a long a sound.
  • ý is also a long vowel, pronounced like a long ee.
What does je mean here?

Je means is.

It is the 3rd person singular present-tense form of být (to be).

So:

  • já jsem = I am
  • ty jsi = you are
  • on/ona/ono je = he/she/it is

In Přístřešek je prázdný, je simply links the subject and the description, just like is in English.

Why is prázdný written with -ý at the end?

Because it has to agree with přístřešek.

In Czech, adjectives change their form depending on the noun they describe. Here, přístřešek is:

So the adjective also takes the masculine singular nominative form:

  • prázdný = masculine singular
  • prázdná = feminine singular
  • prázdné = neuter singular / also some plural uses

That is why you get:

  • Přístřešek je prázdný. = The shelter is empty.
  • Místnost je prázdná. = The room is empty.
  • Auto je prázdné. = The car is empty.
What gender is přístřešek?

Přístřešek is masculine inanimate.

That matters because Czech grammar uses gender to decide adjective endings and other forms.

Why masculine?

  • It ends in a consonant, which is often a sign of a masculine noun.
  • It refers to a thing, not a person or animal, so it is inanimate, not animate.

Because it is masculine inanimate, the adjective appears as prázdný.

Why is there no word for the or a?

Because Czech does not have articles like English.

So Přístřešek je prázdný could mean:

  • The shelter is empty
  • A shelter is empty

The exact meaning depends on context.

This is very normal in Czech. Nouns usually appear without any article at all.

What case is přístřešek in?

It is in the nominative case because it is the subject of the sentence.

The sentence structure is:

The adjective prázdný is also in the nominative here, because with být (to be), predicate adjectives normally match the subject in case, gender, and number.

Is the word order fixed?

No, Czech word order is more flexible than English word order.

The neutral, basic order here is:

  • Přístřešek je prázdný.

That is the most straightforward way to say it.

But other word orders are possible, depending on emphasis. For example:

  • Prázdný je přístřešek.

This sounds marked or contrastive, as if you are emphasizing empty or contrasting the shelter with something else.

So the given sentence is the normal, neutral version.

Can Czech leave out je in this sentence?

In standard Czech, no. You normally keep je in the present tense.

So you say:

  • Přístřešek je prázdný.

not just

  • Přístřešek prázdný.

Leaving out je would sound incomplete or nonstandard in ordinary Czech.

How do I make this sentence negative?

You change je to není:

  • Přístřešek není prázdný. = The shelter is not empty.

This is the normal way to negate být in the present tense.

Would prázdný change if the noun changed?

Yes. Czech adjectives must agree with the noun.

For example:

  • Přístřešek je prázdný. = masculine singular
  • Místnost je prázdná. = feminine singular
  • Okno je prázdné. = neuter singular
  • Přístřešky jsou prázdné. = plural, inanimate

So when you learn an adjective, it is helpful to learn that it changes form.

What is the dictionary form of prázdný?

The dictionary form is prázdný.

For Czech adjectives, dictionaries usually list the masculine singular nominative form as the basic form. From that, you learn the other endings through declension patterns.

So if you look it up, you will usually find prázdný, not prázdná or prázdné.

Is přístřešek a common everyday word?

Yes, it is a normal Czech noun for a shelter, small roofed structure, or cover that protects from weather.

Depending on context, it could refer to things like:

  • a bus-stop shelter
  • a simple outdoor shelter
  • a covered structure for protection from rain or sun

So it is a practical, everyday kind of word, especially when talking about outdoor places or structures.

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