Zápas začne večer.

Because začne comes from the perfective verb začít (to begin / to start).

In Czech, a present-tense form of a perfective verb usually refers to the future. So:

• zápas začne = the match will begin
• zápas začíná = the match is beginning / begins / starts (imperfective, more about an ongoing or repeated action)

So even though začne looks like a present form, its meaning here is future.

The dictionary form is začít.

začne is:

• 3rd person singular
• from the verb začít
• used with the subject zápas

So literally:

• zápas začne = the match starts / will start

Czech often does not need a separate word like English will.

With perfective verbs, the present form already expresses a future result:

• začít → začne = will begin

This is very common in Czech. English needs will start, but Czech can simply say začne.

Zápas is in the nominative singular, because it is the subject of the sentence.

It is the thing doing the action of beginning:

• zápas = the match
• začne = will begin

So zápas is the noun that the verb agrees with.

Czech does not have articles like English a, an, the.

So zápas can mean:

• a match
• the match

The exact meaning depends on context. In a real situation, you would know from context whether it means a specific match or just a match in general.

Here večer means in the evening / tonight and functions as a time expression.

So:

• Zápas začne večer. = The match will begin in the evening / tonight.

Czech often uses words like ráno, večer, and odpoledne without a preposition when giving a general time.

Because Czech normally just says večer for in the evening.

So:

• večer = in the evening
• not usually v večer

This is one of those expressions you mostly learn as a set phrase. Czech often uses a bare time word here rather than a preposition.

Yes. Czech word order is more flexible than English.

These are all possible, depending on emphasis:

• Zápas začne večer.
• Večer začne zápas.
• Zápas večer začne.

The basic meaning stays the same, but the focus changes a bit:

• Zápas začne večer. = neutral
• Večer začne zápas. = puts more emphasis on evening
• Zápas večer začne. = can sound contrastive or marked depending on context

The most neutral version here is the original one.

A rough English-style guide is:

ZAA-pahs ZAHCH-neh VYE-cher

A few important points:

• á is a long vowel: zá-
• č sounds like ch in church
• czech ř? There is no ř here, so that part is easier than many Czech words.
• večer has č, so it sounds like VEH-cher or VYE-cher, depending on how closely you imitate Czech vowel quality.

If you want a more technical approximation:

• zápas ≈ [zaːpas]
• začne ≈ [zatʃne]
• večer ≈ [vɛtʃɛr]

Most often, yes, zápas means a match, game, or contest, especially in sports.

But it can also mean a struggle or fight in a broader sense, depending on context.

In this sentence, the most natural meaning is a sports match.

Yes. Večer can be a normal noun meaning evening, but it can also be used adverbially to mean in the evening.

So learners often meet it in both ways:

• Je krásný večer. = It is a beautiful evening.
• Přijdu večer. = I’ll come in the evening.

In Zápas začne večer, it is the second type: a time expression.

Because the subject zápas is singular.

Czech verbs agree with the subject in number (and in past tense also gender). Here:

• zápas = singular
• začne = singular

If the subject were plural, the verb would be plural too:

• Zápasy začnou večer. = The matches will begin in the evening.

Yes, in English the best translation depends on context.

Because Czech uses the perfective form začne, the sentence points to a future starting event. In English, that might be translated as:

• The match will begin in the evening.
• The match starts in the evening.

Both can work, but will begin makes the future meaning especially clear.