Mikina a repelent jsou v batohu.

Because the subject is mikina a repelent — two things joined by a (and). In Czech, that makes the subject plural, so the verb must also be plural.

• mikina je v batohu = the sweatshirt is in the backpack
• repelent je v batohu = the repellent is in the backpack
• mikina a repelent jsou v batohu = the sweatshirt and the repellent are in the backpack

So jsou is the 3rd person plural form of být (to be).

They are in the nominative, because they are the subject of the sentence.

These are also their basic dictionary forms:

• mikina = nominative singular
• repelent = nominative singular

Even though each noun is singular, together they form a plural subject.

Because the preposition v (in) requires the locative case when it expresses location.

So:

• basic form: batoh
• after v: v batohu

This is very common in Czech:

• v domě = in the house
• v autě = in the car
• v batohu = in the backpack

Here v means in / inside.

It shows where something is located. Since this sentence describes a static location, Czech uses v + locative:

• v batohu = in the backpack

If you wanted to express movement into the backpack, Czech would normally use do instead:

• Dám to do batohu. = I’ll put it into the backpack.

Yes, Czech noun gender matters a lot.

In this sentence:

• mikina = feminine
• repelent = masculine inanimate
• batoh = masculine inanimate

In the present tense here, the verb jsou does not show gender, only number. But gender becomes important with adjectives, pronouns, and especially in the past tense.

For example:

• Mikina a repelent byly v batohu. = The sweatshirt and the repellent were in the backpack.

It is byly, not byli, because there is no masculine animate noun in the subject.

Yes. Czech word order is fairly flexible because case endings show grammatical roles.

So these can both work:

• Mikina a repelent jsou v batohu.
• V batohu jsou mikina a repelent.

The difference is mainly emphasis:

• Mikina a repelent... starts with the things being talked about
• V batohu... starts with the location

Both are natural, depending on context.

Czech does not have articles like English the and a/an.

So mikina can mean:

• a sweatshirt
• the sweatshirt

And batoh can mean:

• a backpack
• the backpack

The exact meaning depends on context.

Normally, no. In an ordinary full sentence, Czech usually keeps the present-tense form of být (to be).

So:

• Mikina a repelent jsou v batohu. = correct
• Mikina a repelent v batohu. = incomplete in normal speech

You might see the verb omitted in notes, headlines, or very informal shorthand, but not in standard sentence use.

Yes. A is the standard Czech coordinating conjunction meaning and.

In this sentence it simply joins two nouns:

• mikina a repelent = sweatshirt and repellent

It works much like English and.

It is pronounced roughly like ysoh, in one syllable.

A few helpful points:

• j in Czech sounds like English y
• ou is a diphthong, somewhat like the o in go, but gliding

So jsou is not pronounced like English j in job.

Learners often find this word tricky at first, but you will hear it very often, since it is the plural form of to be.