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Learn Hardcore Czech: Poplatek je vysoký. - The fee is high.

Hardcore Czech
/Opening a bank account
/Poplatek je vysoký.

Poplatek je vysoký.

Poplatek je vysoký.

The fee is high.

Breakdown of Poplatek je vysoký.

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Questions & Answers about Poplatek je vysoký.

Why is je there, and what form is it?

Je is the 3rd person singular present tense of být (to be).

So:

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

In Poplatek je vysoký, je means is.

Why does vysoký end in -ý?

Because vysoký is an adjective, and in Czech adjectives must agree with the noun they describe.

Poplatek is:

singular
masculine
inanimate
nominative

So the adjective also takes the nominative singular masculine inanimate form: vysoký.

Compare:

poplatek je vysoký = the fee is high
cena je vysoká = the price is high
(cena is feminine, so the adjective changes to vysoká)
nájemné je vysoké = the rent is high
(nájemné is neuter, so the adjective changes to vysoké)

Is poplatek masculine?

Yes. Poplatek is a masculine inanimate noun.

A useful clue is that many Czech nouns ending in a consonant are masculine. Here it is specifically masculine inanimate, not animate.

That matters because adjectives and some other words must match it:

vysoký poplatek
ten poplatek = that fee

Why is vysoký used? Doesn’t it usually mean tall or high?

Yes, vysoký often means tall or high, but it is also commonly used for amounts, levels, prices, fees, and similar things.

So in this sentence, vysoký means high, not tall.

Examples:

vysoká cena = a high price
vysoký plat = a high salary
vysoký poplatek = a high fee

This is very similar to English, where we also say a high fee.

Could I say Poplatek je drahý instead?

Usually Poplatek je vysoký is the more natural choice.

Why?

vysoký is commonly used for prices, fees, rates, amounts
drahý means expensive

A fee is more naturally described as high than expensive in Czech.
So Poplatek je vysoký sounds more standard.

Why is there no word for the in Czech?

Czech does not have articles like English a and the.

So Poplatek je vysoký can mean:

The fee is high
A fee is high

In real use, the context tells you which meaning is intended. Very often, English needs an article, but Czech simply does not use one.

What case are poplatek and vysoký in here?

They are both in the nominative.

Poplatek is the subject of the sentence.
Vysoký is a predicate adjective after je, and in this kind of sentence it also stays in the nominative.

So this is a basic nominative sentence structure:

Noun + být + adjective

Example pattern:

Dům je velký. = The house is big.
Poplatek je vysoký. = The fee is high.

Can I leave out je?

Normally, in a full standard sentence like this, no.

You should say:

Poplatek je vysoký.

Leaving out je would sound incomplete in normal speech and writing. You may sometimes see the verb omitted in headlines, notes, or very informal styles, but for learners the correct full sentence is:

Poplatek je vysoký.

Is the word order fixed?

The neutral, standard word order is:

Poplatek je vysoký.

Czech word order is more flexible than English, but changing it usually changes the emphasis.

For example:

Poplatek je vysoký. = neutral statement
Vysoký je poplatek. = marked or unusual; emphasizes high
Je vysoký poplatek. = possible in special contexts, but not the basic version learners should use

So for normal use, stick with:

Poplatek je vysoký.

How do I pronounce Poplatek je vysoký?

A rough English-friendly guide is:

Poplatek ≈ PO-plah-tek
je ≈ ye
vysoký ≈ VI-soh-kee

A few helpful notes:

j in Czech is pronounced like English y in yes
y in vysoký is not exactly the same as English ee, but kee is a useful approximation
the long ý is held a bit longer than a short vowel

So the whole sentence sounds roughly like:

PO-plah-tek ye VI-soh-kee

What is the stress pattern in this sentence?

In Czech, stress normally falls on the first syllable of each word.

So:

POplatek
je
VYsoký

That means the main word stress is:

PO-pla-tek je VY-so-ký

This is much more regular than English stress, which is good news for learners.

What is the dictionary form of these words?

The dictionary forms are:

poplatek = fee, charge
být = to be
vysoký = high, tall

In this sentence:

poplatek is already in its dictionary form
je is a conjugated form of být
vysoký is the masculine singular nominative form, which is also the dictionary form for this adjective

Is poplatek the same as cena?

Not exactly.

poplatek = fee, charge, payment for a service or administrative action
cena = price

So for example:

Poplatek za parkování = parking fee
Cena auta = the price of the car

In your sentence, poplatek specifically refers to a fee or charge, not just any price.

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