Palivo je drahé a spotřeba paliva je vysoká.

Because spotřeba normally takes the genitive in Czech: spotřeba čeho? = consumption of what?

So:

• palivo = fuel
• spotřeba paliva = fuel consumption

Here, paliva is the genitive singular form of palivo.

A very similar pattern exists with many Czech nouns:

• cena paliva = the price of fuel
• výroba auta = the production of a car
• část města = part of the city

So after spotřeba, you should expect the thing being consumed to be in the genitive.

It is the genitive singular.

The basic form is:

• palivo = nominative singular

But in spotřeba paliva, the word changes because it depends on spotřeba:

• spotřeba paliva = consumption of fuel

So this is not a plural form here; it is singular genitive.

Because adjectives in Czech must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

Palivo is:

• neuter
• singular
• nominative

So the adjective must also be neuter singular nominative:

• drahý = expensive
• drahá = feminine
• drahé = neuter

That is why you get:

• Palivo je drahé. = Fuel is expensive.

For the same reason: adjective agreement.

Spotřeba is:

• feminine
• singular
• nominative

So the adjective must be feminine singular nominative:

• vysoký = masculine
• vysoká = feminine
• vysoké = neuter

Therefore:

• spotřeba je vysoká = consumption is high

• palivo is neuter
• spotřeba is feminine

You can often guess this from the endings:

• nouns ending in -o are often neuter
• nouns ending in -a are often feminine

That is why the adjectives look different:

• palivo je drahé
• spotřeba je vysoká

Because Czech commonly uses vysoký / nízký for things like levels, rates, prices, temperatures, and consumption.

So:

• vysoká spotřeba = high consumption
• nízká spotřeba = low consumption

This is similar to English, where we also usually say high consumption, not big consumption.

Because Czech has no articles.

English distinguishes:

• fuel
• the fuel
• a fuel

Czech usually just uses the noun itself:

• palivo

The exact meaning depends on context. In this sentence, palivo and spotřeba paliva are understood in a general sense.

Because the sentence contains two coordinated clauses:

• Palivo je drahé
• a spotřeba paliva je vysoká

Each clause has its own verb je = is.

In normal standard Czech, repeating je here is natural and expected. Omitting it would sound incomplete in ordinary speech, though in headlines or very compressed style Czech sometimes drops forms of být.

Yes. Czech word order is fairly flexible, because grammatical relationships are often shown by endings rather than by position.

For example, you could also say:

• Spotřeba paliva je vysoká a palivo je drahé.

That means the same thing, but the emphasis changes slightly because you start with spotřeba paliva.

The original order is very natural and neutral.

Not necessarily. Here palivo is being used as a mass noun, like English fuel in a general sense.

So:

• Palivo je drahé. = Fuel is expensive.

It does not have to mean one single unit. It means fuel in general.

Palivo is a general word meaning fuel.

More specific words include:

• benzín = petrol / gasoline
• nafta = diesel
• uhlí = coal

So palivo is the broader category. In this sentence, the speaker is talking generally about fuel and fuel consumption, not naming a specific fuel type.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• Palivo je drahé a spotřeba paliva je vysoká
• roughly: PA-li-vo ye DRA-heh a SPO-tzhe-ba PA-li-va ye VI-so-kaa

A few useful points:

• Czech stress is usually on the first syllable of each word.
• ř in spotřeba is a special Czech sound that English does not really have.
• ch in drahé is like the ch in Scottish loch or German Bach.

Yes, that is a very good idea.

Spotřeba paliva is a very common collocation, especially in contexts like cars, engines, transport, and energy use. Learning it as a whole phrase will help you sound more natural.

Useful related phrases:

• nízká spotřeba paliva = low fuel consumption
• vysoká spotřeba paliva = high fuel consumption
• snížit spotřebu paliva = to reduce fuel consumption

So this is definitely a phrase worth memorizing as a unit.