Automatická převodovka je drahá.

Because převodovka is a feminine singular noun, and Czech adjectives must agree with the noun they describe.

So:

• masculine: automatický
• feminine: automatická
• neuter: automatické

Since převodovka is feminine, the adjective must be automatická.

A very common clue is the ending. Nouns ending in -a are often feminine in Czech, and převodovka follows that pattern.

You can also see it from agreement:

• ta převodovka = that gearbox/transmission
• automatická převodovka
• drahá převodovka

All those feminine adjective/determiner endings confirm that převodovka is feminine.

For the same reason: drahá agrees with převodovka.

The adjective drahý means expensive in its basic dictionary form, but it changes depending on gender and number:

• masculine singular: drahý
• feminine singular: drahá
• neuter singular: drahé
• plural: drahé / drazí / drahé depending on type

Here, because the subject is feminine singular, the predicate adjective is drahá.

Je is the 3rd person singular form of the verb být = to be.

So the structure is:

• Automatická převodovka = the automatic transmission
• je = is
• drahá = expensive

Literally: Automatic transmission is expensive.

Usually, in a normal present-tense statement like this, no.

Czech often omits personal pronouns, but it normally does not omit the present-tense form of to be in this kind of sentence.

So:

• correct: Automatická převodovka je drahá.
• not standard here: Automatická převodovka drahá.

You may see omission in headlines, notes, or very informal styles, but not as the normal full sentence.

It is in the nominative singular.

Why? Because it is the subject of the sentence:

• Automatická převodovka = the thing being talked about

The adjective automatická is also nominative singular feminine because it agrees with the noun.

It is also nominative singular feminine.

After být (to be), Czech often uses a predicate adjective in the nominative:

• Ten dům je velký. = That house is big.
• Ta kniha je zajímavá. = That book is interesting.
• Automatická převodovka je drahá.

So drahá matches the subject in gender, number, and case.

No, Czech word order is fairly flexible, but the neutral, most natural order here is:

• Automatická převodovka je drahá.

You can move words around for emphasis, for example:

• Drahá je automatická převodovka.
• Automatická převodovka drahá je.

But those sound marked or emphatic in most contexts. A learner should usually stick with the standard order: subject + je + adjective.

Czech has no articles like a/an/the.

So Automatická převodovka can mean:

• an automatic transmission
• the automatic transmission
• sometimes even automatic transmissions in general, depending on context

You understand the intended meaning from the situation, not from an article.

Yes, in many contexts převodovka can be translated as gearbox or transmission.

So automatická převodovka may be understood as:

• automatic transmission
• automatic gearbox

The best English translation depends on context and regional preference.

A rough pronunciation guide for the whole sentence is:

aw-toh-MAH-tits-kah przheh-VOD-kah yeh DRAH-hah

A few notes:

• Czech stress is usually on the first syllable of each word:
  • AUtomatická
  • PŘEvodovka
  • JE
  • DRAhá
• ř is a special Czech sound. It is one of the hardest sounds for learners. It is somewhat like an r and zh sound produced together.
• If you cannot say ř yet, an approximate rž-like sound is often a good temporary step.

Because Czech normally places stress on the first syllable of the word.

So you say:

• AUtomatická
• PŘEvodovka
• DRAhá

This is a basic rule of Czech pronunciation and is very helpful for learners because it is much more regular than English stress.

The dictionary forms are usually given in the masculine singular nominative:

• automatický
• drahý

In the sentence, they appear as feminine singular forms because they agree with převodovka:

• automatický → automatická
• drahý → drahá

So when you look words up, you will normally search for automatický and drahý.

Yes, Czech singular can sometimes express a general statement about a type of thing, much like English can say An automatic transmission is expensive or The automatic transmission is expensive in a generic sense.

However, if you want a clearly plural version, you would say:

• Automatické převodovky jsou drahé.

That means Automatic transmissions are expensive.

You negate the verb je by changing it to není:

• Automatická převodovka není drahá.
• The automatic transmission is not expensive.

The adjective drahá stays the same; the negation is carried by the verb.

You need to change the noun, the adjective before it, the verb, and the predicate adjective so they all agree:

• singular: Automatická převodovka je drahá.
• plural: Automatické převodovky jsou drahé.

Changes:

• automatická → automatické
• převodovka → převodovky
• je → jsou
• drahá → drahé

That is a good example of how strongly agreement works in Czech.

It is neutral standard Czech.

Nothing in it is especially formal or slangy. It would sound normal in everyday speech, writing, or explanation. Automatická převodovka is a standard technical/common term.