Questions & Answers about Gril je na dvoře.
What does je mean here?
Je means is. It is the 3rd person singular present form of the verb být (to be).
So:
- gril = grill
- je = is
- na dvoře = in/on the courtyard / in the yard
Unlike in some informal Russian-style examples learners may know from other Slavic languages, Czech normally does use the present-tense form of to be in sentences like this.
Why is it na dvoře and not na dvůr?
Because Czech changes the noun depending on its role in the sentence.
Here, the sentence describes a location: the grill is somewhere. After na with a static location, Czech usually uses the locative case.
- na dvoře = in/on the courtyard
- na dvůr = onto the courtyard / to the yard (movement toward a place)
Compare:
- Gril je na dvoře. = The grill is in the yard.
- Dám gril na dvůr. = I’ll put the grill into the yard.
What case is dvoře?
Dvoře is the locative singular form of dvůr.
Basic forms:
- dvůr = courtyard / yard
- na dvoře = in/on the courtyard
This is a useful pattern to notice: after certain prepositions, Czech nouns often appear in forms that may look quite different from the dictionary form.