Steak je propečený, ale klobása je syrová.

Because they agree with the nouns they describe.

• steak is treated as masculine in Czech, so you get propečený
• klobása is feminine, so you get syrová

This is called adjective agreement. In Czech, adjectives change form to match the noun’s gender, number, and case.

So:

• propečený steak = a well-done steak
• syrová klobása = a raw sausage

In your sentence, the adjectives come after je, but they still have to match the nouns:

• Steak je propečený
• Klobása je syrová

Good question. In Czech, adjectives normally come before a noun when they directly describe it:

• propečený steak
• syrová klobása

But in your sentence, the structure is noun + je + adjective:

• Steak je propečený
• Klobása je syrová

Here the adjective is not just attached to the noun inside a noun phrase. It is part of the predicate: the steak is well done, the sausage is raw.

So both positions are normal, but they mean slightly different things structurally:

• propečený steak = a well-done steak
• steak je propečený = the steak is well done

Propečený means something like well cooked through, well done, or thoroughly cooked/browned.

With food, it often suggests that the inside is properly cooked, not raw. For a steak, English would often translate it as well-done or cooked through, depending on context.

It comes from the verb propéct / propékat, related to cooking or baking something thoroughly.

So in this sentence, Steak je propečený means the steak is cooked through, not rare or raw.

Syrová means raw or uncooked.

It is the feminine form of syrový, because klobása is feminine.

Examples:

• syrové maso = raw meat
• syrová zelenina = raw vegetables
• klobása je syrová = the sausage is raw

Be careful not to confuse syrový with surový:

• syrový = raw, uncooked
• surový = harsh, brutal, crude, unprocessed

They look similar, but they are different words.

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

So:

• Steak je propečený = The steak is well done
• klobása je syrová = the sausage is raw

In standard Czech, you normally keep je in the present tense. Czech does not usually drop is/are the way some other languages do.

Because both steak and klobása are singular, you use je in both clauses.

Ale means but.

It joins two contrasting ideas:

• Steak je propečený = The steak is well done
• ale = but
• klobása je syrová = the sausage is raw

So the sentence sets up a contrast between the two foods.

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

So:

• steak can mean a steak or the steak
• klobása can mean a sausage or the sausage

You understand which one is meant from context.

That means Steak je propečený, ale klobása je syrová could be translated as either:

• The steak is well done, but the sausage is raw
• A steak is well done, but a sausage is raw

In real context, the first one is much more likely.

Steak is a borrowed word in Czech, and it is commonly written just as steak.

Czech often keeps foreign spellings, especially for food names and international words. Even though the pronunciation is adapted somewhat, the spelling may stay close to the original.

Grammatically, though, Czech still treats steak like a normal noun here: it is a masculine singular subject.

They are in the nominative case, because they are the subjects of the sentence.

• Steak = subject of je propečený
• klobása = subject of je syrová

The nominative is the basic dictionary form of a noun.

This is also why the adjectives are in nominative forms too:

• propečený = masculine nominative singular
• syrová = feminine nominative singular

Yes. Czech word order is more flexible than English word order.

The neutral order here is:

• Steak je propečený, ale klobása je syrová.

But you could change it for emphasis, for example:

• Klobása je syrová, ale steak je propečený.
• Steak je propečený, ale syrová je klobása.
  This sounds more marked or emphatic.

Even when the order changes, the endings help show what goes with what.

So word order in Czech often reflects focus and emphasis, not just grammar.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

• Steak je propečený, ale klobása je syrová
• approximately: stayk yeh pro-peh-cheh-nee, ah-leh klo-baa-sah yeh si-ro-vaa

A few useful notes:

• Czech stress is usually on the first syllable of each word:
  • STEAK
  • JE
  • PROpečený
  • ALe
  • KLObása
  • JE
  • SYrová
• č sounds like ch in church
• á is a long vowel
• ý is a long ee-like vowel in modern pronunciation

The exact sound of steak may vary a little depending on the speaker.

Yes, absolutely.

That version means the same basic thing:

• The sausage is raw, but the steak is well done

The difference is just what you mention first, and therefore what feels more prominent in the flow of the sentence.

In Czech, this kind of reordering is very normal.

No. Propečený can be used for other foods too, especially when you want to say they are cooked through or well browned.

For example:

• propečené maso = well-cooked meat
• propečený chléb = well-baked bread
• propečené kuře = well-roasted chicken

With steak, though, it is especially natural because people often talk about how done it is.

You would change the nouns and the agreeing adjectives, and also change je to jsou.

For example:

• Steaky jsou propečené, ale klobásy jsou syrové.

That means:

• The steaks are well done, but the sausages are raw.

Notice the changes:

• steak → steaky
• je → jsou
• propečený → propečené
• klobása → klobásy
• syrová → syrové

So number affects both the verb and the adjective forms.