Máme společný plán.

Breakdown of Máme společný plán.

mít
to have
plán
the plan
společný
shared; common

Questions & Answers about Máme společný plán.

What does máme mean, and what form is it?

Máme is the 1st person plural present tense of the verb mít (to have).

So:

  • mám = I have
  • máš = you have
  • má = he/she/it has
  • máme = we have
  • máte = you have (plural/formal)
  • mají = they have

In this sentence, máme already tells you the subject is we, so Czech does not need a separate word for we unless you want extra emphasis.

Why is there no word for we in the sentence?

Because Czech usually omits subject pronouns when they are obvious from the verb form.

  • Máme společný plán. = We have a shared/common plan.

The ending -me in máme already shows that the subject is we.

You could say My máme společný plán, but that sounds more emphatic, like:

  • We have a shared plan.
  • As for us, we have a shared plan.

So the version without my is the most neutral and natural one.

Why is společný written like that? Why not some other ending?

Společný is an adjective, and it must agree with plán in:

  • gender
  • number
  • case

Here, plán is:

For many masculine inanimate nouns, the accusative singular looks the same as the nominative singular. So:

  • plán → accusative singular plán
  • adjective form → společný

That is why you get společný plán.

What case is plán in here?

It is in the accusative singular, because it is the direct object of máme.

In English, we do not usually see object case on nouns clearly, but in Czech it matters. The tricky thing here is that with a masculine inanimate noun like plán, the accusative singular form is the same as the nominative singular form.

So although plán looks unchanged, its role in the sentence is still accusative.

Is plán masculine? How can I tell?

Yes, plán is a masculine inanimate noun.

A learner often has to memorize noun gender, but there are some clues:

  • many nouns ending in a consonant are masculine
  • plán refers to a thing, not a living male being, so it is inanimate, not animate

That matters because adjective endings and some case forms depend on whether a masculine noun is animate or inanimate.

Does společný mean common or shared?

In this sentence, společný most naturally means shared, joint, or common in the sense of belonging to both/all of us.

So společný plán suggests:

  • one plan that we share
  • a joint plan
  • a plan we have together

This is different from every use of English common. For example, common can also mean ordinary/frequent, but společný does not usually mean that.

A useful contrast:

  • společný plán = a shared/joint plan
  • stejný plán = the same plan

Sometimes those ideas overlap, but they are not exactly identical.

Why is there no word for a or the?

Czech has no articles like English a/an/the.

So plán can mean:

  • a plan
  • the plan

Which one is meant depends on context.

In Máme společný plán, English often uses a:
We have a shared plan.

But depending on context, it could also be understood more specifically.

Is the word order fixed? Could I say it differently?

Yes, Czech word order is fairly flexible, though different orders can change the emphasis.

The neutral order here is:

  • Máme společný plán.

Other possible orders include:

  • Společný plán máme.
    This puts more emphasis on shared plan.
  • Plán máme společný.
    This can sound contrastive, like The plan we have is a shared one.

So the original sentence is the most straightforward, neutral version.

How do you pronounce Máme společný plán?

A rough pronunciation guide is:

  • Máme ≈ MAA-meh
  • společný ≈ SPO-lech-nee
  • plán ≈ plaan

A few useful pronunciation notes:

  • á is a long vowel, so máme and plán both have a long a
  • č sounds like ch in church
  • ý is a long ee sound
  • společný has stress on the first syllable: SPO-leč-ný

A rough full version: MAA-meh SPO-lech-nee plaan

Could I also say My máme společný plán?

Yes, that is grammatically correct, but it adds emphasis.

Compare:

  • Máme společný plán. = neutral
  • My máme společný plán. = We have a shared plan

The second version might be used if you are contrasting we with someone else:

  • Oni žádný plán nemají, ale my máme společný plán.
    They don’t have any plan, but we have a shared plan.

So in ordinary speech, the version without my is more natural unless you want that contrast.

Can společný plán come after the verb because it is one unit?

Yes. Společný plán works as a normal noun phrase:

Together they form the object of the sentence.

It is helpful to think of it as one chunk:

  • máme | společný plán
  • we have | a shared plan

This is very common in Czech: adjectives usually come before the noun they describe.

Is this sentence formal or informal?

It is neutral and works in both formal and informal contexts.

Nothing in it is slangy or especially formal. It would sound natural in:

  • conversation
  • writing
  • work contexts
  • planning discussions

So it is a very standard Czech sentence structure.

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