Připojil jsem webkameru tak, aby fungovala při videohovoru.

It is the past tense of připojit = to connect / plug in / attach.

Czech past tense is usually made with:

• an -l form of the verb: připojil
• plus an auxiliary from být: jsem

So:

• Připojil jsem = I connected
• if the speaker is female: Připojila jsem

The -l form also shows gender in the singular.

Because Czech often leaves out subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb.

In Připojil jsem, the word jsem already tells you the subject is I, so já is unnecessary.

You could say Já jsem připojil webkameru..., but that usually adds emphasis, like:

• I connected the webcam
• not someone else

Without emphasis, leaving out já is normal.

Because jsem is a clitic, and Czech clitics usually do not stand first in the clause.

So the normal order is:

• Připojil jsem
• Já jsem připojil
• Webkameru jsem připojil

But Jsem připojil... sounds ungrammatical in normal standard Czech.

A useful rule for learners: jsem usually comes in the second position of the clause.

Because it is the direct object, so it is in the accusative case.

The basic form is:

• webkamera = webcam

As a direct object:

• webkameru

So:

• webkamera = the webcam
• Připojil jsem webkameru = I connected the webcam

This is a regular pattern for many feminine nouns ending in -a:

• kamera → kameru
• žena → ženu
• webkamera → webkameru

Tak, aby means something like:

• so that
• in such a way that

It introduces a purpose or intended result.

So:

• Připojil jsem webkameru tak, aby fungovala... means:
• I connected the webcam so that it would work...
• or more literally, I connected the webcam in such a way that it would work...

In many situations, Czech can also use just aby:

• Připojil jsem webkameru, aby fungovala při videohovoru.

That is also natural.
Adding tak makes the idea of manner/result a bit stronger.

Because aby introduces a subordinate clause.

The main clause is:

• Připojil jsem webkameru tak

The subordinate clause is:

• aby fungovala při videohovoru

In Czech, subordinate clauses are normally separated by a comma, so:

• tak, aby

This comma is standard and expected.

That is a very common learner question.

After aby, Czech uses a form that looks like the past -l form:

• fungoval / fungovala / fungovalo / fungovali

But here it does not mean simple past by itself.
After aby, it expresses purpose, intention, or expected result.

So:

• aby fungovala = so that it works / would work

You do not say:

• aby funguje

That would be wrong.

So even though fungovala looks like she/it worked, after aby it means something more like:

• would work
• should work
• works, depending on context

Because it agrees with the understood subject of the subordinate clause: webkamera.

The noun webkamera is:

• feminine
• singular

So the form must also be feminine singular:

• aby fungovala

Compare:

• mikrofon is masculine → aby fungoval
• zařízení is neuter → aby fungovalo

Even though webkameru appears in the accusative in the main clause, the thing doing the action fungovat is still the webcam, and that noun is feminine.

Při videohovoru means:

• during a video call
• during the video call

The preposition při takes the locative case.

So:

• videohovor = video call
• při videohovoru = during a video call

This is a common pattern:

• při práci = during work
• při jednání = during the meeting
• při hovoru = during the conversation

It can depend on context.

In this sentence, při videohovoru could mean:

• during the video call if a specific call is meant
• during a video call in a more general sense

Czech does not have articles like a and the, so the exact English translation depends on context.

If you wanted to make it clearly plural and general, you could say:

• při videohovorech = during video calls

Because připojit is perfective, and here the sentence refers to a completed action: the webcam was successfully connected.

• připojit = to connect, as a completed act
• připojovat = to be connecting / to connect repeatedly or as a process

So:

• Připojil jsem webkameru... = I connected the webcam
• Připojoval jsem webkameru... would suggest a process, repeated attempts, or an unfinished/background action

In this sentence, the perfective verb fits well because the connection was done for a purpose: so that it would work.

Yes, Czech word order is flexible, but the emphasis changes.

The original:

• Připojil jsem webkameru tak, aby fungovala při videohovoru.

Another natural version:

• Webkameru jsem připojil tak, aby fungovala při videohovoru.

This puts more emphasis on webkameru.

But you still need to respect clitic placement, so jsem should stay in second position:

• Webkameru jsem připojil... ✅
• Webkameru připojil jsem... is much less neutral and would sound marked or poetic

So yes, the order can change, but not completely freely.