Ten strom je mrtvý.

Ten is the masculine singular form of the demonstrative this/that.

Czech demonstratives change form to match the noun’s gender, number, and case.

Because strom (tree) is:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative (the subject of the sentence)

the correct form is ten.

Compare:

• ten strom = this/that tree
• ta kniha = this/that book
• to auto = this/that car

So ten agrees with strom.

In Czech, every noun has a grammatical gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter.

Strom is simply a noun that belongs to the masculine gender class. You usually have to learn a noun’s gender together with the word.

A useful clue is that many masculine nouns in the dictionary form end in a consonant, and strom does:

• strom = tree

So in this sentence:

• ten matches masculine strom
• mrtvý also matches masculine strom

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

So:

• já jsem = I am
• ty jsi = you are
• on/ona/ono je = he/she/it is

Since ten strom is it in English, Czech uses je:

• Ten strom je mrtvý. = That tree is dead.

Mrtvý is an adjective meaning dead, and adjectives in Czech must agree with the noun they describe.

Here, mrtvý agrees with strom, which is:

• masculine
• singular
• nominative

So the adjective takes the matching form:

• mrtvý strom = a dead tree
• Ten strom je mrtvý. = That tree is dead.

This is called adjective agreement.

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things grammatically.

• Ten strom je mrtvý.
  = That tree is dead.
  Here mrtvý is part of the predicate, after je.

• Ten mrtvý strom
  = that dead tree
  This is only a noun phrase, not a full sentence.

So if you want a complete sentence saying what the tree is like, you need:

• Ten strom je mrtvý.

Yes, you could say Strom je mrtvý.

The difference is roughly:

• Strom je mrtvý. = The tree is dead / A tree is dead, depending on context
• Ten strom je mrtvý. = That tree is dead / This particular tree is dead

Since Czech does not have articles like the and a, words like ten are often used when you want to point out a specific thing.

So ten adds emphasis or specificity.

Not always.

In real Czech, ten can function:

• as a true demonstrative: this/that
• sometimes in a way that feels closer to the, especially in context

So Ten strom je mrtvý can often mean:

• That tree is dead
• or, depending on the situation, something like The tree is dead

The exact translation depends on context.

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

The neutral, standard order is:

• Ten strom je mrtvý.

But other orders are possible for emphasis, for example:

• Mrtvý je ten strom.
• Ten mrtvý je strom. — this would usually sound odd in normal speech

The basic sentence you should learn first is:

• Ten strom je mrtvý.

Czech word order often changes to show focus, contrast, or emphasis, not just grammar.

You make it negative by changing je to není:

• Ten strom není mrtvý. = That tree is not dead.

The adjective mrtvý stays the same here. The negation is carried by the verb.

A common way is simply to put the verb first:

• Je ten strom mrtvý? = Is that tree dead?

Czech can also rely on intonation in speech, but verb-first order is a very common and clear way to form yes/no questions.

Compare:

• Ten strom je mrtvý. = That tree is dead.
• Je ten strom mrtvý? = Is that tree dead?

Yes, it can be tricky for English speakers because of the consonant cluster.

Mrtvý is pronounced approximately like mrt-vee.

A few notes:

• Czech stress is usually on the first syllable
• the r in mrt- is pronounced clearly
• the tv cluster is pronounced fully
• ý is a long vowel, pronounced like a long ee

So it is roughly:

• MRT-vee

The first part may feel difficult because Czech allows combinations that English usually avoids.

It can definitely be used for trees as well.

In Czech, mrtvý can describe:

• a dead person
• a dead animal
• a dead tree
• sometimes even things metaphorically, like something inactive or lifeless

So:

• mrtvý člověk = a dead person
• mrtvý pes = a dead dog
• mrtvý strom = a dead tree

It is completely natural in this sentence.