Moji rodiče jsou velmi trpěliví.

to be

Breakdown of Moji rodiče jsou velmi trpěliví.

• můj: my
• velmi: very
• trpělivý: patient
• rodič: the parent

Questions & Answers about Moji rodiče jsou velmi trpěliví.

Why is it moji instead of můj or moje?

Czech has different forms of the possessive pronoun for “my” depending on gender, number, and whether the noun is animate or inanimate. Rodiče (parents) is a plural animate noun, so we use the plural animate form moji. If it were a different plural noun (e.g., neuter inanimate), we might see moje or another form instead.

What part of speech is jsou, and why do we use it here?

Jsou is the 3rd person plural present tense form of the verb být (to be). Since rodiče is a plural noun (“parents”), we need a plural verb. Hence, moji rodiče jsou = “my parents are.”

Why does velmi come before trpěliví?

Velmi is an adverb meaning “very,” and it modifies the adjective trpěliví (“patient”). In Czech, adverbs usually come before the adjectives they modify, just like in English.

Why does the adjective trpěliví end in -í?

This is because rodiče is a plural masculine animate noun, and the adjective must agree with the noun’s case, number, and gender. In the nominative plural masculine animate form, many adjectives end in -í (trpěliví, mladí, starší, etc.).

How strict is the word order in Czech, and could we move velmi around?

Word order in Czech is more flexible than in English, but placing velmi before an adjective is the most neutral and common position. You can move it around for emphasis, but that might sound more poetic or unusual in everyday speech.