Mám rád hezkou zahradu.

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Breakdown of Mám rád hezkou zahradu.

• zahrada: the garden
• hezký: nice
• mít rád: to like

Questions & Answers about Mám rád hezkou zahradu.

Why does the adjective have the ending “-ou” in “hezkou” instead of “-á”?

In Czech, adjectives must match the gender, number, and case of the noun. “Zahradu” is a feminine noun in the accusative case (it’s the direct object), so “hezká” (nominative) changes to “hezkou” (accusative feminine singular).

Why do we say “zahradu” instead of “zahrada”?

Because “zahrada” becomes “zahradu” in the accusative singular. In Czech, nouns also decline according to their function in the sentence. Since this noun is the direct object of “Mám rád” (“I like”), it must take the accusative form.

What’s the difference between “Mám rád” and “Mám ráda”?

“Mám rád” is used by a male speaker to say “I like,” while “Mám ráda” is used by a female speaker. The form “rád/ráda” agrees with the subject’s gender, so men say “rád” and women say “ráda.”

Could I also say “Líbí se mi hezká zahrada”?

Yes, but it has a slightly different nuance. “Mám rád hezkou zahradu” focuses more on your personal liking for a nice garden, while “Líbí se mi hezká zahrada” conveys that you find a nice garden appealing or pleasing to look at. Both are acceptable, but “Mám rád” more directly means “I like.”

Why doesn’t the sentence have an article like “a” or “the”?

Czech doesn’t use articles the way English does. There’s no direct equivalent of “a” or “the” in standard Czech, so you just say “hezkou zahradu” without adding an article.