Moje rodina má raději psa než kočku.

My family prefers a dog to a cat.

Breakdown of Moje rodina má raději psa než kočku.

• můj: my
• pes: the dog
• kočka: the cat
• rodina: the family
• mít raději: to prefer
• než: than

Questions & Answers about Moje rodina má raději psa než kočku.

Why is rodina followed by the singular verb má instead of a plural form?

In Czech, rodina (family) is treated as a singular collective noun (much like "the family" in English). Therefore, it uses the third-person singular form má.

What does raději mean, and why is it used instead of víc or více?

Raději specifically means "would rather" or "prefer" and expresses greater liking or preference. Víc/více can mean "more" in a purely quantitative sense. Raději focuses on preference between options.

Why does the word psa appear the way it does instead of pes?

Pes is the base form in nominative case. In this sentence, psa is the accusative form (which is required because the dog is the direct object).

Why is kočku also in the accusative form?

Like psa, kočku is the direct object of the sentence, so it takes the accusative form.

Is the word order flexible in Czech, and could we say Moje rodina psa má raději než kočku?

Czech allows relatively flexible word order due to its case system. However, Moje rodina má raději psa než kočku is the most natural sounding order. Variations are possible, but they can shift emphasis or sound less natural in everyday speech.