Learn Hardcore Czech: Po obědě nám číšník dal účet. - After lunch the waiter gave us the bill.

In Czech the preposition po meaning “after” takes the locative case when it refers to time. The base noun is oběd (lunch), so you use its locative singular obědě (oběd → obědě). You will see the same pattern in po práci (“after work”), po hodině (“after an hour”), etc.

What role does nám play in this sentence?

nám is the dative pronoun “to us.” The verb dát (“to give”) is ditransitive: it requires a direct object (what is given) in the accusative and an indirect object (to whom something is given) in the dative. Here účet is the thing given (accusative) and nám is the recipient (dative).

Why is nám placed before the verb dal rather than after číšník?

Czech has a rule for clitic pronouns (mi, ti, mu, nám, vám, etc.): they must occupy the second position in the clause after the first accentual element. In Po obědě (“After lunch”) the whole phrase is the first element, so the clitic nám immediately follows it, then comes číšník, then dal účet.

What case is účet in, and why?

účet (“bill/check”) is in the accusative singular because it is the direct object of dát. In Czech the direct object of most verbs is in the accusative case.

Why is the verb form dal and not dala or dali?

dal is the past‐tense form of dát for a masculine singular subject. Because the subject číšník is masculine animate and singular, you use dal. If the subject were feminine (e.g. servírka), you’d say dala; if plural (e.g. číšníci), you’d say dali.

Could I say Po jídle instead of Po obědě to mean “after lunch”?

Yes. jídlo is a more general word for “a meal/food,” so po jídle = “after the meal.” oběd is specifically “lunch,” so po obědě is more precise. Both patterns still use the locative (jídle).

What’s the difference between účet and faktura?

In a restaurant you always ask for účet (“the check/bill”). faktura is a more formal “invoice,” used in business transactions, by companies, or for services you pay later. You wouldn’t say faktura in a café.

Can I reorder the sentence, for example Po obědě číšník nám dal účet or Číšník nám po obědě dal účet?

You can start with Číšník, then nám, then po obědě, then dal účet—that is “Číšník nám po obědě dal účet.” But you cannot put nám after číšník when you keep Po obědě at the front, because the clitic must stay in second position. So “Po obědě číšník nám dal účet” would break the clitic rule. Other permutations are possible for emphasis (e.g. “Účet nám po obědě dal číšník” stresses účet).

Could I use přinesl instead of dal here, and what’s the nuance?

Yes: Po obědě nám číšník přinesl účet (“brought us the bill”). přinést emphasizes the physical act of carrying the bill to your table, while dát is more neutral (“he gave/handed us the bill”). Both are perfectly correct in a restaurant context.

How do I pronounce číšník and účet, and where is the stress?

Czech always stresses the first syllable.
• ČÍŠ-ník:
– č = “ch” in “cheese” but with a softer onset
– í = long “ee”
– š = “sh”
• Ú-čet:
– ú = long “oo”
– č = “ch” in “check”
– e = “eh”
– t = as in “top”