Účet jsem zaplatil se slevou.

I paid the bill with a discount.

Breakdown of Účet jsem zaplatil se slevou.

• já: I
• být: to be
• s: with
• účet: the bill
• zaplatit: to pay
• sleva: the discount

Questions & Answers about Účet jsem zaplatil se slevou.

Where is the subject “I” in the sentence, and why isn’t já used?

Czech often drops the personal pronoun because the verb form itself shows person and number. Here jsem zaplatil is first-person singular past, so já (I) is implied. You could say Já jsem účet zaplatil se slevou for emphasis, but it’s redundant.

Why is účet in the accusative case, not nominative?

Účet (bill) is the direct object of the verb zaplatit (to pay), and direct objects take the accusative case. In singular masculine animate/inanimate, the nominative and accusative forms look the same (účet), but grammatically it’s accusative here.

Why is the past participle zaplatil masculine singular, and how would a female speaker say it?

In Czech past tense the participle agrees with the subject’s gender and number. Zaplatil is masculine singular (speaker is male). A female speaker would use zaplatila:
• Účet jsem zaplatila se slevou.

Why is the preposition s written as se before slevou?

The preposition s (with) changes to se for easier pronunciation before words beginning with s, z, š, ž (and a few other consonants). Saying s slevou would create an awkward ss cluster, so Czech uses se slevou.

Why is slevou in the instrumental case?

Preposition s(e) always requires the instrumental case. The noun sleva (discount) in instrumental singular becomes slevou.

Can I change the word order, and what effect would that have?

Yes, Czech word order is quite flexible.
• Neutral: Zaplatil jsem účet se slevou. (I paid the bill with a discount.)
• Fronting object: Účet jsem zaplatil se slevou. emphasizes the bill.
• Fronting adverbial: Se slevou jsem zaplatil účet. emphasizes with a discount.
Meaning stays the same, but emphasis shifts.

What’s the difference between účet and účtenka, and which one fits here?

• Účet = the bill or invoice you’re supposed to pay (e.g. at a restaurant).
• Účtenka = the receipt or proof of payment you receive afterward.
  Since the sentence is about paying the bill, účet is correct.

Why is the verb perfective (zaplatil jsem) used, and what if I say imperfective (platil jsem)?

Zaplatil jsem is perfective past, showing the action is completed.

• If you say platil jsem, that’s imperfective past (“I was paying” or “I used to pay”), implying an ongoing or repeated action.
  For a one-time completed payment, use the perfective zaplatil jsem.