Learn Hardcore Czech: Odpoledne jsem jel autobusem domů a lístek jsem dal Markovi. - In the afternoon I went home by bus and gave the ticket to Marek.

Odpoledne means in the afternoon and is an adverb of time. Placing it at the start highlights when the action took place. Czech word order is flexible, so you could also say Jel jsem odpoledne autobusem domů… or Jel jsem autobusem domů odpoledne, but the original order puts the time frame in the spotlight.

Why is autobusem in the instrumental case, and what does that case express here?

The instrumental case in Czech indicates the means or instrument of an action. Here autobusem (instrumental of autobus) tells us how you traveled—namely, by bus.

Why do we use domů instead of do domu, and what's the difference?

Domů is an adverb meaning homeward, focusing on the direction toward home. In contrast, do domu literally means into the house and emphasizes entering the building, not necessarily the broader idea of going home.

How is the past tense formed in Czech, as seen in jsem jel?

Czech uses the present tense of the auxiliary verb být (to be) plus the past participle of the main verb. Here jsem is the 1st-person singular of být, and jel is the masculine singular past participle of jet (“to go by vehicle”). Together they form jsem jel = “I went/drove.”

Why isn't the subject pronoun já included for “I”?

In Czech, verb endings already encode person and number, so the subject pronoun já is usually omitted. Saying jsem jel alone clearly means “I went.” You would only add já for emphasis or contrast.

Why is lístek placed at the start of the second clause (lístek jsem dal Markovi)?

Czech word order is quite free. Fronting lístek (the direct object) emphasizes what was given. The unmarked order would be Dal jsem Markovi lístek or Jsem dal Markovi lístek, but starting with lístek highlights the ticket as the new or important information.

What case is Markovi, and why is it used here?

Markovi is the dative case (of Marek), used for the indirect object. It answers to whom something is given. In this sentence, dal (komu?) Markovi = “gave to Marko.”

How would this sentence change if the speaker were female?

The past participle must agree in gender. A woman would say Odpoledne jsem jela autobusem domů a lístek jsem dala Markovi. So jel → jela and dal → dala.

Could you also say dal jsem Markovi lístek? Would that sound natural?

Yes, Dal jsem Markovi lístek is perfectly natural. It follows the neutral Subject–Verb–Indirect Object–Direct Object order. Czech word order is flexible, so you can rearrange elements for different emphasis.

What does the conjunction a do in the sentence?

The conjunction a means and. It links two main clauses: “I traveled home by bus, and I gave the ticket to Marko,” showing a sequence or addition of actions.