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Questions & Answers about Včera ráno svítilo slunce.
Why is there no article before slunce?
Czech does not use definite or indefinite articles (no “the” or “a”). The noun slunce can mean “sun” or “the sun” depending on context without extra words.
What case is slunce in this sentence?
It’s in the nominative case, because slunce is the subject performing the action “svítilo” (“shone”).
Why does the verb end in -lo (“svítilo”) instead of -l or -la?
In Czech past tense, the ending agrees with the gender and number of the subject:
- -l for masculine singular
- -la for feminine singular
- -lo for neuter singular
Since slunce is a neuter noun, the past-tense form is svítilo.
What exactly does včera ráno mean, and why isn’t there a comma?
Včera ráno is a single adverbial time expression meaning “yesterday morning.” It’s not two separate clauses, so no comma is needed.
Could I say Slunce včera ráno svítilo instead?
Yes. Czech word order is relatively free. Putting Slunce first emphasizes the sun; keeping Včera ráno first stresses the time. The basic meaning stays the same.
What’s the difference between ráno and dopoledne?
- ráno covers early morning (from dawn until about 9–10 AM)
- dopoledne covers later morning (roughly 9–10 AM up until noon)
How do you pronounce včera and ráno?
- včera: [ˈft͡ʃɛra] – notice the initial [ft͡ʃ] cluster
- ráno: [ˈraːno] – long á, with stress always on the first syllable in Czech
Can I use a different verb, like zářilo, instead of svítilo?
Yes. slunce zářilo means “the sun was shining/gleaming.” The nuance:
- svítilo focuses on emitting light (“it shone”)
- zářilo emphasizes brightness or glow (“it gleamed/was radiant”)