Breakdown of Moje rodina chce psa nebo kočku.
můj
my
pes
the dog
kočka
the cat
rodina
the family
chtít
to want
nebo
or
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Questions & Answers about Moje rodina chce psa nebo kočku.
Why are there no words like “the” or “a” before rodina or psa?
Czech doesn’t have articles. There is no equivalent of English “the” or “a/an.” Definiteness and indefiniteness are shown by context, word order, or modifiers (like possessive pronouns), not by separate words.
Why is it moje rodina instead of můj rodina?
Possessive pronouns in Czech agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case. Rodina is feminine singular nominative, so you use moje (feminine form of můj). Můj would be for masculine nouns.
Why does chce use a singular verb form when it refers to the whole family?
In Czech, rodina is a collective noun treated as grammatically singular. Therefore you use the third-person singular form chce (“wants”), not chtějí (“they want”).
Why are psa and kočku not in their dictionary forms pes and kočka?
They’re the direct objects of chce, so they must be in the accusative case.
- Masculine animate nouns like pes change to psa in the accusative singular.
- Feminine nouns ending in -a like kočka change to kočku.
How do I form the accusative for other Czech nouns?
General patterns for singular direct objects:
• Masculine animate: add -a (e.g. muž → muže).
• Feminine ending in -a: replace -a with -u (e.g. žena → ženu).
• Neuter: often stays the same (e.g. auto → auto), but check each declension group.
What does nebo mean, and are there any alternatives?
nebo means or. You can also use či, but that feels more formal or literary. In everyday speech, nebo is far more common.
Could I say Moje rodina chce psa i kočku? What would that mean?
Yes, but i means and, so Moje rodina chce psa i kočku means My family wants a dog and a cat—they want both, not a choice.
Can I omit moje and just say Rodina chce psa nebo kočku?
Absolutely. It’s grammatically correct. Omitting moje simply removes the possessive “my,” so it means (The) family wants a dog or a cat. Use moje only if you need to specify “my” family.
Is word order fixed? Could I say Psa nebo kočku chce moje rodina?
Yes. Czech word order is flexible thanks to its case system. Changing the order shifts the emphasis:
- Psa nebo kočku chce moje rodina puts focus on the choice “dog or cat.”
- Moje rodina chce psa nebo kočku is the neutral, default order.
Why isn’t there a comma before nebo?
When you join two nouns (or noun phrases) with a (“and”) or nebo (“or”), you do not use a comma in Czech. Commas are reserved for separating clauses or long lists.