Naše babička je v bytě vedle naší školy.

Both naše and naší are forms of the same possessive pronoun náš (our), but they change according to gender, number, and case.

• Naše babička

  • babička = feminine, singular, nominative (it’s the subject)
  • The possessive pronoun must agree: feminine, singular, nominative → naše

• naší školy

  • škola = feminine, singular, but here it’s in the genitive (after the preposition vedle)
  • Feminine singular genitive of náš is naší

So:

• naše babička – nominative
• naší školy – genitive

Very simplified:

• Feminine singular nominative: naše (naše babička, naše škola)
• Feminine singular genitive: naší (vedle naší školy, bez naší babičky)

Babička is in the nominative case, because she is the subject of the sentence – the person we are talking about.

Pattern:

• Nominative (subject): babička – Babička je v bytě. (Grandma is in the flat.)
• Accusative (object): babičku – Vidím babičku. (I see Grandma.)

In Naše babička je v bytě vedle naší školy, she is not an object of an action; we’re just stating where she is. So we use babička, nominative.

The preposition v (in) normally requires the locative case when talking about location.

• Basic form: byt (flat/apartment) – nominative
• Locative singular of byt: bytě

So:

• Jsem v bytě. – I am in the flat. (locative)
• Mám byt. – I have a flat. (accusative)

Using v byt would be wrong in standard Czech for a static location; you need the locative ending -ě here: v bytě.

Vedle means next to / beside and it always takes the genitive case.

• Preposition: vedle = beside, next to
• Question: beside what? → škola (school)
• After vedle, škola must be in genitive → školy
• The possessive must also match case (feminine singular genitive) → naší školy

So:

• vedle naší školy = next to our school
• Structure: vedle
  • genitive
    e.g. vedle domu, vedle kostela, vedle našeho auta, vedle naší školy

Yes, Czech word order is fairly flexible, and Naše babička je vedle naší školy v bytě is grammatically correct.

However, there is a nuance:

• Naše babička je v bytě vedle naší školy.
  Neutral, smooth: “She is in a flat that’s next to our school.”
• Naše babička je vedle naší školy v bytě.
  Slightly more emphasis that the location “next to our school” is realized as “in a flat there”. In practice, many speakers still hear it as nearly the same meaning.

Common and most natural is the original order:

• Subject + verb + v bytě (main location) + vedle naší školy (more specific).

Yes, and this is very natural in Czech.

Czech often omits possessive pronouns when the owner is obvious from context:

• Babička je v bytě vedle školy.
  If we’re already talking about our grandma and our school, this is perfectly normal.

Keeping naše/naší makes the sentence a bit more explicit or emphatic:

• Naše babička je v bytě vedle naší školy.
  Stronger emphasis that both the grandma and the school are “ours,” or you’re contrasting with someone else’s grandmother or school.

So both are correct; context decides whether you need naše/naší.

All three talk about location and all require the genitive, but the nuance changes:

• vedle = right next to, beside

  • Bydlíme vedle školy. – We live next to the school.

• u = at / by / near (often very close, but not necessarily directly next to)

  • Bydlíme u školy. – We live by the school / near the school.

• blízko = near, not far from (distance, not necessarily adjacent)

  • Bydlíme blízko školy. – We live near the school.

In the sentence, vedle naší školy suggests the apartment is directly next to the school, e.g. the next building.

Very roughly, for singular:

• Masculine animate (e.g. dědeček – grandfather):
  
  • Nominative: náš dědeček
• Masculine inanimate (e.g. byt – flat):
  
  • Nominative: náš byt
• Feminine (e.g. babička, škola):
  
  • Nominative: naše babička, naše škola
  • Genitive: bez naší babičky, vedle naší školy
  • Accusative: vidím naši babičku

Neuter (e.g. město – city):

• Nominative: naše město

So in the sentence:

• Naše babička – feminine, nominative
• naší školy – feminine, genitive (after vedle)

V and na both translate as in/on/at, but Czech draws a clear distinction:

• v = literally inside something or inside a defined space:

  • v bytě – in the flat
  • v domě – in the house
  • v autě – in the car

• na = on the surface of something, or at certain public places/events:

  • na stole – on the table
  • na škole (colloquial, usually means “as a teacher at the school”)
  • na poště – at the post office
  • na koncertě – at a concert

A flat is treated as an enclosed space, so v bytě is the natural choice.

Yes, you can say that, but the meaning changes slightly:

• je v bytě – she is in the flat (her current location right now)
• bydlí v bytě – she lives in the flat (permanent or habitual residence)

So:

• Naše babička je v bytě vedle naší školy.
  Focus: where she is at the moment.
• Naše babička bydlí v bytě vedle naší školy.
  Focus: where she lives in general.

Both are correct; choose based on what you want to say.

Babička is neutral and standard, similar to “grandmother” but often used like “grandma.”

Other common forms:

• babička – neutral, polite, very common
• babi – very informal, affectionate (like “gran,” “nana”)
• bába – can sound rustic or even a bit rude, depending on tone; use carefully

In a neutral sentence like this, Naše babička je v bytě vedle naší školy sounds completely natural.