Learn Hardcore Czech: Naše babička je v bytě vedle naší školy. - Our grandmother is in the apartment next to our school.

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)

Why is it babička and not babičku or some other form?

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.

Why do we say v bytě and not v byt?

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.

What is the function of vedle in this sentence, and why is it naší školy afterwards?

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

Can I change the word order, for example: Naše babička je vedle naší školy v bytě? Is that still correct?

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).

Could I drop one of the possessives and just say Babička je v bytě vedle školy?

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.

What is the difference between vedle, u, and blízko, since all can be about location?

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.

How does the possessive pronoun náš decline? I see naše and naší here.

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)

Why is it v bytě and not something like na bytě? When do I use v vs na?

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.

Could I say Naše babička bydlí v bytě vedle naší školy instead of je v bytě? Is there a difference?

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.

Is babička formal, informal, or neutral? Are there other common words for “grandma”?

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.