Kde je teď tvůj syn?

to be

Breakdown of Kde je teď tvůj syn?

• tvůj: your
• teď: now
• syn: the son

Questions & Answers about Kde je teď tvůj syn?

Why is the word order Kde je teď tvůj syn and not Kde tvůj syn je teď or Kde je tvůj syn teď?

Czech word order is more flexible than English, but it still has typical patterns.

• The most neutral order for a where-question with to be is:

  • Kde + je + (časové slovo) + podmět
  • Kde je teď tvůj syn?

• You can also hear:

  • Kde je tvůj syn teď? – still natural; teď is moved to the end for emphasis.
  • Kde teď je tvůj syn? – possible, but sounds a bit more expressive or emotional.
  • Kde tvůj syn je teď? – unusual, marked word order; might sound poetic or strongly emphatic.

For everyday speech, Kde je teď tvůj syn? is the most natural version.

What is the difference between kde and kam?

Both relate to location, but:

• kde = where (something/someone is) – location, no movement
  
  • Kde je tvůj syn? – Where is your son?
• kam = where (to) / to where – direction, movement
  
  • Kam jde tvůj syn? – Where is your son going (to)?

So in this sentence, you use kde because you are asking about his current position, not his destination.