Learn Hardcore Czech: Mám otázku pro učitele a potřebuji odpověď. - I have a question for the teacher and I need an answer.

In Czech, the normal way to say “I have a question” is literally “Mám otázku” (mám = I have, otázku = a question in the accusative).

You cannot say Jsem otázka (“I am a question”) – that would be nonsense, just like in English.
You also cannot say Ptám se otázku – the verb ptát se (to ask) takes na + accusative (ptám se na něco), not a direct object:
- Ptám se na otázku is also strange; you more often ask a question, not ask about a question.

So Mám otázku is the straightforward “I have a question.” Another very common, slightly more polite way:

Mám dotaz. – “I have a query / question.”
Chtěl bych se na něco zeptat. – “I’d like to ask something.”

What’s the difference between otázka and dotaz? Can I always use otázka?

Both can mean “question,” but they aren’t used in exactly the same way:

otázka – the general word for question (also used in grammar: otázka – odpověď = question–answer).
dotaz – more like query / inquiry, often used when:
- you’re asking for information (e.g. customer service, technical support),
- or in slightly more formal situations.

In your sentence:

Mám otázku pro učitele… – correct and understandable.
Mám dotaz na učitele… – this actually sounds more natural in Czech in the meaning “I have a question (to ask) to the teacher.”

So: you can use otázka, but in “I have a question for the teacher,” many Czechs would instinctively say dotaz na učitele.

Why is there no word for “I” in Mám otázku and potřebuji odpověď?

Czech usually drops subject pronouns (já, ty, on…) because the verb ending already tells you who the subject is:

mám = I have (1st person singular)
potřebuji = I need (1st person singular)

So Mám otázku automatically means “I have a question.”

You can say Já mám otázku, but:

adding já usually adds emphasis, like “I have a question (not someone else).”
in neutral speech, já is left out.

Why is it učitele and not učitel or učiteli?

Because of case and the preposition pro:

The preposition pro (“for”) always takes the accusative case.
The noun učitel (“teacher,” masculine animate) in the accusative singular is učitele.

Quick overview for učitel (sg.):

Nominative (who?) – učitel – “the teacher (as subject)”
Accusative (whom?) – učitele – “for the teacher, I see the teacher, etc.”
Dative (to/for whom?) – učiteli

So:

pro učitele = “for the teacher” (accusative)
učitel would be nominative → wrong after pro
učiteli is dative → also wrong after pro

Could it also be Mám otázku na učitele instead of pro učitele? Is there a difference?

Yes, and this is important:

Mám otázku pro učitele literally = “I have a question for the teacher (intended for him).”
- This can sound like you prepared a question for the teacher (for example, an exam question that the teacher should answer), not that you want to ask him something.
Mám otázku na učitele = “I have a question to/for the teacher (I want to ask the teacher).”
- This is what people typically say when they mean “I have a question I want to ask my teacher.”

So in real life, if you mean “I want to ask the teacher something,” the most idiomatic versions are:

Mám dotaz na učitele.
Mám otázku na učitele.
Chtěl bych se zeptat učitele. – “I’d like to ask the teacher.”

Why is there no word for “a/the” (articles) in otázku and odpověď?

Czech does not use articles (no “a,” “an,” or “the”).

otázku just means “question” – context tells you whether it’s a question or the question.
odpověď just means “answer” – context decides an answer vs the answer.

So:

Mám otázku can mean “I have a question” or “I have the question” depending on what you’re talking about.
potřebuji odpověď can be “I need an answer” or “I need the answer.”

Why is it otázku and odpověď and not otázka and odpověďi here?

It’s because of case and sentence role:

Mám otázku
- The verb mít (“to have”) takes an object in the accusative case (what do I have?).
- Nominative: otázka (subject: “the question is…”)
- Accusative: otázku (object: “I have a question”).
potřebuji odpověď
- potřebovat (“to need”) also takes an accusative object.
- For odpověď, nominative and accusative singular are the same form: odpověď.

So:

otázku = accusative of otázka
odpověď is both nominative and accusative singular; the function (subject or object) is clear from context and word order.

Why is there no comma before a (“and”) in Mám otázku pro učitele a potřebuji odpověď?

In Czech, a comma before “a” is often omitted when:

the clauses share the same subject, and
they are closely related and short.

Here, the subject “I” is the same in both parts:

(já) mám otázku pro učitele a (já) potřebuji odpověď.

Therefore, no comma is needed:

Mám otázku pro učitele a potřebuji odpověď. – standard punctuation.

If you wanted to emphasize a contrast, or the clauses were longer or less tightly connected, you might use a comma, but in this simple sentence it is normally without a comma.

What’s the difference between potřebuji and potřebuju?

They are two forms of the same verb form (“I need”):

potřebuji – more formal / standard.
potřebuju – more colloquial / everyday spoken Czech.

Both are grammatically correct; in writing (especially formal writing) potřebuji is preferred, but in speech you will often hear potřebuju.

So both:

Mám otázku pro učitele a potřebuji odpověď.
Mám otázku pro učitele a potřebuju odpověď.

mean the same thing.

Is potřebovat here “to need” in general, or a specific one‑time need? How does aspect work?

potřebovat is an imperfective verb, so potřebuji odpověď usually means:

“I (now) need an answer” or “I (generally) need an answer” – the need exists, it’s not completed.

If you want to express future need, you normally combine it with být in future:

Budu potřebovat odpověď. – “I will need an answer.”

There is no common perfective partner like “*potřebat”, so you always use *potřebovat and change tense around it.

Does odpověď need “na něco” (like “an answer to something”), e.g. odpověď na otázku?

By itself, odpověď just means “answer.” If you want to specify answer to what, you usually add na + accusative:

odpověď na otázku – “an answer to the question”
odpověď na e‑mail – “a reply to the email”

In your sentence:

potřebuji odpověď – “I need an answer” (it’s clear from context what the answer should be about).

If you want to be explicit:

Mám otázku na učitele a potřebuji na ni odpověď.
– “I have a question for the teacher and I need an answer to it.”

Can I change the word order, e.g. Pro učitele mám otázku a potřebuji odpověď?

Yes. Czech word order is relatively flexible. Some alternatives:

Mám pro učitele otázku a potřebuji odpověď.
Pro učitele mám otázku a potřebuji odpověď.

All are grammatically correct, but the emphasis changes:

Starting with Pro učitele highlights “for the teacher”:
“As for the teacher, I have a question (for him) and I need an answer.”
Mám otázku pro učitele sounds more neutral.

The original sentence is a natural, neutral order.

How do I pronounce the tricky parts: mám, otázku, potřebuji, odpověď?

Very briefly:

mám – long á (like “maaam”), [maːm].
otázku – stress always on the first syllable in Czech: O‑táz‑ku, [ˈotaːzku].
potřebuji – ř is a special Czech sound; a bit like rolling r plus zh ([ʒ]) together.
odpověď – dě/ť/ně/ď/ť/ň are “soft” consonants; ď here is softened by ě.

There is always primary stress on the first syllable of each word in standard Czech.