Breakdown of Tato učebnice má krátké texty, takže se učím rychleji.
Questions & Answers about Tato učebnice má krátké texty, takže se učím rychleji.
Učebnice is a feminine noun meaning textbook. In the sentence it is the subject, so it is in the nominative singular.
Because it is feminine singular, the demonstrative “this” must agree with it:
- masculine: tento
- feminine: tato
- neuter: toto
So we say tato učebnice = this textbook (subject of the sentence).
All three can mean “this / that” for feminine nouns like učebnice, but they differ in style and nuance:
- tato učebnice – neutral to formal, a bit “bookish”, very common in written language and careful speech.
- ta učebnice – neutral, can mean “that textbook” (often less close, or already known from context). In everyday speech it can also function like “this” if the context is clear.
- tahle učebnice – clearly colloquial, strongly deictic: this textbook right here. Very common in spoken Czech.
All three are grammatically correct; the main differences are register (formal vs colloquial) and how strongly you point to the book.
In Czech, mít (to have) is used here because the book possesses short texts:
- Tato učebnice má krátké texty.
This textbook has short texts.
You cannot say *Tato učebnice je krátké texty, because být (to be) does not work like English “is” here – the book is not identical with “short texts”.
A natural alternative with být would change the structure:
- V této učebnici jsou krátké texty.
In this textbook there are short texts.
Both Tato učebnice má krátké texty and V této učebnici jsou krátké texty are correct, but the first focuses on the book as a whole, the second on what is inside it.
Texty is masculine inanimate plural accusative (it’s the direct object of má), from text.
Krátké is an adjective modifying texty, so it must agree in:
- gender: masculine inanimate
- number: plural
- case: accusative
For the adjective krátký:
- masculine inanimate plural nominative/accusative form is krátké.
So:
- krátké texty = short texts (masc. inanimate, plural, accusative)
The different endings (-é vs -y) come from different declension patterns for adjectives and nouns, but grammatically they match in gender/number/case.
Czech usually omits subject pronouns when the person is clear from the verb ending. This is called a pro‑drop language.
- učím = I learn (ending -ím clearly marks 1st person singular)
- učíš = you (sg.) learn
- učí = he/she/it/they learn (context decides)
So já (I) is optional:
- (Já) se učím rychleji. – both are correct; já is only used for emphasis, like “I learn faster (as opposed to someone else).”
Czech distinguishes clearly between teaching and learning:
učit někoho něco – to teach somebody something
- Učím děti angličtinu. – I teach children English.
učit se něco – to learn something
- Učím se česky. – I am learning Czech.
The se in učit se is a reflexive pronoun and is part of the verb meaning “to learn”. You cannot just drop it and keep the same meaning; učit without se means “to teach (someone else)”.
In the dictionary you see the infinitive učit se, but in real sentences the reflexive pronoun se behaves like a clitic: it tends to stand in second position in the clause.
In your sentence:
- Tato učebnice má krátké texty, takže se učím rychleji.
The clause after the comma starts with takže. That is the first stressed word, so se moves right after it into second position:
- takže se učím…
If the clause started with the verb, you would normally say:
- Učím se rychleji. (here učím is first, se is second)
*Takže učím se rychleji sounds unnatural in standard Czech; speakers will usually move se forward to takže se učím rychleji or takže se rychleji učím.
Takže is a conjunction meaning “so, therefore” and introduces a result or consequence:
- …má krátké texty, takže se učím rychleji.
…has short texts, so I learn faster.
Protože means “because” and introduces a reason/cause:
- Učím se rychleji, protože tato učebnice má krátké texty.
I learn faster because this textbook has short texts.
So:
- takže = so / therefore (focus on result)
- protože = because (focus on reason)
The comma is used because takže links two independent clauses:
- Tato učebnice má krátké texty
- (já) se učím rychleji
Czech normally separates such clauses with a comma before takže.
Base forms:
- rychlý – adjective: fast, quick (describes a noun)
- rychlý vlak – a fast train
- rychle – adverb: fast, quickly (describes a verb)
- učím se rychle. – I learn quickly.
Comparative:
- rychleji – comparative adverb: faster, more quickly
- učím se rychleji. – I learn faster / more quickly.
So rychleji is formed by adding -ji to the adverb rychle, and it compares how you do something (speed of learning).
Yes, you can:
- Tato učebnice má krátké texty, proto se učím rychleji.
- Tato učebnice má krátké texty, a proto se učím rychleji.
Meaning:
- proto / a proto = therefore / and that’s why
- takže = so / therefore
All three show a cause–effect relation, but:
- takže feels a bit more informal/conversational and smoothly connects narrative.
- proto or a proto can sound a little more explicit/logical, often used in explanations and arguments.
Grammatically, all are correct here; the difference is mostly in style and emphasis.
Czech verbs have aspect:
- učit se – imperfective: the process of learning (ongoing, habitual, repeated)
- učím se česky. – I am learning Czech / I study Czech.
- naučit se – perfective: to learn something to completion, to manage to learn it
- naučím se česky. – I will learn Czech (I will succeed in learning it).
In your sentence, you are talking about how your learning process goes in general, so imperfective učím se is natural:
- …takže se učím rychleji.
If you said:
- …takže se naučím rychleji.
it would sound more like “so I will manage to learn it faster (each thing / the material)”, often with a more future/completion feel. It’s not impossible, but for a general statement about your studying pace, učím se is the most natural choice.