V učebnici jsou také krátké texty o rodině a o práci.

In the textbook there are also short texts about family and about work.

Breakdown of V učebnici jsou také krátké texty o rodině a o práci.

• být: to be
• rodina: the family
• a: and
• v: in
• práce: the work
• také: also
• o: about
• krátký: short
• učebnice: the textbook
• text: the text

Questions & Answers about V učebnici jsou také krátké texty o rodině a o práci.

Why is it v učebnici and not just učebnice?

In Czech, locations are usually expressed with a preposition plus a case ending.

• v = in
• učebnici is the locative singular of učebnice (textbook).

The preposition v (in) normally requires the locative case when it means physical or abstract location. So:

• učebnice – nominative (dictionary form: a textbook)
• v učebnici – locative (in the textbook)

You cannot drop the preposition v here; učebnice jsou would just mean textbooks are, not in the textbook.

Why does učebnice change to učebnici?

Učebnice is a feminine noun of the -e type (like ulice – street). Its singular forms are:

• Nominative: učebnice (a textbook, subject)
• Genitive: učebnice
• Dative: učebnici
• Accusative: učebnici
• Locative: učebnici
• Instrumental: učebnicí

Because the preposition v with the meaning in uses the locative, you must use učebnici:

• v učebnici – in the textbook (locative singular)

Why is it jsou and not je?

Jsou is the 3rd person plural form of the verb být (to be).
Je is 3rd person singular (he/she/it is).

The subject of the sentence is krátké texty (short texts), which is plural, so the verb must be plural:

• krátké texty jsou – the short texts are

If the subject were singular, you would use je:

• krátký text je – the short text is

Where is the subject in this sentence?

The subject is krátké texty (short texts).

Czech word order is flexible, and the subject does not have to be at the beginning of the sentence. In:

• V učebnici jsou také krátké texty o rodině a o práci.

the order is:

• V učebnici – in the textbook (place)
• jsou – are (verb)
• také krátké texty – also short texts (subject + adjective)
• o rodině a o práci – about family and work (description of the texts)

So although krátké texty comes later, it is still the grammatical subject.

What does také mean, and how is it different from taky or i?

All three can be translated as also / too, but they differ in style and nuance:

• také – neutral, a bit more formal; good for writing and standard speech.
• taky – more colloquial, very common in everyday spoken Czech.
• i – often means even / also, used more for emphasis and in combinations like i když (even though).

In this sentence:

• jsou také krátké texty – there are also short texts

You could also say:

• jsou tam taky krátké texty (more spoken)
• jsou tam i krátké texty (slight emphasis on even short texts).

Could I move také to another position, like také jsou or jsou krátké texty také?

Yes, také is relatively flexible. Some possibilities:

• V učebnici jsou také krátké texty… – neutral: there are also short texts in the textbook.
• V učebnici také jsou krátké texty… – slight emphasis that they are there (contrasting with “maybe somewhere else they aren’t”).
• V učebnici jsou krátké texty také o rodině a o práci. – now also emphasizes that the texts are also about family and work, perhaps besides other topics.

The basic meaning stays similar, but moving také shifts what is being emphasized.

Why is it krátké texty and not krátká texty or krátcí texty?

The adjective must agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.

• text is masculine inanimate, plural texty.
• The adjective krátký (short) has nominative plural forms:
  • masculine animate: krátcí (for people/animals)
  • masculine inanimate: krátké
  • neuter plural: krátká
  • feminine plural: krátké

Since texty is masculine inanimate plural, you must use:

• krátké texty – short texts

Krátcí texty is wrong because krátcí is only for masculine animate nouns (people, animals).
Krátká texty is wrong because krátká is neuter plural, but texty are not neuter.

Why is texty the plural of text?

Text is a masculine inanimate noun. Its basic singular/plural nominative forms are:

• Singular: text – a text
• Plural: texty – texts

This follows a common masculine inanimate pattern (like vlak → vlaky, most → mosty). So:

• krátký text – a short text
• krátké texty – short texts

Why are rodině and práci in those forms? What case is it?

Both rodině and práci are in the locative singular.

The preposition o meaning about requires the locative case:

• rodina (family) → locative singular: rodině
  • mluvíme o rodině – we talk about family
• práce (work) → locative singular: práci
  • čtu o práci – I read about work

So texty o rodině a o práci means texts about family and (about) work.

Why do we use o + locative here and not another case like accusative?

The preposition o has different meanings with different cases:

1. o + locative → about (topic)

   • mluvit o rodině – to talk about family
   • psát o práci – to write about work

2. o + accusative → for / to get / around in some verbs

   • bojovat o peníze – to fight for money
   • žádat o pomoc – to ask for help

In your sentence, o clearly means about, so it must use the locative:

• texty o rodině a o práci – texts about family and work.

Do I really need to repeat o in o rodině a o práci? Could I say o rodině a práci?

You don’t have to repeat o. Both are possible:

• o rodině a o práci – a bit clearer, slightly more formal or careful.
• o rodině a práci – also correct, more compact, common in speech and writing.

Repeating o can slightly emphasize that there are two separate topics: family and work. Without repetition, they are just listed together as one group of topics.

Could the word order be different, like starting with Krátké texty instead?

Yes, Czech allows flexible word order. Some variants:

1. V učebnici jsou také krátké texty o rodině a o práci.
   – Neutral; first tells you where, then what is there.

2. Krátké texty o rodině a o práci jsou také v učebnici.
   – Emphasis on short texts about family and work; you’re saying these texts are also in the textbook (maybe also elsewhere).

3. Také v učebnici jsou krátké texty o rodině a o práci.
   – Emphasis on the textbook: also in the textbook there are short texts… (maybe they also appear in a workbook, online, etc.).

All are grammatically correct; the choice depends on what you want to stress.