Learn Hardcore Czech: Moje dcera ráda sedí v parku mezi květinami. - My daughter likes to sit in the park among the flowers.

Czech normally uses this rád(a) + verb construction instead of a verb like to like directly before an infinitive (e.g. “like to sit”). That’s why ráda appears before sedí: it expresses the “likes to” part of the meaning.

Why is it ráda and not rád or rádo?

The word rád / ráda / rádo agrees with the gender and number of the subject:

rád – masculine singular (e.g. Můj syn rád sedí. – My son likes to sit.)
ráda – feminine singular (e.g. Moje dcera ráda sedí. – My daughter likes to sit.)
rádo – neuter singular (e.g. Moje dítě rádo sedí. – My child likes to sit.)
rádi – masculine‑personal plural (e.g. Moji synové rádi sedí. – My sons like to sit.)
rády – non‑masculine‑personal plural (e.g. Moje dcery rády sedí. – My daughters like to sit.)

Because dcera (daughter) is grammatically feminine singular, you must use ráda.

Where should ráda go in the sentence? Can I move it, like Moje dcera sedí ráda v parku?

The neutral, most natural position is:

Moje dcera ráda sedí v parku…

You can move ráda, but the word order will sound more marked or emphasize different parts of the sentence. Some possibilities:

Moje dcera ráda sedí v parku mezi květinami.
– neutral, stating a general fact.
Moje dcera sedí ráda v parku mezi květinami.
– possible, but feels a bit less natural; it can sound like you contrast how or where she likes to sit.
Ráda sedí moje dcera v parku mezi květinami.
– puts emphasis on ráda (that she likes it), and the subject moje dcera feels slightly afterthought‑like.

Czech word order is fairly flexible, but subject – ráda – verb is the default pattern for this kind of sentence.

Why is it sedí and not the infinitive sedět?

Sedět is the infinitive (to sit).
Sedí is the 3rd person singular present tense (she sits / is sitting).

The structure here is:

Moje dcera (subject)
ráda (expresses “likes to”)
sedí (main verb – what she likes doing)

So the verb must be a finite form that agrees with the subject, not an infinitive:

Ona ráda sedí. – She likes to sit.
Not: Ona ráda sedět. ✗

Is ráda sedí closer in meaning to likes to sit or is happy to sit?

Most often, ráda + verb corresponds to likes to + verb / enjoys + verb‑ing.

Moje dcera ráda sedí v parku.
→ My daughter likes to sit in the park. / My daughter enjoys sitting in the park.

Depending on context, it can also be understood more literally as:

She is happy to sit / She gladly sits, especially when contrasting with something else, e.g.
Místo televize moje dcera ráda sedí v parku.
– Instead of TV, my daughter happily sits in the park.

But as a default, you can confidently read it as likes to / enjoys.

Why is it v parku and not na parku? What’s the difference between v and na?

Both v and na can be translated as in / on, but their usage is different and often fixed by convention.

v is typically used for being inside something or within an area:
v parku – in the park (inside the park area)
na is often used for surfaces, open / flat places, or with some set expressions:
na stole – on the table
na zahradě – in the garden (literally “on the garden”)
na hřišti – on the playground

With park, the standard expression for being there is v parku.
Na parku would sound wrong in this context.

Why does park become parku in v parku?

Czech changes noun endings according to case. The preposition v (meaning in) uses the:

Locative case when you talk about location: kde? (where?)

For a masculine inanimate noun like park, the locative singular form is v parku.

Very simplified pattern (singular):

Nominative (dictionary form, subject): park
Locative (after v, o etc., meaning in / about): v parku, o parku

So:

Park je velký. – The park is big. (nominative)
Moje dcera sedí v parku. – My daughter sits in the park. (locative after v)

What case is květinami, and why does it have that ending?

Květinami is instrumental plural of květina (flower).

The preposition mezi (between/among) can use:

instrumental for location (being between/among something)
accusative for movement (going between/into something)

Here, your daughter is sitting among the flowers – that’s location, so instrumental plural is used:

květina (flower) – nominative singular
květiny – nominative plural
květinami – instrumental plural → after mezi for location

Thus:

Mezi květinami – among the flowers (location)
Jdu mezi květiny. – I’m going among/into the flowers (movement, accusative plural květiny)

Could we say mezi květiny instead of mezi květinami?

Yes, but it changes the meaning:

mezi květinami – among the flowers (where she is sitting; static location, instrumental)
mezi květiny – among / into the flowers (movement towards that place; accusative)

Your sentence describes where she sits, so it’s a static location → mezi květinami.

Examples:

Moje dcera ráda sedí v parku mezi květinami.
– My daughter likes to sit in the park among the flowers.
Moje dcera ráda chodí do parku mezi květiny.
– My daughter likes to go (walk) to the park among the flowers.
(Here we describe her movement into that area, so accusative květiny is used.)

Why is it moje dcera and not má dcera?

Czech has long and short forms of possessive pronouns:

For my (masculine/feminine/neuter singular nominative):

můj / moje (má) / moje (mé)

With a feminine noun in nominative singular like dcera, both are possible:

moje dcera – neutral, very common in speech
má dcera – a bit shorter; can feel slightly more formal or literary, but also normal

In everyday conversation, moje dcera is probably more frequent and sounds very natural.
Má dcera is fully correct; you would see it a lot in writing, stories, or more formal contexts.

Is there a difference between Moje dcera ráda sedí v parku mezi květinami and Ráda sedí moje dcera v parku mezi květinami?

The basic meaning is the same, but the focus changes due to word order.

Moje dcera ráda sedí v parku mezi květinami.
– Neutral statement: My daughter likes sitting in the park among the flowers.
Ráda sedí moje dcera v parku mezi květinami.
– Emphasizes ráda (the fact that she likes it).
– The subject moje dcera comes later, which can sound like you are contrasting your daughter with someone else:
For example:
Ráda sedí moje dcera v parku, ale můj syn tam chodí nerad.
– My daughter likes to sit in the park, but my son doesn’t like going there.

So both are grammatical, but the first one is the default, neutral wording.

Why is there no word for the before park or flowers in Czech?

Czech does not use definite or indefinite articles (a / an / the) at all.

park can mean a park, the park, or simply park,
květiny can mean flowers, the flowers, or some flowers,

depending entirely on context, word order, and what is known in the conversation.

In your sentence:

v parku mezi květinami
naturally reads as in the park among the flowers, because we imagine a specific park and flowers in that park, but the language itself doesn’t mark that explicitly.

How do you pronounce dcera and what is going on with the dc cluster?

Dcera (daughter) is pronounced approximately:

[d-tse-ra], in three syllables: dce‑ra

Details:

d – as in English d
c – like ts in cats
In dc at the start of dcera, the d and c are pronounced together quickly: d
- ts → sounds like d-tse-ra
Stress in Czech is always on the first syllable: DCE‑ra

So you can think of it as DTSER‑ah, with a clear ts sound after the d.