Learn Hardcore Czech: Když jsme spolu doma, zdá se mi, že je všechno možné a že žádný problém není příliš velký. - When we are at home together, it seems to me that everything is possible and that no problem is too big.

„zdá se mi, že…“ – it seems to me that…
Neutral, common, often about feelings or impressions.
„myslím si, že…“ – I think that…
Stronger emphasis on your conscious opinion or reasoning.
„připadá mi, že…“ – it seems to me / it strikes me that…
Very similar to „zdá se mi“, but a bit more like “it strikes me as…”

In this sentence, „zdá se mi“ fits well because it talks about a subjective feeling when you are at home together, not a rational judgment.

What is the role of „se“ and „mi“ in „zdá se mi“? Why both?

In „zdá se mi“, you have two pronouns:

se – reflexive pronoun; here it helps form an impersonal-like structure „zdá se“ (literally: it seems).
mi – dative pronoun (to me).

Very literally: „zdá se mi“ ≈ “it seems to me”.

The structure is:

zdá – verb “to seem”
se – makes it “seem” in the reflexive/impersonal way
mi – marks who has the impression (to me)

So „zdá se mi“ is not redundant: se belongs with the verb, mi says to whom it seems that way.

Why is it „Když jsme spolu doma“ and not „Když jsme doma spolu“? Does the word order change the meaning?

Both are grammatically correct, but the nuance is a bit different:

„Když jsme spolu doma“
The most natural order here. It feels like one unit: “when we are together at home.”
Slightly emphasizes the fact of being together.
„Když jsme doma spolu“
Still understandable, but it sounds a bit less natural. The adverb „spolu“ usually likes to be closer to the pronoun/people it refers to, so „spolu doma“ flows better than „doma spolu“ in this context.

„Když spolu jsme doma“ is possible but sounds marked / slightly poetic or emphatic in modern Czech.

So the chosen word order is the default, most neutral version.

Why is there a comma before „že“ in „zdá se mi, že…“?

In Czech, you normally put a comma before „že“ when it introduces a subordinate clause.

Structure here:

Main clause: „zdá se mi“
Subordinate clause: „že je všechno možné a že žádný problém není příliš velký“

Because „že…“ starts a new clause (what it seems), you must separate it with a comma:
„zdá se mi, že…“

Why is it „že je všechno možné“ instead of „že všechno je možné“? Does the word order matter?

Both are grammatically correct:

„že je všechno možné“
„že všechno je možné“

In this kind of sentence, the more neutral/typical word order is:

[copula „je“] + [subject] + [adjective]
„je všechno možné“

This sounds very natural as a general statement: everything is possible.

„že všechno je možné“ puts a slight emphasis on „všechno“ (“everything is possible”), which can sound more contrastive, like: Everything is possible (not just some things). The original sentence probably doesn’t need that contrast, so „že je všechno možné“ is smoother.

What is the difference between „všechno“, „vše“, and „všecko“? Could I say „že je vše možné“?

All three can mean “everything”, but they differ in style and frequency:

„všechno“ – very common, neutral, used in everyday speech and writing.
„vše“ – more formal, shorter, common in written language, official style.
„všecko“ – more colloquial / dialectal in many regions, sounds more “spoken”.

You can say:

„že je vše možné“ – correct, sounds a bit more formal or literary.
„že je všecko možné“ – correct, a bit more colloquial / regional in feel.

In standard neutral Czech, „všechno“ is the safest and most natural choice.

Why is „že“ repeated: „že je všechno možné a že žádný problém není příliš velký“? Could I say it only once?

Both versions are possible:

With repetition (as in the sentence):
„…zdá se mi, že je všechno možné a že žádný problém není příliš velký.“
– Very clear and slightly more careful/explicit.
Without repetition:
„…zdá se mi, že je všechno možné a žádný problém není příliš velký.“
– Also grammatically correct; the second „že“ is just understood.

Repeating „že“ often makes the sentence clearer and more rhythmical, especially when the second part is longer or more complex. Here, repetition feels natural and slightly more elegant, but it’s not strictly required.

How does „když“ work here? Is it like English “when” or “whenever”? Why present tense „jsme“?

„Když“ in Czech covers both:

when (in general, whenever something happens)
and sometimes when (at the moment when)

With present tense, „když + present“ usually means a general or repeated situation:

„Když jsme spolu doma…“
≈ When(ever) we are at home together… (every time this happens)

Using present (not past) matches the general, habitual meaning: this is something that regularly feels true whenever the condition is met.

Why is it „žádný problém není příliš velký“ in the singular and not „žádné problémy nejsou příliš velké“?

Both are possible, but there is a nuance:

„žádný problém není příliš velký“
Literally: no problem is too big.
This is a very common generic way to talk about problems: it refers to any one problem, and by implication to all of them.
„žádné problémy nejsou příliš velké“
Literally: no problems are too big.
Also understandable, but less idiomatic here; it focuses on problems as a group instead of the idea “no single problem is ever too big”.

In Czech, the pattern „žádný + singular noun + není…“ is a standard way to express a general statement like no X is Y / there is no X that is Y.

How does the negative „žádný“ work here? Isn’t it a double negation with „není“?

Yes, in Czech this is a normal negative concord structure:

„žádný problém“ – no problem
„není“ – is not

So:

„žádný problém není příliš velký“
literally: no problem is not too big
Idiomatic meaning: no problem is too big.

In Czech, you must use the negative on both the pronoun and the verb:

✅ „žádný problém není…“
❌ „žádný problém je…“ (ungrammatical in standard Czech)
❌ „nějaký problém není…“ if you mean “no problem…”

Negative pronouns like „žádný“, „nikdo“, „nic“ usually require a negative verb as well.

What is the nuance of „příliš velký“ compared to something like „moc velký“ or „tak velký“?

„příliš velký“ – too big / excessively big
Slightly more neutral/formal than „moc velký“.
„moc velký“ – also too big, very common in spoken language, colloquial.
„tak velký“ – so big / that big, not necessarily “too” big; it’s more about degree without judging if it’s excessive.

Here, „příliš velký“ emphasizes that even an excessively large problem is not “too much” for you two to handle together.