Když má babička rýmu, vždycky pije hodně teplého čaje.

Když most often means when, but in some contexts it can also be understood like if.

In this sentence, Když má babička rýmu, vždycky pije hodně teplého čaje, it means something like:

• When Grandma has a cold / runny nose, she always drinks a lot of hot tea.

Because the main clause has vždycky (always), the whole sentence describes a repeated situation, so in natural English it can feel close to whenever:

• Whenever Grandma has a cold, she always drinks a lot of hot tea.

So here když is introducing a time clause: when/whenever.

In Czech, a subordinate clause is normally separated by a comma from the main clause.

Here:

• Když má babička rýmu = subordinate clause
• vždycky pije hodně teplého čaje = main clause

So the comma is required:

• Když má babička rýmu, vždycky pije hodně teplého čaje.

This is very standard Czech punctuation.

Both are possible, but Czech word order is more flexible than English.

After když, it is very common to put the verb early:

• Když má babička rýmu...

This sounds natural and neutral.

You could also say:

• Když babička má rýmu...

but that is less neutral and may sound slightly marked, depending on context.

So for learners, the safest takeaway is:

• Když má babička rýmu = normal, natural word order
• Czech word order is flexible, but not random; it often depends on emphasis and information structure.

Rýmu is accusative singular.

The noun is:

• rýma = a cold / runny nose

In the sentence, it is the direct object of má (has):

• má rýmu = has a cold

Many feminine nouns ending in -a change to -u in the accusative singular:

• žena → ženu
• káva → kávu
• rýma → rýmu

So:

• babička má rýmu = Grandma has a cold

Not exactly in every context.

Rýma literally refers more specifically to:

• a runny nose
• nasal cold
• head cold in everyday usage

In real-life translation, English often simply says a cold, because that sounds more natural in many contexts.

So the Czech word is a little more specific than English cold, but translating it as a cold is often perfectly fine.

Czech often leaves out subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb form or context.

Here:

• pije = (she/he/it) drinks

Since we already know the subject is babička, Czech does not need to repeat ona (she).

So:

• vždycky pije = she always drinks

This is very normal Czech. Using ona here would usually add emphasis, something like:

• she always drinks...

The present tense is used because the sentence describes a habitual action or a general truth.

It does not mean that Grandma is drinking tea right now. It means that this is what she usually does in that situation:

• When Grandma has a cold, she always drinks a lot of hot tea.

This is similar to English present simple for habits:

• She drinks
• He goes
• They eat

So pije here means drinks / tends to drink / usually drinks.

Both mean always.

• vždycky is very common in everyday spoken Czech
• vždy is slightly shorter and can sound a bit more formal, literary, or simply more concise

In this sentence, vždycky is very natural and conversational:

• vždycky pije = she always drinks

You could also say:

• Když má babička rýmu, vždy pije hodně teplého čaje.

That is also correct.

Because after hodně (a lot of), Czech usually uses the genitive.

So:

• čaj = nominative singular
• čaje = genitive singular

And the adjective must match the noun:

• teplý čaj = hot tea
• teplého čaje = of hot tea

That is why the sentence has:

• hodně teplého čaje

Literally, this is something like:

• a lot of hot tea

This genitive after quantity expressions is very important in Czech. You will see the same pattern in sentences like:

• hodně vody = a lot of water
• hodně chleba = a lot of bread
• hodně času = a lot of time

There are three parts:

• hodně = a lot / much
• teplého = hot, in genitive singular masculine
• čaje = tea, in genitive singular

The phrase hodně + genitive is the key pattern.

Because čaj is masculine and singular here, the adjective must also be masculine singular genitive:

• teplý čaj → nominative
• teplého čaje → genitive

So the adjective agrees with the noun in:

• gender
• number
• case

Because čaj here is being treated as an uncountable substance, like tea in English.

So:

• hodně čaje = a lot of tea

This is singular in Czech, just as English usually treats tea as uncountable.

If you were talking about different teas or kinds of teas, plural could appear in other contexts, but not here.

Yes. Mnoho teplého čaje is grammatically correct and means the same thing.

However:

• hodně is more common in everyday speech
• mnoho can sound a bit more formal or written

So in ordinary conversation, hodně is usually the more natural choice.

Czech has no articles.

So where English must choose between:

• a grandmother
• the grandmother
• Grandma

Czech simply says:

• babička

The exact meaning depends on context.

In this sentence, babička naturally means Grandma or the grandmother, depending on the situation and translation choice.

The same applies to:

• rýma = a cold / the cold
• čaj = tea / the tea

Context tells you how definite or indefinite the noun is.

It describes a repeated habit.

The clues are:

• Když = when
• vždycky = always
• present tense pije

Together, they show that this is not one specific moment, but a general pattern:

• whenever Grandma has a cold, she drinks a lot of hot tea

If you wanted to describe one specific event, the Czech would likely be phrased differently and the context would be more specific.

Yes, that is an excellent translation.

Because of vždycky, English whenever often captures the meaning very well:

• Když má babička rýmu, vždycky pije hodně teplého čaje.
• Whenever Grandma has a cold, she drinks a lot of hot tea.

That is often more natural in English than a very literal When Grandma has a cold, she always drinks..., although both are correct.