Na stole už je nůž, lžíce a malý talíř pro moji babičku.

Because na can take different cases depending on the meaning:

• na + accusative = movement onto something
  
  • Dám talíř na stůl. = I’ll put the plate onto the table.
• na + locative = location on something
  
  • Je to na stole. = It is on the table.

Here the sentence describes where the items already are, so Czech uses na stole.

Because stůl is being declined. Czech nouns change form depending on their role in the sentence.

The base form is:

• stůl = table

After na in a location meaning, it must be in the locative singular:

• na stole = on the table

This noun also has a stem change:

• stůl
• stolu
• stole

So this is something you simply learn as part of the noun’s declension pattern.

Czech usually does not need a separate word like English there in there is / there are.

So:

• Na stole je nůž. literally looks like On table is knife
• but in natural English it means There is a knife on the table

In Czech, je can cover both is and there is, depending on context.

That is a very natural question.

Many learners expect jsou because the list is plural:

• nůž, lžíce a malý talíř

And yes, jsou is also possible:

• Na stole už jsou nůž, lžíce a malý talíř...

But Czech often uses singular je in a sentence like this when the verb comes before a list and the sentence is simply presenting what is there. It works a bit like English there is before a list, as in informal English:

• There’s a knife, a spoon, and a small plate on the table.

So je here is natural, especially in a presentational style. Jsou would also be understandable and may sound more strictly plural.

They are in the nominative because they are the things being identified as being on the table.

Base forms:

• nůž = knife
• lžíce = spoon
• talíř = plate

After je/jsou, Czech often uses the nominative for the items being named.

Because malý has to agree with talíř.

• talíř is masculine inanimate
• it is singular
• here it is in the nominative

So the adjective also takes the matching form:

• malý talíř = small plate

If the noun changed case, the adjective would change too.

Only the plate.

So the phrase means:

• a knife, a spoon, and a small plate

not

• a small knife, small spoon, and small plate

If Czech wanted all three to be small, it would need a different structure, for example repeating or restructuring the adjective.

Because pro takes the accusative case.

So:

• babička = grandmother, grandma
• pro babičku = for grandma

The noun changes:

• babička → babičku

The possessive word also has to match:

• moji babičku

A useful note: many learners are first taught pro mou babičku as the more formal or carefully standard form. Pro moji babičku is very common in everyday Czech.

Because pro does not use the dative.

English for can correspond to different Czech structures, but after the preposition pro, Czech uses the accusative:

• pro babičku = for grandma

The form babičce is dative singular, and you would use it in sentences like:

• Dám to babičce. = I’ll give it to grandma.

So:

• pro babičku = intended for grandma
• babičce = to grandma

Normally it applies to the whole list:

• the knife, the spoon, and the small plate are for grandma

Because the phrase comes after the whole coordination, it is usually understood as referring to the whole set. If a speaker wanted to make it clear that only the plate was for grandma, they would probably rephrase the sentence.

Here už means already.

So the sentence suggests that the table setting is already prepared, at least partly.

Its position is natural because Czech word order is flexible, and short words like už often appear near the verb:

• Na stole už je...

You could move it, but the emphasis would shift slightly:

• Už je na stole...
• Na stole je už...

The given version sounds very normal.

Because Czech has no articles.

So:

• nůž can mean a knife or the knife
• lžíce can mean a spoon or the spoon
• talíř can mean a plate or the plate

Czech relies on context, word order, and the situation to show whether something is definite or indefinite.

Yes. Czech word order is much freer than English word order.

For example, these are possible with different emphasis:

• Na stole už je nůž, lžíce a malý talíř pro moji babičku.
• Už je na stole nůž, lžíce a malý talíř pro moji babičku.
• Nůž, lžíce a malý talíř pro moji babičku už jsou na stole.

The original version sounds like a natural way to present the scene: first the location, then already, then what is there.