Tato čerstvá marmeláda z borůvek je sladká a velmi dobrá.

Tato is the feminine singular nominative form of tento, which means this. It has to match marmeláda, which is a feminine singular noun.

You may also hear ta marmeláda, but that is a different demonstrative form. Very roughly:

• tato = this more explicitly
• ta = often that or sometimes a more article-like the/that one, depending on context

So tato marmeláda is a very natural way to say this jam.

Because they all agree with marmeláda, which is feminine singular nominative.

In Czech, adjectives change their endings to match the noun’s:

• gender
• number
• case

So with marmeláda:

• čerstvá marmeláda = fresh jam
• marmeláda je sladká = the jam is sweet
• marmeláda je dobrá = the jam is good

Even after je (is), the adjective still agrees with the noun.

The preposition z means from/out of, and it requires the genitive case.

The dictionary form is borůvka. After z, it becomes z borůvek, which is the genitive plural form.

So:

• borůvka = a blueberry / bilberry
• borůvky = blueberries
• z borůvek = from blueberries

This is a very common Czech pattern: prepositions often control the case of the noun that follows.

Usually yes, in learner-friendly English translations. But more exactly, borůvka often refers to the European bilberry, which is closely related to the blueberry.

In everyday translation, blueberry is usually fine and is what most learners are taught first. Just be aware that the real-world berry may not be exactly the same as the large cultivated North American blueberry.

In normal standard Czech, you usually do not leave out je in a sentence like this.

So:

• Marmeláda je sladká. = correct standard Czech
• Marmeláda sladká. = not normal as a full standard sentence

Czech is different here from some other Slavic languages, such as Russian, where the present-tense to be is often omitted. In Czech, je is normally expressed.

Because dobrá is an adjective, and it describes marmeláda.

• dobrá = good
• dobře = well

In this sentence, you are saying the jam is good, not that it does something well. So dobrá is correct.

Velmi is an adverb meaning very, and it modifies the adjective:

• velmi dobrá = very good

Because Czech has no articles.

English needs words like a and the, but Czech usually shows that meaning through:

• context
• word order
• demonstratives like tato

So:

• marmeláda can mean jam, a jam, or the jam, depending on context
• tato marmeláda makes it clearly definite: this jam

This is a very common adjustment for English speakers learning Czech.

Czech word order is fairly flexible, because the endings carry a lot of the grammar.

The sentence as given is a neutral, natural order: Tato čerstvá marmeláda z borůvek je sladká a velmi dobrá.

You could change the order for emphasis, for example: Tato marmeláda z borůvek je velmi sladká a dobrá.

That still works, but the focus shifts slightly. English relies much more on word order than Czech does.

Yes, absolutely.

Both are correct:

• marmeláda z borůvek = jam made from blueberries
• borůvková marmeláda = blueberry jam

The version with z borůvek is a bit more literal and explicit: jam from blueberries. The adjective form borůvková is also very common, especially as a product name or simple label.

In everyday speech, yes, marmeláda is very common.

You will also see džem, which is another common word and is often closer to English jam in product labeling. In ordinary conversation, though, many Czech speakers use marmeláda quite broadly for fruit preserves.

So this sentence sounds natural and normal.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

TA-to CHER-stvaa MAR-me-laa-da z BO-roo-vek ye SLAT-kaa a VEL-mi DO-braa

A few useful points:

• stress is usually on the first syllable of each Czech word
• č sounds like ch in church
• á is a long vowel
• ů sounds like a long oo
• j in je sounds like English y, so je is roughly ye

You do not need to make the sentence sound like English rhythm; Czech stress is much more regular.

Here čerstvá usually suggests freshly made or newly prepared, not stale or old.

So with food, čerstvý / čerstvá / čerstvé can mean:

• fresh in the literal sense
• recently made
• not old
• good and fresh-tasting

With jam, the idea is usually freshly made jam, not jam that has been sitting around for a long time.