Miska je plná vody.

Breakdown of Miska je plná vody.

být
to be
voda
the water
plný
full
miska
the bowl

Questions & Answers about Miska je plná vody.

Why is plná and not plný?

Because plná has to agree with miska.

  • miska is feminine singular
  • the adjective plný changes its ending to match gender, number, and case

So:

Since miska is feminine singular, the correct form is plná.


Why is vody and not voda?

Because the adjective plný normally takes the genitive case for the thing something is full of.

So:

That is why Czech says:

  • Miska je plná vody.

Literally, this is structurally like The bowl is full of water, where of water is the idea that triggers the genitive in Czech.

Other examples:

  • Sklenice je plná mléka. = The glass is full of milk.
  • Pokoj je plný lidí. = The room is full of people.

What case is miska in?

Miska is in the nominative singular because it is the subject of the sentence.

The sentence pattern is:

  • Miska = subject
  • je = is
  • plná vody = predicate/adjectival complement

So miska is the thing being described.


What exactly does je mean here?

Je is the 3rd person singular present tense of být = to be.

So here it means is.

  • já jsem = I am
  • ty jsi = you are
  • on/ona/ono je = he/she/it is

In Miska je plná vody, je links the subject (miska) with the description (plná vody).


Can I leave out je?

In a normal complete sentence, no.

Czech often drops subject pronouns, but it usually does not drop the verb to be in this kind of standard statement.

So:

  • Miska je plná vody. = correct
  • Miska plná vody. = not a normal full sentence; it sounds more like a label, headline, or fragment

Why is there no word for the or a?

Because Czech does not have articles like English a/an and the.

So miska can mean:

  • a bowl
  • the bowl

The exact meaning depends on context.

For example:

  • Miska je plná vody. could mean The bowl is full of water or A bowl is full of water, depending on the situation.

If Czech speakers want to be more specific, they can use words like:

  • ta miska = that/the bowl
  • jedna miska = one/a certain bowl

But usually context is enough.


Is vody singular or plural here?

Here it is genitive singular.

That can be confusing, because vody can also be a plural form in other contexts. But in this sentence, it must be genitive singular because:

  1. plný requires the genitive for what something is full of
  2. water is being used as a mass noun here, not as plural waters

So in this sentence, vody means of water, not waters.


Can I change the word order?

Yes, Czech word order is flexible, but the neutral, most natural order here is:

  • Miska je plná vody.

If you change the order, the meaning stays similar, but the focus or emphasis changes.

For example:

  • Plná vody je miska. = marked/emphatic, not the most neutral everyday phrasing
  • Ta miska je plná vody. = emphasizes that bowl
  • Miska je vody plná. = possible, but more stylistically marked

For a learner, the safest default is:

  • Miska je plná vody.

Could I say Miska je plná vodou?

Normally, no.

With plný, Czech uses the genitive:

  • plná vody = full of water

Using instrumental (vodou) would not be the normal pattern with plný.

If you want an expression with instrumental, Czech more naturally uses a different form, for example:

  • Miska je naplněná vodou. = The bowl is filled with water.

So:

  • plná vody = correct with plný
  • naplněná vodou = correct with naplněný

How do you pronounce Miska je plná vody?

A simple pronunciation guide is:

  • MiskaMIS-ka
  • jeye
  • plnáPL-naa
  • vodyVO-dih

A few useful points:

  • Czech stress is usually on the first syllable of each word.
  • á is a long vowel, so plná has a long a sound.
  • j in Czech is pronounced like English y in yes.

So the rhythm is roughly:

MIS-ka ye PL-naa VO-dih


Is there another natural way to say something similar?

Yes. A very common alternative is:

  • V misce je voda. = There is water in the bowl.

But this does not mean exactly the same thing.

Compare:

  • Miska je plná vody. = The bowl is full of water.
  • V misce je voda. = There is water in the bowl.

The second sentence only says that water is in the bowl. It does not say the bowl is full.

So if fullness matters, use:

  • Miska je plná vody.

What gender is miska, and how can I tell?

Miska is feminine.

A good clue is the ending -a, because many Czech feminine nouns end in -a.

That matters because adjectives have to agree with it:

  • miska → feminine
  • therefore plná, not plný

So the noun’s gender directly affects the adjective ending.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
What's the best way to learn Czech grammar?
Czech grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Czech

Master Czech — from Miska je plná vody to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • AI tutor to answer your grammar questions