Adjective or Adverb? The Czech Grammar Twins Explained
If you’ve ever looked at two Czech words like dobrý and dobře and thought, “Wait… are these the same word wearing different hats?”
You’re absolutely right — they are family! But they each have a totally different job. Let’s make sure you can tell them apart once and for all.
What’s an Adjective?
Adjectives (přídavná jména) describe things — they tell us what kind of something is.
They always agree with the noun in gender, number, and case.
Examples:
To je dobrý film. – That’s a good movie.
Mám novou tašku. – I have a new bag.
Praha je krásná. – Prague is beautiful.
To auto je rychlé. – The car is fast.
See? Each adjective changes shape depending on the noun it describes:
dobrý film (masc.)
dobrá kniha (fem.)
dobré město (neut.)
They’re little grammar chameleons. Always matching their noun’s outfit.
What’s an Adverb?
Adverbs (příslovce) describe actions. They tell us how, when, where, or how much something happens.
They don’t care about gender or number — they never change!
Examples:
Ten film skončil rychle. – The movie ended quickly.
Mluvíš krásně. – You speak beautifully.
On pracuje pomalu. – He works slowly.
Spím dobře. – I sleep well.
So: Adjectives describe things, adverbs describe actions.
Spot the Difference — The Magic -ý vs -ě / -e Trick
Here’s your golden rule:
If it ends in -ý, it’s (usually) an adjective.
If it ends in -ě, -e, or -o, it’s an adverb.
Real-Life Czech: Same Root, Different Role
If the word answers “what kind of (thing)” → adjective.
If it answers “how (does someone do something)” → adverb.
Quick Practice
Try guessing which is which:
Ta polévka je dobrá. → (adjective)
Dnes vařím dobře. → (adverb)
To byl hezký den. → (adjective)
Děti zpívají hezky. → (adverb)
See the pattern? Same root, different function. Just like English “good” and “well.”
Want to Go Deeper?
If this clicked and you want a cheat sheet to make it stick (with examples, comparisons, and real Czech tips), check these out:
Czech Adjectives Cheat Sheet: Learn how adjectives agree with nouns and why locals say malej oběd instead of malé pivo.
Czech Adverbs Cheat Sheet: Master Czech adverbs like rychle, dobře, krásně and česky, plus learn the fun irregulars like líp and hůř.
