What? Adjectives Decline Too?

Yes. I hate to break it to you… but Czech adjectives decline, just like nouns (and pronouns, and numerals…). No, this is not a bad joke. Yes, I still want you to keep learning Czech. And yes, it’s going to be okay.

If you’ve made your way through the Czech cases already or you're still gently wrestling with koho/co, komu/čemu, and other case questions then you’re ready for the next step: making your adjectives match.

This post will walk you through what that means, why it matters, and how to make it as painless as possible.

Why Do Adjectives Decline?

In Czech, adjectives don’t live in isolation. They are team players. They change based on:

• The gender of the noun (masculine / feminine / neuter),

• The number (singular or plural),

• And most importantly, the case.

Let’s take a simple example:

• nový dům – a new house (masculine, nominative)

• nového domu – of the new house (masculine, genitive)

• novému domu – to the new house (masculine, dative)

Same house. But your adjective (nový) shifts with the grammar.

And it’s not just nový. It’s every adjective (and pronoun or numeral) including hezký, malý, ostrý, český, and more.

Cheat Code: Memorize the Nominative First

Before you spiral into a case chart crisis, start with the nominative singular.

Here’s a golden tip: If you memorize the forms of adjectives, possessive pronouns, demonstratives, and the number “one” (jeden) in the nominative case by gender, you’ll have a solid reference point to build from.

Take a look at this base table:

Start here, then layer on the other cases one by one. Read more about Czech adjectives in this great textbook by Karel Tahal. Pages 23 & 24.

Czech Adjective Patterns: mladý and jarní

Czech adjectives come in two main declension patterns, and which one you use depends on the ending of the nominative singular form.

Pattern mladý (“hard” adjectives)

These adjectives typically end in -ý (masculine), -á (feminine), -é (neuter) in the nominative singular. They’re called hard because their endings use “hard” consonants in declension.

Examples: mladý (young), nový (new), český (Czech), krásný (beautiful)

Recognizing them:

• If the masculine nominative singular ends in -ý, it’s almost always the mladý pattern.

• Feminine form ends in -á, neuter in -é.

Pattern jarní (“soft” adjectives)

These adjectives end in -í in the nominative singular for all three genders. They’re called soft because they use “soft” consonants in declension.

Examples: jarní (spring), cizí (foreign), moderní (modern), levnější (cheaper).

Recognizing them:

• If the masculine nominative singular ends in -í, and feminine and neuter do too — it’s jarní pattern.

• There’s no -á or -é in other genders; all nominative singular forms match.

Quick tip to decide:

• Ends in -ý (masc. sg.)? → mladý pattern.

• Ends in -í (same for all genders)? → jarní pattern.

What Changes with the Case?

This is where the real fun begins. For example:

• Mám nový telefon. (I have a new phone.) → accusative

• S novým telefonem. (With the new phone.) → instrumental

• O novém telefonu. (About the new phone.) → locative

As you can see, the adjective and the noun decline together. It’s like Czech grammar’s version of couple goals.

Visual Learner? I Got You

You can find all adjective endings, neatly laid out by gender and case, in this magical sheet: Czech Cases Cheat Sheet.

Whether you need a quick peek or a full-on grammar session, it’s designed to support your learning style and your sanity.

Want to Backtrack a Bit?

Still wrapping your head around the cases themselves? Start with these friendly overviews:

• Understanding Czech Cases

• Nominative – Kdo? Co?

• Genitive – Koho? Čeho?

• Dative – Komu? Čemu?

• Accusative – Koho? Co?

• Vocative – Oslovujeme, voláme

• Locative – O kom? O čem?

• Instrumental – Kým? Čím?

Final Tip: Keep It Simple

Don’t memorize everything at once. Focus on high-frequency combinations:

• velký dům → vidím velký dům

• nová kniha → o nové knize

• jeden student → mluvím s jedním studentem

Practice a few at a time. Say them out loud. Use flashcards. Make silly sentences. And trust that it will get easier.

You’ve Got This

Adjective declension can feel like a plot twist… but it’s just another part of Czech’s rich grammatical fabric. The more you play with it, the more natural it becomes.

And when in doubt check your Czech Cases Cheat Sheet, or look up the form in the Internetová jazyková příručka.