Why do Czechs say dobrej instead of dobrý? Learn the most common colloquial adjective endings in spoken Czech and finally understand what you’re hearing in everyday conversations.

Czech adjectives are sneaky little shape-shifters. Dictionaries only give you the masculine form (nový), but in real life they constantly change — nová učitelka, nové auto, noví kamarádi. In this article, we’ll break down the patterns, laugh at funny mistakes, and give you simple tips to finally make sense of them.