Numbers 1 is the 22nd skill (assuming read left to right) of the Czech language tree. It has 5 lessons and introduces Czech cardinal numbers ordinal as well as basic vocabulary for telling time.
Grammar Notes[]
Cardinal numerals one to four[]
The cardinal numbers one to four behave like adjectives. They normally precede nouns and real adjectives. They decline and, in the case of the first two cardinals, one and two, are also "gendered".
One: Jeden[]
The declensions of jeden (one) are similar to that for the demonstrative "ten".
| Masc. An. | Masc. In. | Fem. | Neut. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | jeden | jeden | jedna | jedno |
| Acc. | jednoho | jeden | jednu | jedno |
| Gen. | jednoho | jednoho | jedné | jednoho |
These forms of jeden are followed by singular adjectives and nouns when the association is direct, just like in English: "one sister" will be jedna sestra. On the other hand, "one of my sisters" will be "jedna z mých sester".
Two: Dva[]
The declension of dva (and the closely related oba, "both") contains some of the remnants of the dual that Czech used to have in addition to its singular and plural, so is irregular.
| Masc. An. | Masc. In. | Fem. | Neut. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | dva | dva | dvě | dvě |
| Acc. | dva | dva | dvě | dvě |
| Gen. | dvou | dvou | dvou | dvou |
In the case of the "two of" construction, z is not used, unlike for jeden, hence: Jsme dva. (There are two of us.)
Word order: demonstrative, numeral, adjective(s), noun—like English. hence: Hledáme matku těch dvou malých děvčat. (We are looking for the mother of those two little girls.)
Three, Four: Tři, Čtyři[]
Tři (three) and čtyři (four) decline but do not have gender.
| Three | Four | |
|---|---|---|
| Nom. | tři | čtyři |
| Acc. | tři | čtyři |
| Gen. | tří, třech | čtyř, čtyřech |
The genitive forms ending in -ech are informal, but officially recognized as standard forms.
Ordinal numerals first to fourth[]
- první - first
- druhý - second
- třetí - third
- čtvrtý - fourth
These first four ordinals look and behave like regular adjectives. První (first) and třetí (third) decline like soft adjectives, while druhý (second) and čtvrtý (fourth) decline like hard adjectives. Unlike English, Czech ordinals can and often do go without determiners such as the second, the third....
Telling the time[]
Cardinal and ordinal numerals are used to specify time, together with the word hodina (hour or o'clock). Fractions čtvrt (a quarter), tři čtvrtě (three quarters) and půl (half) are used in the format "fraction elapsed towards the hour specified". See examples:
| Czech expression | Literal translation | |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | jedna hodina | one o'clock |
| 2:00 | dvě hodiny | two o'clock |
| 12:15 | čtvrt na jednu | quarter of an hour has elapsed towards one note: na + acc. cardinal feminine |
| 1:15 | čtvrt na dvě | quarter of an hour has elapsed towards two |
| 12:45 | tři čtvrtě na jednu | three quarters of an hour elapsed towards one |
| 1:45 | tři čtvrtě na dvě | three quarters of an hour elapsed towards two |
| 12:30 | půl jedné | half an hour elapsed towards one note: no preposition, cardinal one |
| 1:30 | půl druhé | half an hour elapsed towards two note: for two or greater, genitive fem. ordinal! |
The fractional na expressions are treated as singular in telling time.
Lessons[]
Lesson 1[]
- Mám jednoho bratra = I have one brother
- Znám jednoho z jejích bratrů = I know one of her brothers
- Jsem jeden z nich = I am one of them
- Potřebujou jedno prase = They need one pig
- Jeden kabát nestačí = One coat is not enough
- Ano, stačí jedno slovo = Yes, one word is enough
- Jeden manžel úplně stačí = One husband is entirely enough
- Jeden z těchto dětí je její. = One of these children is hers.
- Jsou to dcery jedné matky. = They are the daughters of one mother.
- Slyšíme jeden z jejich stojů. = We hear one of their machines.
- Je tady jen jeden hoch. = There is only one boy here.
Lesson 2[]
- Která z těchto dvou žen je jeho dcera? = Which of these two women is his daughter
- Potřebujeme dva lidi = We need two people
- Jsou to dcery jedné matky = They are daughters of one mother
- Jedna bota tady je = One shoe is here
- Jedna hodina nestačí = One hour is not enough
- Máte jednu hodinu = You have one hour
- Je čtvrt na jednu = It is quarter past twelve
- Potřebuju dvě hodiny = I need two hours
- Jsou dvě hodiny = It is two o'clock
- Je čtvrt na dvě = It is quarter past one
- Milujou mě dva muži? = Do two men love me?
- Je čtvrt na jednu nebo na dvě? = Is it quarter past twelve or past one?
- Dvě z našich aut jsou černá. = Two of our cars are black.
- Nesou ho sem dva kluci. = Two boys are carrying him here.
Lesson 3[]
- Je tři čtvrtě na jednu = It is a quarter to one
- Říká tři slova. = She is saying three words.
- Mám tři psy a tři kočky = I have three dogs and three cats
- Jsem matka tří dětí = I am the mother of three children.
- Jsem otec třech dětí = I am the father of three children.
- Už dva roky je vdaná. = She has been married for two years.
- Je už ženatý tři roky. = He has been married for three years.
- František tam už bydlí rok nebo dva. = Frantisek has already been living there for a year or two.
- František má jednu sestru a dva bratry. = František has one sister and two brothers.
- Čteš čtyři knihy? = Are you reading four books
- Proč má tvá sestřenice čtyři automobily? = Why does your cousin have four automobiles?
- Proč má tvoje sestřenice čtyři auta? = Why does your cousin have four automobiles?
- Jedna z těch čtyř dívek je má sestřenice. = One of the four girls is my cousin.
- Jeden z těch čtyřech chlapců je můj bratranec. = One of the four boys is my cousin.
- Která z těchto čtyřech dívek je jeho sestřenice? = Which of these four girls is his cousin?
- Který z těchto čtyř chlapců je váš syn? = Which of these four boys is your son?
- Jsou tři hodiny = It is three o'clock
- Jsme tři. = There are three of us.
- Vidíme čtyři lidi. = We see four people.
- Čtyři barvy určitě stači. = Four colors are definitely enough.
Lesson 4[]
- Kupujeme svého druhého koně = We are buying our second horse
- Jejího třetího bratra neznám = I do not know her third brother
- Její první dítě je dívka, = Her first child is a girl,
- Znáš jeho druhou ženu? = Do you know his second wife?
- František je její druhý manžel = Frantisek is her second husband
- Kdo je ta čtvrtá osoba? = Who is the fourth person
- Jejich třetí dítě je zase děvče = Their third child is again a girl
- Jím už třetí hrušku = I am already eating my third pear
- Je to jedna z jeho prvních knih = It is one of his first books
- Toho čtvrtého neznám = I do not know the fourth one
- Co znamená čtvrté slovo? = What is the meaning of the fourth word
- Kdo to říká první? = Who says it first?
- Tamhleta dvě auta jedou přiliš pomalu. = Those two cars are going too slow.
Lesson 5[]
- Kde je teď půl třetí odpoledne? = Where is it half past two in the afternoon now?
- Opravdu je půl čtvrté? = Is it really half past three?
- Je půl jedné = It is half past twelve
- Je půl druhé ráno = It is half past one in the morning
- Už je půl druhé. = It is already half past one
- Je půl jedné odpoledne? = Is it half past twelve in the afternoon?
- Půl druhé ještě není = It is not half past one yet.
- Je půl čtvrté ráno, ale on nespí. = It is half past three in the morning, but he is not sleeping.
References[]