Welcome to Lesson 41 of your Czech language journey!
This lesson teaches the Czech word for "who." In a question, "who" is kdo: Kdo je to? "Who is that?" It is one of the first words a learner needs, because it opens every question about people: who called, whom are you looking for, who is it for, who are you talking about.
English has almost stopped declining "who"; only the stiff "whom" remains. Czech declines kdo fully through the cases, and the case always depends on the role the person plays in the sentence: kdo (subject), koho (object, and after prepositions such as od, pro, z), komu (to whom), o kom (about whom), s kým (with whom). Once you know these six forms, you can ask almost any question about a person.
English also uses "who" to join clauses: "the man who lives next door." Here Czech usually does not use kdo. After a noun, it uses the relative pronoun který (ten muž, který bydlí vedle nás), which agrees with the noun in gender and number, like an adjective. Kdo stays as a relative word only where there is no noun before it: after ten or každý, or at the head of a proverb (Kdo si počká, ten se dočká).
Etymology: kdo goes back through Old Czech kto to Proto-Slavic \kъto. Russian кто, Polish kto and Slovak kto* are its sisters. The same root forms the family of "someone" words: někdo (someone), nikdo (no one), kdokoli (anyone at all).
Orthography: kdo is spelled with d but pronounced [ɡdɔ]. The k becomes voiced before the voiced d. The declined form kým has a long ý, and který, která, které carry the čárka (acute) on their final vowel.
Frequently Asked Question: What does "kdo" mean in Czech?
Kdo means "who." It is the Czech interrogative pronoun for people, used in direct questions (Kdo volal? "Who called?") and indirect questions (Nevím, kdo volal. "I don't know who called."). It declines: koho, komu, o kom, s kým. To say "the person who…" after a noun, Czech uses který, not kdo.
Key Takeaways:
- Kdo = "who" in questions; it declines through six case forms: kdo, koho, komu, koho, o kom, kým. - A verb agreeing with kdo is in the masculine singular: Kdo volal? "Who called?" - After a noun, English "who" becomes který / která / které (relative pronoun agreeing with the noun). - Kdo can be a relative word after ten, každý or at the head of a proverb: Každý, kdo… "Everyone who…" - Někdo (someone), nikdo (no one) and kdokoli (anyone) are built on kdo; nikdo requires a negative verb.
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The declension of kdo:
kdo /ɡdɔ/ – who (nominative)
koho /ˈkɔɦɔ/ – whom (genitive and accusative)
komu /ˈkɔmu/ – to whom (dative)
o kom /ɔ kɔm/ – about whom (locative, always after a preposition)
s kým /s kiːm/ – with whom (instrumental)
The relative pronoun který (nominative forms):
který /ˈktɛriː/ – who, which (masculine singular)
která /ˈktɛraː/ – who, which (feminine singular)
které /ˈktɛrɛː/ – which (neuter singular)
kterou /ˈktɛrou̯/ – whom (feminine accusative and instrumental singular)
The kdo family:
někdo /ˈɲɛɡdɔ/ – someone
nikdo /ˈɲɪɡdɔ/ – no one
kdokoli /ˈɡdɔkɔlɪ/ – anyone at all
Sounds to watch:
- kd- is pronounced [ɡd]. In Czech consonant clusters, the last consonant decides the voicing of the whole cluster. Kdo sounds like English "g" + "doe" with a short, open o: [ɡdɔ]. - h in koho is a voiced [ɦ], breathier than English h. - ý in kým and který is a long [iː]. Czech y and i are pronounced the same; only the length mark matters. - Stress always falls on the first syllable: KO-ho, KO-mu, KTE-rý, NĚ-kdo. When a one-syllable preposition comes before the pronoun, the stress moves onto the preposition: O kom, S kým, OD koho.
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41.1a Kdo who je is to that?
41.1b Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM je /jɛ/ is.3SG.PRES to /tɔ/ that.N.SG.NOM
41.2a Kdo who jsi are-you?
41.2b Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM jsi /jsɪ/ are.2SG.PRES
41.3a Kdo who volal called?
41.3b Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM volal /ˈvɔlal/ called.PAST.M.SG
41.4a Koho whom hledáte you-seek?
41.4b Koho /ˈkɔɦɔ/ whom.ACC hledáte /ˈɦlɛdaːtɛ/ seek.2PL.PRES
41.5a Komu to-whom to it patří belongs?
41.5b Komu /ˈkɔmu/ whom.DAT to /tɔ/ it.N.SG.NOM patří /ˈpatr̝̊iː/ belongs.3SG.PRES
41.6a S with kým whom půjdeš you-will-go do to kina cinema?
41.6b S /s/ with(+INS) kým /kiːm/ whom.INS půjdeš /ˈpuːjdɛʃ/ go.FUT.2SG do /dɔ/ to(+GEN) kina /ˈkɪna/ cinema.N.SG.GEN
41.7a O about kom whom mluvíte you-speak?
41.7b O /ɔ/ about(+LOC) kom /kɔm/ whom.LOC mluvíte /ˈmluviːtɛ/ speak.2PL.PRES
41.8a Od from koho whom máš you-have ten that dopis letter?
41.8b Od /ɔt/ from(+GEN) koho /ˈkɔɦɔ/ whom.GEN máš /maːʃ/ have.2SG.PRES ten /tɛn/ that.M.SG.ACC dopis /ˈdɔpɪs/ letter.M.SG.ACC
41.9a Nevím I-don't-know kdo who to it udělal did.
41.9b Nevím /ˈnɛviːm/ NEG-know.1SG.PRES kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM to /tɔ/ it.N.SG.ACC udělal /ˈuɟɛlal/ did.PERF.PAST.M.SG
41.10a To that je is ten the muž man který who bydlí lives vedle next-to nás us.
41.10b To /tɔ/ that.N.SG.NOM je /jɛ/ is.3SG.PRES ten /tɛn/ that.M.SG.NOM muž /muʃ/ man.M.SG.NOM který /ˈktɛriː/ who.REL.M.SG.NOM bydlí /ˈbɪdliː/ lives.3SG.PRES vedle /ˈvɛdlɛ/ next-to(+GEN) nás /naːs/ us.GEN
41.11a Znáš you-know tu that ženu woman se with kterou whom mluvil spoke Petr Petr?
41.11b Znáš /znaːʃ/ know.2SG.PRES tu /tu/ that.F.SG.ACC ženu /ˈʒɛnu/ woman.F.SG.ACC se /sɛ/ with(+INS) kterou /ˈktɛrou̯/ whom.REL.F.SG.INS mluvil /ˈmluvɪl/ spoke.PAST.M.SG Petr /pɛtr/ Petr.M.SG.NOM
41.12a Kdo who nic nothing nedělá doesn't-do nic nothing nezkazí doesn't-spoil.
41.12b Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM nic /ɲɪts/ nothing.ACC nedělá /ˈnɛɟɛlaː/ NEG-do.3SG.PRES.IMPERF nic /ɲɪts/ nothing.ACC nezkazí /ˈnɛskaziː/ NEG-spoil.3SG.PERF.FUT
41.13a Kdo who si for-himself počká waits ten that-one se himself dočká gets-by-waiting.
41.13b Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM si /sɪ/ REFL.DAT počká /ˈpɔtʃkaː/ wait.3SG.PERF.FUT ten /tɛn/ that-one.M.SG.NOM se /sɛ/ REFL.ACC dočká /ˈdɔtʃkaː/ wait-and-receive.3SG.PERF.FUT
41.14a Kdo who jinému for-another jámu pit kopá digs sám himself do into ní it padá falls.
41.14b Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM jinému /ˈjɪnɛːmu/ another.M.SG.DAT jámu /ˈjaːmu/ pit.F.SG.ACC kopá /ˈkɔpaː/ dig.3SG.PRES sám /saːm/ himself.M.SG.NOM do /dɔ/ into(+GEN) ní /ɲiː/ it.F.SG.GEN padá /ˈpadaː/ fall.3SG.PRES
41.15a Každý everyone kdo who chce wants studovat to-study češtinu Czech potřebuje needs trpělivost patience.
41.15b Každý /ˈkaʒdiː/ everyone.M.SG.NOM kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.REL.NOM chce /xtsɛ/ want.3SG.PRES studovat /ˈstudɔvat/ study.INF češtinu /ˈtʃɛʃcɪnu/ Czech.F.SG.ACC potřebuje /ˈpɔtr̝̊ɛbujɛ/ need.3SG.PRES trpělivost /ˈtr̩pjɛlɪvɔst/ patience.F.SG.ACC
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41.1 Kdo je to? → "Who is that?"
41.2 Kdo jsi? → "Who are you?"
41.3 Kdo volal? → "Who called?"
41.4 Koho hledáte? → "Who are you looking for?"
41.5 Komu to patří? → "Who does this belong to?"
41.6 S kým půjdeš do kina? → "Who are you going to the cinema with?"
41.7 O kom mluvíte? → "Who are you talking about?"
41.8 Od koho máš ten dopis? → "Who is that letter from?"
41.9 Nevím, kdo to udělal. → "I don't know who did it."
41.10 To je ten muž, který bydlí vedle nás. → "That is the man who lives next door to us."
41.11 Znáš tu ženu, se kterou mluvil Petr? → "Do you know the woman Petr was talking to?"
41.12 Kdo nic nedělá, nic nezkazí. → "He who does nothing spoils nothing." (proverb)
41.13 Kdo si počká, ten se dočká. → "Good things come to those who wait." (proverb)
41.14 Kdo jinému jámu kopá, sám do ní padá. → "He who digs a pit for another falls into it himself." (proverb)
41.15 Každý, kdo chce studovat češtinu, potřebuje trpělivost. → "Everyone who wants to study Czech needs patience."
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41.1 Kdo je to?
41.2 Kdo jsi?
41.3 Kdo volal?
41.4 Koho hledáte?
41.5 Komu to patří?
41.6 S kým půjdeš do kina?
41.7 O kom mluvíte?
41.8 Od koho máš ten dopis?
41.9 Nevím, kdo to udělal.
41.10 To je ten muž, který bydlí vedle nás.
41.11 Znáš tu ženu, se kterou mluvil Petr?
41.12 Kdo nic nedělá, nic nezkazí.
41.13 Kdo si počká, ten se dočká.
41.14 Kdo jinému jámu kopá, sám do ní padá.
41.15 Každý, kdo chce studovat češtinu, potřebuje trpělivost.
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These are the grammar rules for kdo and který in Czech:
1. The declension of kdo
Kdo has no gender and no plural. It declines through the cases like this:
- Nominative: kdo (Kdo volal? "Who called?") - Genitive: koho (Od koho? "From whom?") - Dative: komu (Komu to patří? "To whom does it belong?") - Accusative: koho (Koho hledáte? "Whom are you looking for?") - Locative: kom (O kom mluvíte? "About whom are you talking?") - Instrumental: kým (S kým půjdeš? "With whom will you go?")
The genitive and the accusative share the form koho, as with masculine animate nouns (pána, muže). The locative form kom is only ever used after a preposition (o kom, na kom, v kom).
2. The case comes from the verb or the preposition
English speakers tend to use kdo everywhere, because English "who" rarely changes. In Czech, first ask what the verb or preposition requires:
- hledat (to look for) + accusative → Koho hledáte? - patřit (to belong) + dative → Komu to patří? - mluvit o (to talk about) + locative → O kom mluvíte? - jít s (to go with) + instrumental → S kým půjdeš? - mít od (to have from) + genitive → Od koho máš ten dopis? - pro (for) + accusative → Pro koho je ten balík?
The preposition always stands directly before the pronoun, and a Czech question never ends with a preposition. English "Who is it for?" becomes Pro koho to je? — never Koho to je pro? (wrong).
3. Agreement: masculine singular
A past-tense verb or adjective agreeing with kdo is normally masculine singular, even when the speaker expects a woman or a group: Kdo volal? Kdo přišel? Kdo je nemocný? The present-tense verb is third person singular: Kdo tady bydlí?
4. Indirect questions
Kdo introduces indirect questions after verbs of knowing, asking and seeing. The clause is set off with a comma, and the word order stays as in the direct question: Nevím, kdo to udělal. Podívej se, kdo stojí za dveřmi. Unlike English, Czech keeps the original tense (no sequence of tenses).
5. Relative "who" after a noun: který
When "who" refers back to a noun, Czech uses který. It declines like an adjective (compare nový) and agrees with its noun in gender and number. Its case comes from its role inside its own clause:
- Masculine: který (nom.), kterého (gen./acc. animate), kterému (dat.), o kterém (loc.), s kterým / se kterým (ins.) - Feminine: která (nom.), které (gen./dat./loc.), kterou (acc./ins.) - Neuter: které (nom./acc.), kterého (gen.), kterému (dat.), o kterém (loc.), kterým (ins.) - Plural nominative: kteří (masculine animate), které (masculine inanimate and feminine), která (neuter)
Examples: ten muž, který bydlí vedle nás (nominative: he lives). Ta žena, se kterou mluvil Petr (instrumental: Petr spoke with her). Babička, která ráda objednává knihy.
The literary relative pronoun jenž (jež, jehož, jemuž…) has the same meaning. You will meet it in newspapers and books, but který is the everyday choice.
6. Relative kdo after ten and každý
When "who" has no noun before it ("he who…", "the one who…", "everyone who…"), Czech uses kdo, often picked up by ten in the main clause:
Kdo si počká, ten se dočká. ("Who waits, that one receives.")
Ten, kdo to řekl, se mýlí. ("The one who said it is mistaken.")
Každý, kdo chce studovat češtinu, potřebuje trpělivost. ("Everyone who wants to study Czech needs patience.")
In all of these the verb after kdo is in the third person singular (masculine in the past tense), just as in a question.
7. The kdo family
- někdo – someone: Někdo zvoní. "Someone is ringing." - nikdo – no one: Nikdo nepřišel. "No one came." Czech requires the double negative: nikdo + a negated verb. - kdokoli (kdokoliv) – anyone at all: kdokoli z rodiny "anyone from the family." - každý, kdo… – everyone who…
Někdo, nikdo and kdokoli decline like kdo: někoho, někomu, s někým; nikoho, nikomu, s nikým.
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make:
- Using kdo after a noun: ten muž, kdo bydlí vedle is wrong; say ten muž, který bydlí vedle. - Leaving kdo in the nominative where the verb needs another case: Kdo hledáte? → Koho hledáte?; Kdo to patří? → Komu to patří? - Ending a question with a preposition, English style: Kdo mluvíš s? → S kým mluvíš? - Omitting the double negative with nikdo: Nikdo přišel → Nikdo nepřišel. - Forgetting the comma before kdo and který in a dependent clause: Nevím, kdo to udělal. Czech punctuation marks every subordinate clause. - Pronouncing kdo with a hard English [k]: it is [ɡdɔ].
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Frequency and register
Kdo is among the most frequent words in spoken Czech, and it is used in every register. Který is equally common in writing. The literary jenž is typical of journalism, law and older literature, and sounds bookish in conversation.
Kdo in proverbs
Czech proverbs very often begin with kdo, in the pattern "Kdo…, ten…" ("Whoever…, he…"). The best known:
- Kdo si počká, ten se dočká. "Good things come to those who wait." - Kdo jinému jámu kopá, sám do ní padá. "He who digs a pit for another falls into it himself." - Kdo nic nedělá, nic nezkazí. "He who does nothing spoils nothing." (said in defence of someone who made a mistake while trying) - Kdo pozdě chodí, sám sobě škodí. "He who comes late harms himself." - Kdo lže, ten krade. "He who lies, steals."
Answering the door and the phone
Kdo je to? and Kdo tam? ("Who's there?") are what Czechs call through a closed door. On the phone, Kdo volá? or, more politely, S kým mluvím? ("Whom am I speaking with?") are used.
Colloquial forms
In everyday Bohemian speech you will hear kerej, kerá, kerý for který, která, které, and the emphatic question kdopak ("who, then?"): Kdopak to je? The standard forms given in this lesson are always correct.
Historical forms
Old Czech had kto and the relative ktož ("who, whoever"), which you will meet in the literary citation below. The modern literary form kdož ("whoever") continues the same word.
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The opening of the Hussite war chorale Ktož jsú boží bojovníci ("Ye who are warriors of God"), preserved in the Jistebnice Hymnal (Jistebnický kancionál, c. 1430, fol. 50r). It is one of the most famous texts in Czech and quoted by Smetana in Má vlast. The text is Old Czech: ktož is the ancestor of modern kdo(ž), jsú of modern jsou. The IPA gives the modern reading of the Old Czech spelling.
Part F-A: Interlinear Analysis
F.1a Ktož who jsú are boží God's bojovníci warriors a and zákona of-law jeho his
F.1b Ktož /ktɔʃ/ who.REL.NOM jsú /jsuː/ are.3PL.PRES(Old Czech) boží /ˈbɔʒiː/ God's.M.PL.NOM bojovníci /ˈbɔjɔvɲiːtsɪ/ warriors.M.PL.NOM a /a/ and zákona /ˈzaːkɔna/ law.M.SG.GEN jeho /ˈjɛɦɔ/ his
F.2a prostež ask od from Boha God pomoci help a and ufajte trust v in něho him
F.2b prostež /ˈprɔstɛʃ/ ask.IMP.2PL+EMPH od /ɔd/ from(+GEN) Boha /ˈbɔɦa/ God.M.SG.GEN pomoci /ˈpɔmɔtsɪ/ help.F.SG.GEN a /a/ and ufajte /ˈufajtɛ/ trust.IMP.2PL v /v/ in(+ACC) něho /ˈɲɛɦɔ/ him.M.SG.ACC
F.3a že that konečně in-the-end vždycky always s with ním him svítězíte you-will-win
F.3b že /ʒɛ/ that konečně /ˈkɔnɛtʃɲɛ/ finally vždycky /ˈvʒdɪtskɪ/ always s /s/ with(+INS) ním /ɲiːm/ him.M.SG.INS svítězíte /ˈsviːcɛziːtɛ/ win.PERF.FUT.2PL(Old Czech)
Part F-B: Natural Text with Translation
F.1 Ktož jsú boží bojovníci a zákona jeho, → "Ye who are warriors of God and of his law,"
F.2 prostež od Boha pomoci a ufajte v něho, → "ask God for help and trust in him,"
F.3 že konečně vždycky s ním svítězíte. → "that in the end, with him, you will always be victorious."
Part F-C: Original Czech Text
Ktož jsú boží bojovníci a zákona jeho, prostež od Boha pomoci a ufajte v něho, že konečně vždycky s ním svítězíte.
Part F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Ktož is kto (who) plus the relative particle -ž. Like modern kdo after ten or každý, it has no noun before it: "(you) who are warriors of God." Modern Czech, addressing the warriors directly, would say Vy, kteří jste boží bojovníci…
Several Old Czech forms differ from the modern language. Jsú became jsou through the diphthongisation of long ú to ou. Prostež is the plural imperative proste with the emphatic particle -ž. Ufajte corresponds to modern doufejte ("hope, trust"). Svítězíte is the perfective future of svítěziti, modern zvítězíte. Old Czech prositi took the thing asked for in the genitive (pomoci, "for help"); modern Czech says prosit o pomoc, with o + accusative.
Zákona jeho ("of his law") puts the possessive after the noun, an old and solemn word order. Modern everyday Czech would say jeho zákona.
The chorale was sung by the Hussite armies in the 1420s. Legend holds that crusading troops fled before the battle of Domažlice (1431) on hearing it. Smetana used its melody in Tábor and Blaník, the last two poems of Má vlast, and Dvořák built his Hussite Overture (Husitská, 1883) on it.
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Pronouns are taught through dialogue. Tomáš and his mother are at home in their flat when the doorbell rings. A courier has a parcel, and the question is who it is from, and who it is for.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
41.16a Tomáš: Mámo mum někdo someone zvoní rings. Kdo who to it může can být be?
41.16b Tomáš: Mámo /ˈmaːmɔ/ mum.F.SG.VOC někdo /ˈɲɛɡdɔ/ someone.NOM zvoní /ˈzvɔɲiː/ ring.3SG.PRES Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM to /tɔ/ it.N.SG.NOM může /ˈmuːʒɛ/ can.3SG.PRES být /biːt/ be.INF
41.17a Matka: Nevím I-don't-know. Podívej look se yourself kdo who stojí stands za behind dveřmi door.
41.17b Matka: Nevím /ˈnɛviːm/ NEG-know.1SG.PRES Podívej /ˈpɔɟiːvɛj/ look.IMP.2SG.PERF se /sɛ/ REFL.ACC kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM stojí /ˈstɔjiː/ stand.3SG.PRES za /za/ behind(+INS) dveřmi /ˈdvɛr̝mɪ/ door.PL.INS
41.18a Tomáš: Dobrý good den day kdo who jste you-are?
41.18b Tomáš: Dobrý /ˈdɔbriː/ good.M.SG.NOM den /dɛn/ day.M.SG.NOM kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM jste /jstɛ/ are.2PL.PRES(formal)
41.19a Kurýr: Jsem I-am kurýr courier a and nesu I-carry balík parcel. Kdo who tady here bydlí lives?
41.19b Kurýr: Jsem /jsɛm/ am.1SG.PRES kurýr /ˈkuriːr/ courier.M.SG.NOM a /a/ and nesu /ˈnɛsu/ carry.1SG.PRES balík /ˈbaliːk/ parcel.M.SG.ACC Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM tady /ˈtadɪ/ here bydlí /ˈbɪdliː/ live.3SG.PRES
41.20a Tomáš: My we. Pro for koho whom je is ten the balík parcel?
41.20b Tomáš: My /mɪ/ we.NOM Pro /prɔ/ for(+ACC) koho /ˈkɔɦɔ/ whom.ACC je /jɛ/ is.3SG.PRES ten /tɛn/ that.M.SG.NOM balík /ˈbaliːk/ parcel.M.SG.NOM
41.21a Kurýr: Pro for pana Mr Karla Karel Nováka Novák. Kdo who z of vás you je is pan Mr Novák Novák?
41.21b Kurýr: Pro /prɔ/ for(+ACC) pana /ˈpana/ Mr.M.SG.ACC Karla /ˈkarla/ Karel.M.SG.ACC Nováka /ˈnɔvaːka/ Novák.M.SG.ACC Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM z /z/ of(+GEN) vás /vaːs/ you.PL.GEN je /jɛ/ is.3SG.PRES pan /pan/ Mr.M.SG.NOM Novák /ˈnɔvaːk/ Novák.M.SG.NOM
41.22a Tomáš: Táta dad není isn't doma at-home. Může can to it podepsat sign někdo someone jiný else?
41.22b Tomáš: Táta /ˈtaːta/ dad.M.SG.NOM není /ˈnɛɲiː/ NEG-is.3SG.PRES doma /ˈdɔma/ at-home Může /ˈmuːʒɛ/ can.3SG.PRES to /tɔ/ it.N.SG.ACC podepsat /ˈpɔdɛpsat/ sign.INF.PERF někdo /ˈɲɛɡdɔ/ someone.NOM jiný /ˈjɪniː/ other.M.SG.NOM
41.23a Kurýr: Ano yes kdokoli anyone z from rodiny family. Komu to-whom mám I-am-to balík parcel dát give?
41.23b Kurýr: Ano /ˈanɔ/ yes kdokoli /ˈɡdɔkɔlɪ/ anyone.NOM z /z/ from(+GEN) rodiny /ˈrɔɟɪnɪ/ family.F.SG.GEN Komu /ˈkɔmu/ whom.DAT mám /maːm/ have.1SG.PRES balík /ˈbaliːk/ parcel.M.SG.ACC dát /daːt/ give.INF.PERF
41.24a Matka: Mně to-me. Kdo who ho it posílá sends?
41.24b Matka: Mně /mɲɛ/ me.DAT Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM ho /ɦɔ/ it.M.SG.ACC posílá /ˈpɔsiːlaː/ send.3SG.PRES
41.25a Kurýr: Odesílatel sender je is firma company která which prodává sells knihy books.
41.25b Kurýr: Odesílatel /ˈɔdɛsiːlatɛl/ sender.M.SG.NOM je /jɛ/ is.3SG.PRES firma /ˈfɪrma/ company.F.SG.NOM která /ˈktɛraː/ which.REL.F.SG.NOM prodává /ˈprɔdaːvaː/ sell.3SG.PRES knihy /ˈkɲɪɦɪ/ book.F.PL.ACC
41.26a Matka: Aha ah to that je is dárek gift od from babičky grandma která who ráda gladly objednává orders knihy books.
41.26b Matka: Aha /ˈaɦa/ ah to /tɔ/ that.N.SG.NOM je /jɛ/ is.3SG.PRES dárek /ˈdaːrɛk/ gift.M.SG.NOM od /ɔd/ from(+GEN) babičky /ˈbabɪtʃkɪ/ grandmother.F.SG.GEN která /ˈktɛraː/ who.REL.F.SG.NOM ráda /ˈraːda/ glad.F.SG objednává /ˈɔbjɛdnaːvaː/ order.3SG.PRES knihy /ˈkɲɪɦɪ/ book.F.PL.ACC
41.27a Tomáš: A and pro for koho whom je is ten the dárek gift? Pro for mě me?
41.27b Tomáš: A /a/ and pro /prɔ/ for(+ACC) koho /ˈkɔɦɔ/ whom.ACC je /jɛ/ is.3SG.PRES ten /tɛn/ that.M.SG.NOM dárek /ˈdaːrɛk/ gift.M.SG.NOM Pro /prɔ/ for(+ACC) mě /mɲɛ/ me.ACC
41.28a Matka: Nevím I-don't-know. Kdo who má has brzy soon narozeniny birthday?
41.28b Matka: Nevím /ˈnɛviːm/ NEG-know.1SG.PRES Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM má /maː/ have.3SG.PRES brzy /ˈbr̩zɪ/ soon narozeniny /ˈnarɔzɛɲɪnɪ/ birthday.F.PL.ACC
41.29a Tomáš: Já I! Nikdo no-one jiný else v in rodině family nemá doesn't-have narozeniny birthday v in září September.
41.29b Tomáš: Já /jaː/ I.NOM Nikdo /ˈɲɪɡdɔ/ no-one.NOM jiný /ˈjɪniː/ other.M.SG.NOM v /v/ in(+LOC) rodině /ˈrɔɟɪɲɛ/ family.F.SG.LOC nemá /ˈnɛmaː/ NEG-have.3SG.PRES narozeniny /ˈnarɔzɛɲɪnɪ/ birthday.F.PL.ACC v /v/ in(+LOC) září /ˈzaːr̝iː/ September.N.SG.LOC
41.30a Matka: Tak so vidíš you-see. Kdo who si for-himself počká waits ten that-one se himself dočká gets-by-waiting.
41.30b Matka: Tak /tak/ so vidíš /ˈvɪɟiːʃ/ see.2SG.PRES Kdo /ɡdɔ/ who.NOM si /sɪ/ REFL.DAT počká /ˈpɔtʃkaː/ wait.3SG.PERF.FUT ten /tɛn/ that-one.M.SG.NOM se /sɛ/ REFL.ACC dočká /ˈdɔtʃkaː/ wait-and-receive.3SG.PERF.FUT
Part B: Natural Sentences
41.16 Tomáš: Mámo, někdo zvoní. Kdo to může být? → "Tomáš: Mum, someone's ringing. Who can it be?"
41.17 Matka: Nevím. Podívej se, kdo stojí za dveřmi. → "Mother: I don't know. Go and see who's at the door."
41.18 Tomáš: Dobrý den, kdo jste? → "Tomáš: Good afternoon, who are you?"
41.19 Kurýr: Jsem kurýr a nesu balík. Kdo tady bydlí? → "Courier: I'm a courier and I've got a parcel. Who lives here?"
41.20 Tomáš: My. Pro koho je ten balík? → "Tomáš: We do. Who is the parcel for?"
41.21 Kurýr: Pro pana Karla Nováka. Kdo z vás je pan Novák? → "Courier: For Mr Karel Novák. Which of you is Mr Novák?"
41.22 Tomáš: Táta není doma. Může to podepsat někdo jiný? → "Tomáš: Dad isn't home. Can someone else sign for it?"
41.23 Kurýr: Ano, kdokoli z rodiny. Komu mám balík dát? → "Courier: Yes, anyone in the family. Who should I give the parcel to?"
41.24 Matka: Mně. Kdo ho posílá? → "Mother: To me. Who's sending it?"
41.25 Kurýr: Odesílatel je firma, která prodává knihy. → "Courier: The sender is a company that sells books."
41.26 Matka: Aha, to je dárek od babičky, která ráda objednává knihy. → "Mother: Ah, it's a present from Grandma, who loves ordering books."
41.27 Tomáš: A pro koho je ten dárek? Pro mě? → "Tomáš: And who's the present for? For me?"
41.28 Matka: Nevím. Kdo má brzy narozeniny? → "Mother: I don't know. Who has a birthday soon?"
41.29 Tomáš: Já! Nikdo jiný v rodině nemá narozeniny v září. → "Tomáš: Me! Nobody else in the family has a birthday in September."
41.30 Matka: Tak vidíš. Kdo si počká, ten se dočká. → "Mother: There you are, then. Good things come to those who wait."
Part C: Czech Text Only
41.16 Tomáš: Mámo, někdo zvoní. Kdo to může být?
41.17 Matka: Nevím. Podívej se, kdo stojí za dveřmi.
41.18 Tomáš: Dobrý den, kdo jste?
41.19 Kurýr: Jsem kurýr a nesu balík. Kdo tady bydlí?
41.20 Tomáš: My. Pro koho je ten balík?
41.21 Kurýr: Pro pana Karla Nováka. Kdo z vás je pan Novák?
41.22 Tomáš: Táta není doma. Může to podepsat někdo jiný?
41.23 Kurýr: Ano, kdokoli z rodiny. Komu mám balík dát?
41.24 Matka: Mně. Kdo ho posílá?
41.25 Kurýr: Odesílatel je firma, která prodává knihy.
41.26 Matka: Aha, to je dárek od babičky, která ráda objednává knihy.
41.27 Tomáš: A pro koho je ten dárek? Pro mě?
41.28 Matka: Nevím. Kdo má brzy narozeniny?
41.29 Tomáš: Já! Nikdo jiný v rodině nemá narozeniny v září.
41.30 Matka: Tak vidíš. Kdo si počká, ten se dočká.
Part D: Grammar Notes for Genre Section
This dialogue uses kdo in four cases and shows the relative který and the kdo family in context.
Nominative kdo: 41.16, 41.18, 41.19, 41.21, 41.24, 41.28. Note that kdo jste (41.18) takes the polite plural verb jste because it is addressed to the courier as vy, but kdo itself does not change.
Accusative koho after pro: 41.20 and 41.27 (Pro koho je ten balík? Pro koho je ten dárek?). Pro always takes the accusative, and the answers are in the accusative too: Pro pana Karla Nováka, Pro mě.
Dative komu: 41.23 (Komu mám balík dát?). The answer is the dative too: Mně (41.24). The construction mám + infinitive means "am I to / should I."
Kdo z vás (41.21): "which of you" is kdo + z + genitive. English says "which," but Czech keeps kdo for people.
Indirect question: 41.17 (Podívej se, kdo stojí za dveřmi), with the comma before kdo.
Relative který: 41.25 (firma, která…) and 41.26 (babičky, která…). Both are feminine because firma and babička are feminine. In 41.26 babičky is genitive (after od), but která is nominative, because inside its own clause it is the subject of objednává.
The kdo family: někdo (41.16, 41.22), kdokoli (41.23), nikdo (41.29). Nikdo jiný … nemá shows the obligatory double negative.
The dialogue closes with the proverb from 41.13, the classic relative kdo … ten construction.
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Voicing assimilation in kdo
Czech consonant clusters take their voicing from the last consonant. In kdo, the voiceless k becomes voiced [ɡ] before the voiced d: [ɡdɔ]. The same happens in někdo [ˈɲɛɡdɔ], nikdo [ˈɲɪɡdɔ] and kdokoli [ˈɡdɔkɔlɪ]. The spelling never changes; only the sound does.
The same rule works across word boundaries with short prepositions: od koho [ɔt ˈkɔɦɔ] (d becomes t before k), but od babičky [ɔd ˈbabɪtʃkɪ]; s kým [s kiːm]; z vás [z vaːs]. The preposition v stays [v] before a vowel, a sonorant or a voiced consonant (v rodině, v září) and becomes [f] before a voiceless one.
Final devoicing
A voiced consonant at the end of a word is pronounced voiceless: muž [muʃ], ktož [ktɔʃ].
Stress with prepositions
A one-syllable preposition takes the stress of the pronoun after it: O kom? [ˈɔ kɔm], S kým? [ˈs kiːm], OD koho. Say the pair as one word.
ř
The letter ř (in patří, září, dveřmi) is a trilled fricative [r̝], unique to Czech. After a voiceless consonant it is voiceless [r̝̊]: patří [ˈpatr̝̊iː], potřebuje [ˈpɔtr̝̊ɛbujɛ].
ě
After d, t, n, the letter ě softens the consonant: dě [ɟɛ] (udělal), tě [cɛ] (svítězíte), ně [ɲɛ] (někdo, rodině). After b, p, v, f it adds a [j]: vě → [vjɛ], pě → [pjɛ] (trpělivost). Mě and mně are both pronounced [mɲɛ], but spelled differently: mě (accusative/genitive, "me"), mně (dative/locative, "to me"). Pro mě (41.27) versus Mně (41.24) shows the difference.
Long vowels
The čárka and kroužek mark length: á, é, í, ý, ó, ú, ů. In this lesson: kým, který, která, které, nevím, mluvíte. Length changes meaning in Czech, so hold long vowels for about twice as long.
Syllabic r
In trpělivost [ˈtr̩pjɛlɪvɔst] and brzy [ˈbr̩zɪ], r carries the syllable by itself, with no vowel.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
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