Czech/Nouns/Case/Accusative

Accusative Case in Czech (4th)

The accusative case is primarily used to indicate the direct object of a transitive verb. It is also used after certain prepositions and in time expressions.

Declension

Number	Gender	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3
sg	Ma	doktora	lekaře, učitele	kolegu, turistu
	Mi	hrad	čaj
	F	kavu	kancelář	radost
	N	auto	letiště	nadraží
pl	Ma	doktory	lekaře, učitele	kolegy, turisty
	Mi	hrady	čaje
	F	kavy	kanceláře	radosti
	N	auta	letiště	nadraží

• Group 1:
  • Ma: nouns whose nom/sg end in a consonant without haček (doktor) add -a
  • Mi: nouns whose nom/sg end in a consonant without haček (hrad) remain unchanged
  • F: nouns ending in -a change to -u
  • N: nouns ending in -o remain unchanged
• Group 2 (soft ending):
  • M: nouns ending in a consonant with haček, -e/ě, -c, -j, -tel change -e to -e
• Group 3:
  • Ma: nouns whose nom/sg end in -a change to -u
  • F: nouns ending in -st remain unchanged
  • N: nouns ending in -í remain unchanged

Uses

Used as the direct object of transitive verbs

1. Vidím doktora. – I see the doctor.
2. Piju kavu. – I'm drinking coffee.
3. Mám bratra. – I have a brother.
4. Potřebuji kancelář. – I need an office.

Note: the object in Czech may be translated as the subject in some languages

These verbs use the accusative case for the person experiencing the feeling, while the cause of the feeling is in the nominative case.

bolet – to hurt, to ache

1. Hlavu mě bolí. – I have a headache. (lit: The head hurts me.)

bavit – to enjoy, to be entertained by

1. Fotbal mě baví. – I enjoy football. (lit: Football entertains me.)

zajímat – to interest, to be interested in

1. Historie mě zajímá. – I'm interested in history. (lit: History interests me.)

těšit – to look forward to, to be pleased by

1. Dovolená mě těší. – I'm looking forward to the vacation. (lit: The vacation pleases me.)

Used with some verb+preposition combinations (na, o, za)

1. Zaplatím za auto. – I'll pay for the car.
2. Starame se o babičku. We're looking after our grandmother.

After certain prepositions

Some common prepositions that take the accusative case include:

pro – for

1. Mám dárek pro kolegu. – I have a gift for my colleague.

na – on, to (with motion)

1. Jdu na letiště. – I'm going to the airport.

za – behind, for (in exchange)

Also, v, před, pod, nad, o, mezi

In time expressions

1. Budu tam hodinu. – I'll be there for an hour.
2. Přijedu příští týden. – I'll arrive next week.