A1 सामान्य 6 min read आसान

Nominative Plural: Feminine Nouns (Ending in -y and -e)

To form feminine plurals, swap singular '-a' for '-y' or keep singular '-e' exactly as it is.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To make feminine nouns plural, change -a to -y and -e/-ě to -e.

  • Nouns ending in -a become -y: žena -> ženy
  • Nouns ending in -e become -e: růže -> růže
  • Nouns ending in -ě become -e: židle -> židle
Noun(-a) + -y = Plural | Noun(-e) + -e = Plural

Overview

Welcome to the world of Czech feminine plurals! You are about to master a core skill. In Czech, nouns change their endings based on number.
For feminine nouns, this usually means moving to -y or -e. Think of this as the plural power-up for your vocabulary. Most feminine nouns in Czech end in -a or -e.
When you have more than one, you must change that ending. It is like changing cat to cats in English. However, Czech is a bit more systematic about it.
This rule helps you talk about groups of women, things, or ideas. You will use this at the grocery store and in meetings. It is the foundation for describing the world around you.
Don't worry about the complexity yet. We will break it down into simple, bite-sized steps. You’ve got this!

How This Grammar Works

Czech nouns belong to different categories called genders. Today, we are focusing strictly on the feminine gender. Most feminine nouns are easy to spot.
They often end in the letter -a in their basic form. Others end in -e or -ě. When you want to make them plural, you look at that last letter.
The last letter acts like a handle. You pull off the old handle and attach a new one. For -a nouns, the new handle is almost always -y.
For -e nouns, the handle usually stays exactly the same. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means go ahead and change -a to -y.
Yellow means proceed with caution and keep the -e. This system keeps the language sounding melodic and clear. It helps listeners know exactly how many things you mean.

Formation Pattern

1
Follow these simple steps to create a feminine plural:
2
Identify the singular feminine noun. Look for words ending in -a or -e.
3
If the noun ends in -a, remove the -a completely.
4
Add the letter -y to the end of the word. For example, žena becomes ženy.
5
If the noun ends in -e, you are in luck! Usually, you change nothing.
6
The plural of růže is simply růže. It stays the same.
7
For nouns ending in -ice, like ulice, they also stay the same.
8
Always remember that -y is a hard vowel in Czech grammar.
9
It follows hard consonants like n, m, or r in these words.
10
Think of -e as a soft ending that likes to stay chill.

When To Use It

Use this grammar when you are the subject of a sentence. This is called the Nominative case. Use it when you are simply naming things you see.
Imagine you are at a cafe with friends. You see several beautiful ženy (women) sitting nearby. You want to order two pizzy (pizzas) for the table.
When the waiter asks what you see, you point to the židle (chairs). You use these plurals to describe your surroundings clearly. Use them when talking about your kolegyně (female colleagues) at work.
Use them when discussing your favorite knihy (books) in a shop. It is perfect for identifying people, objects, and places. If there is more than one, and it is feminine, use this!
Even native speakers appreciate when you get these endings right.

When Not To Use It

Do not use this pattern for masculine or neuter nouns. Those have their own special rules and endings. Also, avoid this pattern if the noun is the object.
If you are doing something *to* the nouns, things change. For example,
I see the women
uses a different case. This rule is strictly for the naming or subject role.
Don't use -y if the noun ends in a consonant. Those belong to a different feminine sub-group. Also, don't use this for numbers 2, 3, and 4 sometimes.
Actually, for feminine nouns, you usually *do* use this for 2-4. But for 5 and more, the ending might change again. It’s like a secret club with specific entry requirements.
Stick to simple descriptions first to stay safe.

Common Mistakes

The biggest mistake is using -i instead of -y. In Czech, i and y sound very similar. However, writing ženi instead of ženy is a big no-no. It is like wearing socks with sandals; people will notice! Another mistake is trying to change -e to something else. Many learners think they must change every ending to be plural. Remember: restaurace is both one restaurant and many restaurants. Don't overcomplicate it by adding extra letters. Sometimes people forget that some nouns are feminine even without -a. But for now, focus on the -a and -e words. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when typing quickly. Just take a breath and check that last vowel.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Let’s compare this to masculine nouns to see the difference. Masculine nouns often end in consonants and take -i or -y. Feminine nouns are more predictable with their -a to -y shift.
Neuter nouns usually end in -o and change to -a. So, auto becomes auta, but žena becomes ženy. Notice how the feminine plural -y looks like the masculine plural?
This can be confusing at first, like meeting twins. But the starting point (the singular) tells you the gender. If you start with -a, you end with -y.
If you start with a consonant, you are in masculine territory. Think of it as a map with clear borders. Stay on the feminine side of the road for these rules.

Quick FAQ

Q

Does holka become holky?

Yes, because it ends in -a.

Q

Is the pronunciation of y different?

No, it sounds just like the Czech i.

Q

What about the word tramvaj?

That ends in a consonant, so it follows a different rule.

Q

Can I use this for three schools?

Yes, tři školy is perfectly correct.

Q

Do adjectives change too?

Yes, but that is a lesson for another day!

Q

Is this rule very common?

It is one of the most used rules in Czech.

Q

Should I panic if I forget?

Never! Czechs will still understand you perfectly.

Feminine Plural Formation

Singular (-a) Plural (-y) Singular (-e) Plural (-e)
žena
ženy
růže
růže
kniha
knihy
židle
židle
škola
školy
ulice
ulice
práce
práce
kolegyně
kolegyně
kočka
kočky
restaurace
restaurace
mapa
mapy
situace
situace

Meanings

The nominative plural is used for the subject of a sentence when there is more than one feminine noun.

1

Subject Plural

Indicates multiple feminine subjects performing an action.

“Ženy mluví.”

“Kočky spí.”

2

Descriptive Plural

Used with 'to be' (jsou) to describe multiple feminine entities.

“Jsou to kamarádky.”

“Tyto knihy jsou nové.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Nominative Plural: Feminine Nouns (Ending in -y and -e)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Noun + jsou + Adj
Ženy jsou milé.
Negative
Nejsou + Noun
Nejsou to ženy.
Question
Jsou + Noun + ...?
Jsou ty knihy nové?
Short Answer
Ano, jsou.
Ano, jsou.
Plural Subject
Noun + Verb
Kočky spí.
Description
Noun + jsou + Adj
Ulice jsou dlouhé.

औपचारिकता का स्तर

औपचारिक
Ženy jsou zde.

Ženy jsou zde. (Arrival)

तटस्थ
Ženy jsou tady.

Ženy jsou tady. (Arrival)

अनौपचारिक
Ženy jsou tady.

Ženy jsou tady. (Arrival)

बोलचाल
Holky jsou tady.

Holky jsou tady. (Arrival)

Plural Shift

Hard Stem (-a)
žena -> ženy woman -> women
Soft Stem (-e)
růže -> růže rose -> roses
पूरी व्याख्या पढ़ने के लिए मुफ़्त साइन अप करें

स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण

1

Ženy jsou doma.

The women are at home.

2

Knihy jsou nové.

The books are new.

1

Moje kamarádky jsou v Praze.

My friends are in Prague.

2

Růže jsou krásné.

The roses are beautiful.

1

Tyto ulice jsou velmi úzké.

These streets are very narrow.

2

Moje kolegyně pracují v kanceláři.

My colleagues work in the office.

1

Všechny tyto restaurace nabízejí skvělé jídlo.

All these restaurants offer great food.

2

Tyto situace vyžadují rychlé řešení.

These situations require a quick solution.

1

Tyto hypotézy byly potvrzeny výzkumem.

These hypotheses were confirmed by research.

2

Všechny tyto emoce jsou přirozené.

All these emotions are natural.

1

Tyto tendence v moderní literatuře jsou fascinující.

These tendencies in modern literature are fascinating.

2

Všechny tyto definice vyžadují hlubší analýzu.

All these definitions require deeper analysis.

आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले

Nominative Plural: Feminine Nouns (Ending in -y and -e) बनाम Accusative Plural

Learners mix up nominative and accusative.

सामान्य गलतियाँ

✗

žene

✓

ženy

Wrong ending for -a noun.
✗

růžy

✓

růže

Adding -y to an -e noun.
✗

žena jsou

✓

ženy jsou

Subject must be plural.
✗

knihy je

✓

knihy jsou

Verb must agree with plural.
✗

ulicey

✓

ulice

Incorrect suffix.
✗

kamarádka jsou

✓

kamarádky jsou

Noun must be plural.
✗

restauracy

✓

restaurace

Confusion with -a declension.
✗

situacy

✓

situace

Confusion with -a declension.
✗

kolegyny

✓

kolegyně

Wrong ending for -ě.

वाक्य संरचनाएँ

___ jsou ___.

Kde jsou ___?

Moje ___ jsou ___.

Real World Usage

Texting very common

Kde jsou holky?

Work common

Kolegyně jsou v zasedačce.

Travel common

Tyto ulice jsou krásné.

सभी उदाहरण देखने के लिए मुफ़्त साइन अप करें
💡

Check the ending

Always look at the last letter of the singular noun.
⚠️

Don't add -y to -e

This is the most common error.
🎯

Verb agreement

Ensure 'jsou' is used for plural.

Smart Tips

Check the noun gender first.

Kniha jsou nové. → Knihy jsou nové.

Do not change it.

Růžy jsou krásné. → Růže jsou krásné.

Make them plural too.

Ženy jsou milá. → Ženy jsou milé.

उच्चारण

ženy [ˈʒɛnɪ]

Vowel length

Ensure the 'y' is short unless marked otherwise.

Statement

Ženy jsou tady. ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

याद करें

स्मृति सहायक

A for 'y' (A-Y), E stays E (E-E).

दृश्य संबंध

Imagine a woman (žena) holding a 'y' shaped branch. Imagine a rose (růže) looking in a mirror and seeing the same rose.

Rhyme

A turns to Y, E stays E, that is how the plurals be!

Story

A woman (žena) walks into a garden. She sees many women (ženy). She picks a rose (růže). She sees many roses (růže) in the garden.

Word Web

ženaknihaškolarůžežidleulice

चैलेंज

Write 5 sentences about things in your room using the plural form.

सांस्कृतिक नोट्स

Czechs use feminine plural often when referring to groups of friends.

Derived from Proto-Slavic endings.

बातचीत की शुरुआत

“

Kde jsou tvoje kamarádky?

“

Jsou ty knihy tvoje?

“

Kde jsou ty restaurace?

डायरी विषय

Describe your friends.
What is in your bag?
Describe your favorite city streets.

सामान्य गलतियाँ

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Incorrect

सही

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Select the correct plural. बहुविकल्पी

Žena -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
A changes to Y.
Fill in the blank.

Růže jsou ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Adjective must match.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Kniha jsou nové.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Noun and verb must be plural.
Translate to Czech. अनुवाद

The women are here.

Answer starts with: a...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct plural form.

Score: /4

अभ्यास प्रश्न

4 exercises
Select the correct plural. बहुविकल्पी

Žena -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
A changes to Y.
Fill in the blank.

Růže jsou ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Adjective must match.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Kniha jsou nové.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Noun and verb must be plural.
Translate to Czech. अनुवाद

The women are here.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Correct plural form.

Score: /4

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (6)

It is a soft stem noun.

No, only feminine.

It acts like -e.

No, men have different rules.

Yes, it is standard.

Adding -y to -e nouns.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

अभ्यास करने के लिए मुफ़्त साइन अप करें

In Other Languages

Spanish low

Las mujeres

Czech uses case endings instead of articles.

French low

Les femmes

Czech changes the noun ending itself.

German low

Die Frauen

Czech is highly inflected.

Japanese none

Onna-tachi

Czech uses internal word changes.

Arabic none

Al-nisa

Czech uses suffix-based declension.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Locative Singular: Masculine and Neuter Nouns (Endings -u and -e)

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