A1 · Beginner Chapter 11

The Accusative Case: Direct Objects

2 Total Rules
1 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock the power of direct objects and start expressing your actions clearly in Czech.

  • Identify direct objects in simple sentences.
  • Modify feminine nouns using the -u ending.
  • Adapt masculine animate nouns to show they are being acted upon.
Master the target: Your first step into Czech cases.

What You'll Learn

Introduction to the first of seven cases. Learn how to change nouns when they are the target of an action.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use the accusative case correctly with everyday feminine and masculine animate nouns in short dialogues.

Tips & Tricks (2)

💡

Check Gender

Always check if the noun is feminine before applying the -u rule.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Feminine -u
💡

Check for life

Always ask: 'Is this living?' before adding an -a.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Masculine Animate

Key Vocabulary (6)

kniha book káva coffee bratr brother pes dog vidět to see mít to have

Real-World Preview

coffee

At the Cafe and Park

Review Summary

  • Noun (-a) -> -u
  • Noun (consonant) -> -a

Common Mistakes

You forgot to change the feminine ending to -u. The direct object must change.

Wrong: Mám kniha.
Correct: Mám knihu.

Masculine animate nouns need the -a suffix when they are the object of the verb.

Wrong: Vidím bratr.
Correct: Vidím bratra.

You only add -a for animate masculine nouns. Coffee is inanimate and stays the same in the accusative!

Wrong: Vidím kávu.
Correct: Vidím kávu (Wait, káva is inanimate!).

Next Steps

You are doing amazing work! Keep practicing these endings; they will become second nature before you know it.

Label items in your room and practice the accusative case with 'Mám...'

Continue to: Negation and 'No'

Quick Practice (8)

Which is correct?

Mám ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bratra
Animate nouns add -a.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Masculine Animate

Select the correct form.

Hledám ___ (práce).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: práci
Feminine -e stays -i.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Feminine -u

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Čtu kniha.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Čtu knihu.
Correct ending is -u.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Feminine -u

Which is correct?

Hledám ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: lékaře
Soft noun ending.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Masculine Animate

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Vidím stola.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vidím stůl
Inanimate nouns don't change.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Masculine Animate

Fill in the correct form of 'pes'.

Vidím ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: psa
Animate nouns add -a.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Masculine Animate

Fill in the correct form.

Piju ___ (káva).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: kávu
Feminine -a becomes -u.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Feminine -u

Choose the correct sentence.

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mám sestru.
Accusative is required.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Accusative Singular: Feminine -u

Score: /8

Common Questions (4)

No, only those ending in -a. Nouns ending in -e or -ě follow a different pattern.
Masculine nouns have their own Accusative rules.
Because it's a masculine animate noun in the Accusative case.
No, only animate ones.
Previous Chapter
The Present Tense: -it and -et Verbs
Next Chapter
Negation and 'No'
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