Adjectives in Vocative
Adjectives in vocative agree with the noun they modify.
The Key Rule
Vocative Adjectives = Nominative
In modern Czech, vocative adjectives are the same as nominative. Only the noun changes form!
Hard Adjectives (nový, dobrý, milý...)
| Gender | Nominative | Vocative | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masc. | nový | nový | Milý Petře! |
| Fem. | nová | nová | Milá Jano! |
| Neut. | nové | nové | (rare) |
Examples
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Milý příteli! | Dear friend! (m.) |
| Milá přítelkyně! | Dear friend! (f.) |
| Drahý synu! | Dear son! |
| Drahá dcero! | Dear daughter! |
| Vážený pane! | Dear Sir! |
| Vážená paní! | Dear Madam! |
Soft Adjectives (cizí, jarní...)
| Gender | Nominative | Vocative | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masc. | cizí | cizí | Cizí muži! |
| Fem. | cizí | cizí | Cizí ženo! |
| Neut. | cizí | cizí | (rare) |
Possessive Adjectives
| Possessive | Masc. Voc. | Fem. Voc. |
|---|---|---|
| můj | můj | moje/má |
| tvůj | tvůj | tvoje/tvá |
| jeho | jeho | jeho |
| její | její | její |
| náš | náš | naše |
| váš | váš | vaše |
Examples
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Můj milý! | My dear! (to a man) |
| Moje milá! | My dear! (to a woman) |
| Náš drahý příteli! | Our dear friend! |
Common Phrases with Adjectives
Formal Letters
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Vážený pane doktore, | Dear Doctor, |
| Vážená paní ředitelko, | Dear Director, |
| Milý Petře, | Dear Petr, |
| Milá Jano, | Dear Jana, |
| Drazí přátelé, | Dear friends, |
Emotional Expressions
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Bože můj! | My God! |
| Dobrý Bože! | Good God! |
| Můj drahý! | My dear! |
| Ubohý člověče! | Poor man! |
Everyday Address
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Mladý muži! | Young man! |
| Milá paní! | Dear lady! |
| Starý příteli! | Old friend! |
Demonstratives
Demonstratives also stay in nominative form:
| Demonstrative | Masc. | Fem. |
|---|---|---|
| ten/ta | ten | ta |
| tento/tato | tento | tato |
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Ty hloupý kluku! | You stupid boy! |
| Ty milá holko! | You sweet girl! |
Summary
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hard adj. | Same as nominative | Milý Petře! |
| Soft adj. | Same as nominative | Cizí muži! |
| Possessive | Same as nominative | Můj drahý! |
| Demonstrative | Same as nominative | Ty hloupý! |
Remember
Only the noun changes in vocative. Adjectives keep their nominative form!