že

Content Clause with Že

Level 3

The conjunction že is the Czech equivalent of the English word that. It is used to connect a main clause to a subordinate clause, usually to report a fact, a thought, or something someone said.

How It Works

When building sentences with že, there are two major grammatical rules to keep in mind: clitic placement and tense retention.

1. Clitic Placement
Because že is the first word of the subordinate clause, any second-position clitics (unstressed pronouns and auxiliaries like se, si, mu, to, jsem) must cluster immediately after it in a strict internal order: Auxiliary → Reflexive (se/si) → Dative → Accusative. Keep in mind that the third-person past tense lacks an auxiliary verb, so the cluster will start directly with the reflexive or object pronoun. Note that in spoken or informal Czech, the second-person singular auxiliary jsi often fuses directly with že to form žes. While formal written Czech generally requires keeping them separate as že jsi, there is a mandatory exception for reflexive verbs: the auxiliary jsi and the reflexive pronouns se/si must fuse into ses/sis (e.g., že ses, never že jsi se).
Examples:
Vím, že by se mu to snažil vysvětlit. (I know that he would try to explain it to him.)
Vím, že se mu to snažil vysvětlit. (I know that he tried to explain it to him. – 3rd person past, no auxiliary)
Vím, žes to udělal. (I know that you did it. – informal)
Vím, že jsi to udělal. (I know that you did it. – formal)
Vím, že ses ptal. (I know that you asked. – formal/standard)

2. No Sequence of Tenses
English shifts tenses in reported speech (e.g., 'He said he was tired'). Czech strictly retains the original tense of the speaker. If someone says 'I am tired' (Jsem unavený), you report it in the present tense: Řekl, že je unavený.

Important Distinctions:

  • Use že for declarative statements and facts.
  • Use jestli / zda for reported yes/no questions (if/whether).
  • Use aby (which conjugates for person and number: abych, abys, aby, abychom, abyste) + past-tense form (l-participle) for reported commands or desires (so that/to).

Examples (4)

  1. Myslím, že máš pravdu.

    I think that you are right.

    Word by Word: I think, that you have truth.

    A standard declarative clause introduced by 'že' after a verb of thinking.

  2. Řekl mi, že nemá čas.

    He told me that he didn't have time.

    Word by Word: He told me, that he does not have time.

    Notice that Czech uses the present tense (nemá) because he didn't have time at the moment he spoke.

  3. Vím, že se mu to snažil vysvětlit.

    I know that he tried to explain it to him.

    Word by Word: I know, that self to him it he tried to explain.

    The clitics 'se', 'mu', and 'to' must immediately follow 'že' in the second position of the subordinate clause.

  4. Slyšel jsem, že je nemocná.

    I heard that she was sick.

    Word by Word: Heard I have, that she is sick.

    Another example of tense retention. English uses 'was', but Czech uses the present tense 'je' to reflect the original situation.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the conjunction and the comma.

    Vím on je tady.
    Vím, že je tady.

    In English, you can drop 'that' (I know he is here). In Czech, the comma and the conjunction 'že' are strictly obligatory.

  • Shifting the tense back in reported speech.

    Different MeaningŘekl, že byl unavený.
    Řekl, že je unavený.

    'Řekl, že byl unavený' is correct, but it means 'He said he had been tired' (earlier). To report 'He said he was tired' (tired as he spoke), Czech keeps the present: 'Řekl, že je unavený'.

How It Connects

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žeLevel 3Content Clause with Že

Learn This First

To use 'že' (that) correctly, a learner needs to be comfortable with basic sentence structure and verb conjugation. Most importantly, they must understand how clitics (like 'se', 'si', or 'jsem') behave in subordinate clauses, as these words must cluster in the second position immediately after the conjunction 'že'.

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