jestli / zda

Indirect Yes-no Question

Level 3

When you want to report a yes-no question (like 'I don't know if he is coming' or 'She asked whether I had time'), Czech uses the conjunctions jestli or zda.

How It Works

1. Register Differences
Both words mean 'whether' and are exact synonyms for indirect questions, but they belong to different registers:

  • Jestli: Neutral, everyday, and highly frequent. It is the default choice for spoken Czech and casual writing.
  • Zda: Formal and written. Used in journalism, academic writing, and official contexts.

2. No Sequence of Tenses
English uses 'backshifting' (e.g., 'He asked if I had time' when the original question was 'Do you have time?'). Czech strictly keeps the original tense: Zeptal se, jestli mám čas.

3. Don't Confuse with Other Words

  • Use že for statements ('I know that...'), but jestli for questions ('I don't know if...').
  • English uses 'if' for both indirect questions and conditions. In Czech, do not use když (when/if) or kdyby + kondicionál (hypothetical if) to introduce an indirect question.

4. Whether... or
When presenting alternatives, use jestli ... nebo in casual contexts and zda ... či in formal contexts (e.g., Nevím, zda přijde, či nikoliv.).

5. Formal Alternatives: Zdali and -li
In literature and highly formal contexts, you might also encounter zdali (a direct synonym of zda) or the enclitic suffix -li attached to the verb. Note that attaching the -li clitic to the verb forces the verb itself to move to the very first position in its clause (e.g., Nevím, přijde-li včas., not Nevím, včas přijde-li.).

Note: While modern spoken Czech frequently uses jestli for real conditional sentences too (e.g., 'If it rains...'), zda can never be used for conditional 'if' sentences. In formal Czech, the correct words for conditional 'if' are pokud, jestliže, or the suffix -li (e.g., Bude-li pršet, zůstaneme doma.).

Examples (4)

  1. Nevím, jestli přijde.

    I don't know if he will come.

    Word by Word: Not-I-know, if comes.

    A standard, everyday indirect question using 'jestli'.

  2. Zeptal se mě, zda mám čas.

    He asked me whether I had time.

    Word by Word: Asked reflexive me, whether I-have time.

    Notice the formal 'zda' and the present tense 'mám' (have) instead of the English past tense 'had'.

  3. Zajímalo by mě, jestli je to pravda.

    I would be curious whether that is true.

    Word by Word: Interested would me, if is it truth.

    A common conversational phrase expressing curiosity or doubt.

  4. Jestli bude pršet, zůstanu doma.

    If it rains, I will stay home.

    Word by Word: If will-be to-rain, I-will-stay at-home.

    In everyday spoken Czech, 'jestli' is also perfectly standard for introducing real conditional clauses.

Common Mistakes

  • Shifting the question into the past when the original question was in the present.

    Different MeaningZeptal se, jestli jsem měl čas.
    Zeptal se, jestli mám čas.

    'Zeptal se, jestli jsem měl čas' is correct, but it reports a past question ('Did you have time?'). Czech does not shift tenses: if he asked 'Máš čas?' (present), the reported question stays present, 'jestli mám čas', even though 'zeptal se' is past.

  • Using 'že' instead of 'jestli' for questions

    Nevím, že to funguje.
    Nevím, jestli to funguje.

    Learners often confuse 'že' (that) and 'jestli' (if/whether). Use 'že' to report a known fact (I know that...), but 'jestli' to report an unknown or a question (I don't know if...).

  • Using 'když' for indirect questions

    Zajímá mě, když přijdeš.
    Zajímá mě, jestli přijdeš.

    Because English uses 'if' for both conditions and indirect questions, learners often try to use 'když' (when/if) for indirect questions. 'Když' cannot introduce an indirect question.

How It Connects

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jestli / zdaLevel 3Indirect Yes-no Question

Learn This First

To learn indirect yes-no questions, you first need to understand how direct yes-no questions work in Czech. Since these questions form subordinate clauses, you must also be familiar with basic verb conjugation and the rules for clitic placement (word order) within those clauses.

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Words in This Pattern

jestlizda