jeden / jedna / jedno
One by Gender
jeden stôl, jedna káva, jedno pivo. The number one matches the noun.
How It Works
Subject forms
- Masculine: jeden stôl, jeden brat
- Feminine: jedna káva, jedna sestra
- Neuter: jedno pivo, jedno auto
Check the gender with Noun Gender.
Object forms (accusative)
- Feminine: Prosím si jednu kávu. (I'd like one coffee.)
- Masculine animate: Mám jedného brata. (I have one brother.)
- Masculine inanimate: Jeden lístok, prosím. (One ticket, please.) No change.
- Neuter: Jedno pivo, prosím. No change.
This follows the same accusative rules as nouns: see Feminine Accusative in -u and Masculine Animate Accusative in -a.
Counting
When you just count, use jeden: jeden, dva, tri. For a quick count or a command, Slovaks also say raz, dva, tri.
Other uses
- Jeden can mean a certain or a: Bol raz jeden kráľ. (Once upon a time there was a king.)
- With nouns that exist only in the plural, use jedny: jedny nohavice (one pair of trousers). See Plural-Only Nouns.
Examples (6)
- Jedno pivo a jednu kávu, prosím.
One beer and one coffee, please.
Word by Word: One beer and one coffee, please.
Káva is feminine, so the object form is jednu kávu.
- Mám jedného brata a jednu sestru.
I have one brother and one sister.
Word by Word: I-have one brother and one sister.
Both are objects: jedného for a masculine animate noun, jednu for a feminine noun.
- Jeden lístok do Košíc, prosím.
One ticket to Košice, please.
Word by Word: One ticket to Košice, please.
- Na stole je jedna kniha.
There is one book on the table.
Word by Word: On table is one book.
- Počkaj jednu minútu.
Wait one minute.
Word by Word: Wait one minute.
- Bol raz jeden kráľ.
Once upon a time there was a king.
Word by Word: Was once one king.
Here jeden means a certain.
Common Mistakes
Using jeden with a feminine noun.
jeden kávajedna kávaKáva is feminine, so one is jedna.
Using jeden with a neuter noun.
jeden pivojedno pivoPivo is neuter, so one is jedno.
Forgetting the object form.
Mám jeden brat.Mám jedného brata.Brat is a masculine animate object, so both words change: jedného brata.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before One by Gender, learn Counting Numbers and Adjective Agreement. jeden is the number one. jeden, jedna and jedno agree in gender like adjectives.
Related Patterns
- Noun Gender
The gender of the noun decides between jeden, jedna and jedno.
Level 1 - dva / dveTwo by Gender
Two also has gender forms.
Level 2 - ten / tá / toThat One by Gender
Ten, tá and to change for gender in the same way.
Level 1 - -uFeminine Accusative in -u
Jedna becomes jednu in the accusative, like káva becomes kávu.
Level 1 - -aMasculine Animate Accusative in -a
Jeden becomes jedného with masculine animate objects.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice jeden / jedna / jedno in Bubblegum
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