ABSTRACT
Many Czech words can be analyzed into three elements: prefix + root + suffix. Sometimes certain sounds regularly alternate in words derived from the same root. For recognizing the meaning and derivation of nouns and adjectives knowledge of suffixes is particularly useful. Prefixes are particularly typical of verb derivation. Those attached to nouns and adjectives are often part of the verb from which they are derived. Czech personal nouns usually have separate male and female forms. Most masculine suffixes produce animate nouns; some also produce inanimates. Many common personal names have familiar shortened variants with the suffix -a. They also have diminutives, often several of these. Verbs are formed from other simpler verbs using prefixes and suffixes. Compound verbs are derived from simple verbs using prefixes. Verb prefixes and suffixes are both involved in the formation of aspectual pairs.
