Liking and Preferring with 'rád' — Czech Grammar

Czech has no ordinary verb for to like. It uses a small word, , which behaves like an adjective and agrees with the person doing the liking. Its forms are , , in the singular and , in the plural.

Jsem rád.
I'm glad. (a man speaking)
Jsem ráda.
I'm glad. (a woman speaking)

Liking a Thing: mít rád

To like a person or a thing, combine with and put the thing liked in the accusative. agrees with the subject, not with what is liked, so it is the speaker's gender that shows.

Mám rád kávu.
I like coffee.
Mám ráda všechny filmy.
I like all films.
Máme rádi Prahu.
We like Prague.

Liking an Activity

To say you like doing something, drop and put next to an ordinary verb. The word still agrees with the subject.

Rád čtu knihy.
I like reading books.
Ráda spí dlouho.
She likes sleeping late.

Preferring: raději

The comparative of is , and unlike it does not change its form. With it means to prefer a thing; with a plain verb it means to prefer doing something. The superlative says what you like most of all.

Mám raději sladký popcorn.
I prefer sweet popcorn.
Raději bych zůstal doma.
I'd rather stay at home.
Nejraději plavu.
What I like best is swimming.

Would Like

With the conditional, makes a polite wish, and it is the commonest way of ordering or asking for something.

Rád bych kávu.
I'd like a coffee.

Negation

is the negative and it agrees just as does. It says you dislike the thing rather than merely failing to like it.

Nerada vařím.
I don't like cooking.

Pleased to Have Done Something

In the past, reports being glad about what happened, and it is the standard phrase on being introduced to someone.

Rád jsem vás poznal.
Pleased to have met you.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Czech course

9 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 32. A few of them, with the words “Liking and Preferring with 'rád'” is about in bold:

Mám je rád a ony mě mají rády.
I love them and they love me.
Lesson 32
Ráda bych, abys byl šetrnější.
I wish you were more frugal.
Lesson 328

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