Subject Sb

INFO SB

First, in the part Definition of subject we shall explain what is subject (Sb) and define it.

The main contents of this section consist of the part Expression of a subject, subdivided according to individual types of expression of a subject. Sb can be expressed by a noun in nominative (Subject expressed by a noun in nominative), an adjective (Subject expressed by an adjective), a pronoun (Subject expressed by a pronoun), a relative pronoun (Subject expressed by a relative pronoun), an inflexible word (Subject expressed by an inflexible word), a quotation (Subject expressed by a quotation), a genitive of negation (Subject expressed by genitive of negation), a partitive genitive (Subject expressed by partitive genitive), a genitive possessive by origin (Subject expressed by a genitive possessive by origin), a prepositional case (Subject expressed by a prepositional case), a numeral (Subject expressed by a numeral), an infinitive (Subject expressed by infinitive), a subordinate clause introduced by a relative pronoun (Subject expressed by a subordinate clause introduced by a relative pronoun), a subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction (Subject expressed by a subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction), a dative (Subject expressed by dative), a pronoun což (what) in a pseudo-relative clause (Subject expressed by the pronoun což (what, which) in a pseudo-relative clause), or it can be introduced by the conjunction než (than) (Subject introduced by the conjunction než (than, but)).

In conclusion, in the part Possible confusion of subject and object, some attention is devoted to mutual substitution of functions Sb and Obj in problematic constructions.

Definition of subject

INFO SB

Subject of a clause can be represented by practically any construction to which the question who (what) can be applied. A subject always depends on the predicate, which means that it technically depends on the node which bears afun Pred in the main sentence and the function of subordinate clause in such a construction (see the part Delimitation of the predicate). If an apparent subject 'stands out' of the sentence (e.g., Voda, to je základ mlékaření - Water, that's the basis of dairying), its expression is regarded as a parenthesis (see A syntactially non-incorporated sentence part or sentential form; ellipsis; an independent sentence part; vocative; interjection Exd_Pa).

Expression of a subject

INFO SB

Subject is as a rule expressed by a noun or a pronoun in nominative, but it can also be expressed by any other part of speech.

Subject expressed by a noun in nominative

INFO SB

The expression of Sb is emphasized:

Tonda   nese   pivo  
Tony   brings   beer  

Subject expressed by an adjective

INFO SB

The expression concerned is emphasized:

  1. jeho   blízcí   žijí  
    his   relatives   live  

  2. i   nejchytřejší   může   ztratit   filipa  
    even   the-cleverest   can   lose   brains  

Subject expressed by a pronoun

INFO SB

The expression of Sb is emphasized (also in the examples below):

  1. je   to   podobné  
    is   it   similar  
    it is similar

  2. někteří   resignují   sami,   jiní   odejdou   s   ostudou  
    some   resign   themselves   others   leave   with   disgrace  

  3. nezměnilo   se   nic  
    not-changed   Refl.   nothing  
    nothing has changed

  4. nastalo   něco   jako   jeho   pomalá   smrt  
    occurred   something   like   his   slow   death  

  5. někdo   se   rád   směje  
    someone   Refl.   likes   to-laugh  

  6. ta   moje   chodí   pozdě  
    the   mine   comes   late  

Subject expressed by a relative pronoun

INFO SB

člověk,   který   nejí   zemře  
man   who   not-eats   dies  

Subject expressed by an inflexible word

INFO SB

  1. žádné   napřesrok     nebude  
    no   next-year   any-more   will-not-be  

  2. jeho   ano   neznělo   přesvědčivě  
    his   yes   did-not-sound   convincing  

  3. rozvážné   pst   zvládlo   situaci  
    sensible   pst   got-in-hand   situation  

Subject expressed by a quotation

INFO SB

  1. v   knize   stálo   :   miluj  
    in   book   was-written   :   love  
    Love! was written in the book

  2. v   kinech   se   hrálo   "   Cikáni   jdou   do   nebe   "  
    in   movies   Refl.   played   "   gipsies   go   to   heaven   "  
    "The gipsies are on their way to heaven" was on in the movies

  3. na   škole   stálo   napsáno   :   rychle   uteč.  
    on   school   was   written   :   quickly   run-away  
    there was an inscription on the school: run away quick

Subject expressed by genitive of negation

INFO SB

  1. po   ráně   ani   památky   nezůstalo  
    of   wound   any   vestige-Gen   remained  
    of the wound not a vestige remained

  2. neuplyne   klidného   dne  
    not-pass   peaceful   day-Gen  
    not a peaceful day would pass off

  3. není   třeba   ekonomického   vzdělání  
    is-not   necessary   economic   education  
    there is no need for economic education

  4. nikde   nebylo   jediného   světla  
    nowhere   was-not   single   light-Gen  
    not one single light appeared

  5. není   sporu   o   tom,   že   není   vody  
    is-not   doubt   about   it   that   is-not   water-Gen  
    there is no denying that there is no water

  6. nebýt   Honzy,   nejedli   bychom  
    were-not   John-Gen   we-not-eat   would  
    if it were not for John, we would not eat

Subject expressed by partitive genitive

INFO SB

  1. peněz   ubylo  
    money-Gen   has-run-low  

  2. vody   přibylo  
    water-Gen   has-risen  

  3. bylo   zapotřebí   řady   měsíců   naléhání  
    was   necessary   numbers   months-Gen   of-insistence  
    numbers of months of insistence were necessary

  4. dostávalo   se   lékařské   péče  
    was-available   Refl.   medical   care-Gen  
    medical care was available

  5. ze   stromů   napadalo   jablek  
    from   trees   dropped   apples-Gen  
    apples have dropped from the trees

Mind! A partitive genitive can figure as Sb unless there is a quantitative modification governing it: then the governing node of this modification is the Sb, while the genitive forms are its Atr (cf. ze stromů napadalo hodně jablek - plenty of apples have dropped from the trees). This problem is treated in more detail in Genitive in the function of Sb, Obj and in the function of their Atr.

Subject expressed by a genitive possessive by origin

INFO SB

  1. přišli   k   nám   důchodních  
    came   to   us   officials-Gen  
    lit.: the inland-revenue officials' [i.e. the official with his wife] have arrived

Subject expressed by a prepositional case

INFO SB

Prepositional cases with partitive, approximative meanings are concerned.

  1. lampy   rozžehlo   na   sta   mušek  
    lamps-Acc   lighted   about   hundreds   of-fireflies  
    hundreds of fireflies lighted up their lamps

  2. na   každém   rohu   bylo   po   hospodě  
    at   each   corner   was   by   pub  
    there was a pub at each corner

  3. odešlo   ke   dvaceti   lidem  
    left   towards   twenty   people  
    towards twenty people have left

  4. napadlo   přes   půl   metru   sněhu  
    it-fell   over   half   meter   of-snow  
    it made over half a meter of snow

  5. kolem   třetiny   obyvatelstva   kouří  
    about   one-third   of-population   smokes  

Subject expressed by a numeral

INFO SB

For more detailed information see Expression with numerals, figures in different functions, and also Phrases of comparison with conjunctions jako (as), než (than).

  1. dva   tisíce   křesťanů   souhlasí  
    two   thousand   of-Christians   agree  

  2. ani   jedna   ze   dvou   zón   nebyla   uzavřena  
    not   one   of   two   zones   was-not   closed  
    neither of the two zones was closed

  3. lidí   chodí   méně   než   loni  
    people-Gen   come   less   than   last-year  
    less people are coming than last year

  4. nerodí   se   mnoho   dětí  
    not-born   Refl   many   children  
    not many children are born

  5. kolik   z   nás     čisté   svědomí  
    how-many   of   us   have   clear   conscience  

  6. zbývá   více   než   šest   mužů  
    is-left   more   than   six   men  
    there are more than six men left

  7. zbývá   mu   více   jablek   než   hrušek  
    is-left   him   more   apples   than   pears  
    he has more apples left than pears

  8. nezbývá   mu   nic   jiného   než   mlčet  
    is-not-left   him   nothing   else   than   to-be-silent  
    he has no other choice but to keep silent

Subject expressed by infinitive

INFO SB

  1. jíst   je   obřad  
    to-eat   is   ceremony  

  2. lze   odejít  
    is-possible   to-leave  
    one can leave

  3. je   hloupé   odjíždět  
    is   stupid   to-depart  

  4. podařilo   se   odstartovat   závod  
    succeeded   Refl   to-start   race  
    they succeeded in getting the race started

Note

The word lze is a syntactic verb and it forms a simple verbal predicate (the part Simple verbal predicate), consequently it does not represent a modal verb (part Compound verbal predicate) and the infinitive here can fulfil the function of a subject.

Subject expressed by a subordinate clause introduced by a relative pronoun

INFO SB

kdo   se   bojí,   nesmí   do   lesa  
who   Refl   is-frightened   must-not   to   wood  
whoever is frightened, must not enter a wood

Subject expressed by a subordinate clause introduced by a conjunction

INFO SB

A subject clause can be introduced by conjunctions že, aby, -li, zda, jak, když (that, so that, if, whether, how ...).

  1. štve   mě,   jak   to   jde   pomalu  
    irritates   me   how   it   proceeds   slowly  
    it irritates me how slowly it proceeds

  2.   se   vytušit,   jak   litují  
    is-possible   Refl   to-imagine   how   they-regret  
    it can be imagined how they regret

  3. je   nejisté,   zda   vláda   skutečně   chce  
    is   uncertain   whether   government   really   wants  
    it is uncertain whether the government is really willing

  4. není   rozumné,   když   se   nás   straní  
    is-not   reasonable   when   Refl   us   s/he-keeps-away  
    it is not within reason when (s/he) is keeping away from us

  5. zdá   se,   že   začneme  
    seems   Refl   that   we-start  
    it seems that we are going to start

  6. je   nesmyslné,   půjdou-li   tam   všichni  
    is   nonsensical   if-they-go   there   all  
    it is a nonsense if they go there all

  7. je   hloupé,   aby   zůstal  
    is   stupid   that   he-stayed  
    it is stupid that he may stay

  8. nelze,   aby   odešel  
    is-impossible   that   he-left  
    it is impossible that he leaves

  9. je   možné,   že   neodejde  
    is   possible   that   s/he-does-not-leave  
    it is possible that s/he does not leave

Subject expressed by dative

INFO SB

  1. obdobně   tomu   bude   doma  
    similarly   it-Dat   will-be   at-home  
    it will be similar at home

  2. je   tomu   tak  
    is   it-Dat   so  
    that is the way it is

Subject expressed by the pronoun což (what, which) in a pseudo-relative clause

Conjunction of sentences of which the second is introduced by relative pronoun což is regarded as a coordination where the což in the second sentence is considered as the sentence member for which it stands (see part Coordination in sentences with což (which), přičemž (whilst)).

ubylo   běhání   po   úřadech,   což   mnohé   zdržovalo  
it-diminished   running   about   offices   which   many   detained  
some running about offices has dropped off, which had been wasting time of many (people/things?)

Subject introduced by the conjunction než (than, but)

INFO SB

nezbývá   než   čekat  
it-doesn't-remain   but   to-wait  
there is no other choice but to wait

Possible confusion of subject and object

INFO SB

In assigning analytical functions Sb and Obj a confusion often is present, especially in:

  • passive constructions

    ruší   se   udělování (=Sb)   medailí  
    is-cancelled   Refl   awarding   of-medals  
    awarding medals is discontinued

  • predicative constructions in which subject is expressed by infinitive

    na   důkaz   stačí   zapnout (=Sb)   televizor  
    as   evidence   suffices   to-turn-on   television  

  • cases where subject is expressed by a sentence

    z   toho   vyplývá,   že   půjdu (=Sb)   spát  
    from   that   follows   that   I-am-going   to-sleep  

In case of doubt a simple test can be used - to introduce a feminine noun of the paradigm žena, where the forms of nominative and accusative are different. E.g., in the sentence Hitlerovi se nepodařilo tisíciletou říši ustavit (Hitler failed to establish the thousand-years empire) the word ustavit (establish) functions as subject - it can be said žena-Nom se podařila, not ženu-Acc se podařila. Similarly also in other examples:

  1. nalezly se finance -- nalezla se žena-Nom (funds have been found -- a woman has been found)

  2. uvádí se, že Tibet je okupován -- uvádí se pravda-Nom (it is claimed that Tibet has been occupied -- truth is claimed)

  3. navrhuje se, aby přídavky činily... -- navrhuje se kravina-Nom (it is suggested that the bonuses make up...a nonsense is suggested)

  4. konstatuje se, že je vše v pořádku -- konstatuje se nepravda-Nom (it is stated that everything is OK -- untruth is stated)