"Is he not a boy?"

Translation: On není chlapec?

[Bohuslav1]

Why do we need the pronoun?

[ValaCZE]

To emphasize that we talk about a boy.

[Bohuslav1]

But surely "chlapec" does that? Isn't "Není chlapec" enough?

[David_Sarif]

If the English sentence emphasizes the fact that we are asking about a boy, e.g "Is HE not a boy?" instead of softer "Isn't he a boy?", you should use "On není chlapec?"

[Bohuslav1]

But if you're not emphasising "is HE...", is it not the case that you don't need to use "on"? If so "Není chlapec" should surely be marked as a correct answer?

[Bohuslav1]

There is no indication in the English sentence of any emphasis.

[David_Sarif]

If you are not emphasizing, then "Není chlapec?" would be correct. But this sentence is emphasizing it.

[Alice805457]

My answer of "Není hoch?" was accepted as correct.

[leeetje]

You can perfectly say in Cz "Není chlapec?" and mean "Is he not a boy?". Czech people seldom use on or ona, only if they emphasize it. If that is the case here, you cannot know from the written language.

Please, duolingo, stay out of these controversies. I want to advance in this course because my Czech language level is already moderate and i am stuck here because of these discussions. Není to žadna legrace!

[ThomasMcKe411894]

I could use whatever help I can get from fluent Czech speakers.

[Filomena.Prvni]

"On není chlapcem?" is right too.

[VladaFu]

Striktně vzato je to substandardní, případně polonizmus. Ale pro cizince asi jakz takz OK.

[goldregenb]

Could I have that in English please.

[VladaFu]

It sounds a bit unnatural, or a polonism, but I would accept that from the mouth of a foreigner.

[AlexDurant1]

Why is "Je on není kluk?" incorrect?

[VladaFu]

on je - he is

on není - he isn't

You can't have both.

[OscarJaraV]

And how about " On neje a Kluk?" is it also ok?

[BoneheadBass]

No. Není is the negative form of je. But kluk is accepted in place of chlapec. As in, for example, "On není kluk?"

[Janmunroe]

I said "Neni kluk". Correct too?

[BoneheadBass]

"Není kluk?" is also accepted.

[Matous_Chalupa]

if i were to ask, "is he a boy?" can I say, "Je kluk?" or is that missing a preposition?