"Are you looking for my goat?"

Translation: Hledáte mou kozu?

[balint.ala]

Mohlo to být "hledáte mého kozla?"

[AgnusOinas]

It could if you're asking whether they're looking for a billy goat. I guess the English word "goat" can easily refer to both sexes.

[VladaFu]

koza as a biological species can mean both sexes as well, but kozel is quite specific and the implication will be similar to using the specific name for the male sex in English.

[Johnystar_CZ]

Mělo by se akceptovat "Koukáš se po mé koze?".

[ValaCZE]

Nemělo "Koukat se" je look AT

[Johnystar_CZ]

To sice ano, ale "are you trying to find..." by klidně mohlo dle významu být přeloženo jako "koukáš se po..." také.

[ValaCZE]

"are you trying to find.. - je spíš snažíš se najít.., takže podle pravidel Dua je to jiná věta. Navíc máme limitovaný počet překladů, takže ty méně obvyklé vynecháváme.

[imaldastar]

why can't i use "moji kozu hledáš?"

[VladaFu]

Well, you can find an example of almost anything, but it is pretty unnatural. But as an affirmative sentence stressing moji kozu it would be possible. I hesitate to accept it though as it would just confuse people learning the correct word order.

[imaldastar]

thanks for always giving such good explanations :). i think i got confused because someone in the comments on another lesson (i have no idea which one) wrote that we should put the most important thing (which i thought meant the subject?) first. it was probably for something more specific but i just forgot.

[VladaFu]

Actually, most often the most stressed part of speech is at the end. Not always though and the rule is mostly for declarative sentences, not questions. For questions the object will normally follow the verb. The subject, if present, will be at the begining or at the and if it is the thing you are asking about: Hledáš tu kozu ty? I am asking if it is you who is looking for the already mentioned goat (or someone else).

[imaldastar]

great, thanks so much!

[Lizette597580]

Hledaš můj kozu was incorrect, i guess kozu is feminine then? How could i have known that?

[AgnusOinas]

You learn that... gradually.

Also, to use "můj" in the accusative, "koza" would have to be masculine inanimate and that's not possible for an animal.

For masculine animate, the accusative is "mého".

• Hledáš mého koně? - Are you looking for my horse? (masc. anim.)
• Hledáš můj počítač? - Are you looking for my computer? (masc. inanim.)
• Hledáš mou/moji kočku? - Are you looking for my cat? (fem.)
• Hledáš mé/moje auto? - Are you looking for my car? (neuter)