"What is a car?"
Translation:Co je automobil?
7 Comments
"Co" is simply "what" -- asking for identification or definition, kind of. "Jaký" in its various forms would be "what KIND of...", more like asking for a description.
187
The question "jake je auto?" would be posed to find out the condition of a certain car. E.g., "Dad, I got in an accident, but me and Jimmy are ok." "Zaplat pan Buh; no, jake je automobil? (thank God; but how is the car)"
Your example wouldn't work.
"Jaký" means 'what kind of?, what ... like?' and similar.
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The preferred answer is "co je automobil", though equally correct is "co automobil je" given the Czech language's non-reliance on strict syntax. Call me wrong, but I'm right on this one.
While Czech has a rather flexible word order, it certainly does have some rules regarding it. Please consult one of the recommended resources. Your proposed answer is almost ridiculously unnatural.
