"Když tu knihu přečteš celou, budeš chytřejší."

Translation: If you read that entire book, you will be smarter.

[dsarkarati]

Thanks, Vlada. Is there a notes and tips section that explains the different usages of "jestli", "když", "až", "pokud" and any other words that can be used as "when", "if", "until", "unless"?

[VladaFu]

Probably not, it would be better to try one of the recommended textbooks.

The main difference is that in English IF is a conditional conjunction and WHEN is a temporal conjunction. In Czech POKUD/JESTLI are conditional, but KDYŽ can be both and sometimes it is clear which one it is and sometimes it is not. It differs for different tenses.

Když ho uvidím... If I see him....

Když jsem byl mladý... When I was young...

[dsarkarati]

"When you finish reading the whole book, you will be smarter." Can't "když" be translated as either "if" or "when"?

[VladaFu]

No, here I would use "Až" for "When".

[Erlend304345]

Is když interchangeable with pokud or jestli in this sentence or would that give a different meaning?

[VladaFu]

Here the když has the conditional meaning and pokud or jestli would mean the same.

[Hatch-Slack]

"If you will read that book entirely, you will be smarter." - rejected.

[BoneheadBass]

But, keeping things simple, the sentence uses an adjective modifying a noun --"the/that entire" book -- not an adverb.

[Hatch-Slack]

Isn't it a rule that adjectives have to be next to the described noun? Otherwise, how would you know if it is an adjective or adverb?

[VladaFu]

In Czech, adjectives and adverbs are clearly different. Adjectives are declined and "celou" is feminine accusative singular. An adverb would be úplně, docela, zcela.

[Hatch-Slack]

Thank you for the answer. But are we talking here about ”větní člen” as about "slovní druh"? In this case, "Přívlastek" as "Přídavné jméno"? A "chapter" about syntax would be very useful for this course. :)

[VladaFu]

This is about slovní druh, so adverb=příslovce and adjective=přídavné jméno.

Přívlastek is informally often called an adjective too, but correctly it is a modifier. Adverbs are (among other ways) used to form adverbials (příslovečná určení).

[Julia491195]

Since "celou" is a complement in this sentence, is it possible that it's in Instrumental case?

[Yaliyou]

Jde "if you read through the whole book, you will be smarter"? 'Přečíst' znamená 'read through', ano?

[VladaFu]

Možná spíš pročíst. Možná by přidat šlo, ale nevidím v tom moc smysl.

[Franta540714]

Ahoj, Vlado. I don't understand the logic of separating the noun clause "that entire book" with the verb. Isn't it usual to keep all the relevant adjectives with the noun? Is this a
common construction in Czech? (My Czech tutor is on holiday and I can't ask her to explain this.)

[VladaFu]

Celou is a complement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complement_(linguistics) in this sentence, it is not just an attribute of the noun (kniha), it does expand the object kniha but it is also expands the predicate (the verb přečíst). It also exist in English, but in different sentences (see the link).