Chýb

Chýb is the genitive plural form of the Slovak noun chyba, meaning a mistake, fault, deficiency, or absence. It denotes multiple errors or defects and appears primarily after numerals and quantifiers, where the noun takes the genitive plural form.

In Slovak grammar, chýb is used after numerals five and higher, for example päť chýb (five errors), desať chýb (ten errors). It also occurs with phrases such as mnoho chýb (many errors) or počet chýb (the number of errors). The base form chyba has the nominative singular chyba and the nominative plural chyby (errors), whereas chýb is specifically the genitive plural used in counting and certain constructions.

Usage and meaning across contexts are broad but centered on the idea of missing, incorrect, or defective aspects in texts, data, equipment, or procedures. Examples include proofreading, where the text may contain päť chýb, software testing that reveals mnoho chýb, or quality control noting a high počet chýb in a batch. The term can also appear in abstract senses, such as describing deficiencies in systems or processes.

In comparison with related languages, Czech uses chýb as a genitive plural of chyba in similar contexts, while Czech uses chyb in certain constructions, reflecting parallel Slavic declension patterns. The Slovak form chýb thus functions as a grammatical tool for expressing quantity of errors, defects, or missing elements in a sentence.