Kratkou

Kratkou is the instrumental singular feminine form of the Czech and Slovak adjective krátký, meaning "short." It is used before feminine nouns in the instrumental case to describe something done briefly or to indicate a short duration. Common examples include krátkou cestou (by a short route) and krátkou dobu (for a short time). In ordinary prose, the form appears when the adjective modifies a feminine noun in contexts that require the instrumental case.

Etymology and cognates: The form derives from the Proto-Slavic root krat- meaning "short." Related words appear across Slavic languages, such as Russian краткий (kratkiy), Polish krótki, and Slovene kratek, all sharing the same semantic core of brevity or conciseness. The exact inflectional ending of kratkou reflects the feminine instrumental pattern characteristic of Czech and Slovak grammar.

Usage notes: kratkou is not typically listed as a standalone headword in dictionaries; it functions as an inflected variant of krátký. When diacritics are removed in text or input systems, krátký can appear as kratkou in the instrumental feminine singular form. The form is largely confined to Czech and Slovak grammar, though learners may encounter it in translations or studies of related Slavic languages.

See also: krátký, krátký, kratkostní forms, Slavic adjective inflection.

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