Krátke

Krátke is an inflected form of the Slovak adjective krátky, meaning short. In Slovak, adjectives agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case, and krátke appears in several grammatical environments.

The form krátke is typically used with neuter singular nouns and with feminine plural nouns in standard word order. It also commonly appears in phrases describing size or duration, where the noun requires the neuter singular or feminine plural ending. For example, krátke obdobie means a short period, and krátke vlasy refers to short hair. Another common usage is with feminine plural nouns such as krátke šaty, meaning short dresses.

In addition to its Slovak usage, cognate forms appear in related Slavic languages, such as Czech krátké, which fulfills a similar grammatical function for neuter singular and feminine plural contexts. The underlying root krátky is widely understood across the languages of the region as meaning short or brief.

Notes for learners: as with many Slovak adjectives, the exact form of krátky changes with the noun’s gender, number, and case. Krátke is just one of several inflected forms, used most prominently with neuter singular and feminine plural nouns. Understanding its usage comes best from observing common phrases in everyday speech and writing.