Zvanými

Zvanými is a Czech grammatical form used as the instrumental plural of the adjective or past participle zvaný, which stems from the verb zvat (to invite, to call). In English it corresponds to “invited” or “called” in a plural instrumental context. Because Czech adjectives and participles agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and case, zvanými appears with plural nouns in the instrumental case.

Morphology and usage

As instrumental plural, zvanými applies to masculine, feminine, and neuter nouns when they are used in the plural with prepositions that govern the instrumental case, or in certain predicative or attributive positions. Examples include phrases such as s zvanými hosty (with invited guests) or mezi zvanými osobami (among the invited persons). The form thus marks that the described group has the characteristic of being invited or called in the sense conveyed by the context.

Meaning and nuance

Zvaný generally carries the sense of being named or called, while zváný and pozvaný can carry nuances related to being summoned, invited, or designated. Zvanými, specifically, signals the instrumental case and is tied to the plural noun it modifies; the exact meaning—invited, called, or named—depends on the broader sentence and verb or noun it relates to.

See also

zvaný, pozvaný, zvát, zvany (variants in other contexts).