líný

líný is a native Czech adjective meaning lazy or indolent. It is used to describe people, animals, or actions that lack energy or willingness to work. The standard forms are masculine líný, feminine líná, neuter líné, and the word is widely understood across Czech-speaking regions.

In inflected use, the comparative is línější and the superlative nejlínější. The word can be used predicatively with the verb být (to be) or attributively before a noun: "Ten muž je líný" (That man is lazy) or "líný muž" (a lazy man). The expression is common in everyday speech and can carry a light, humorous tone depending on context.

Examples include: "On je líný." (He is lazy.) "Ta žena je líná." (That woman is lazy.) "Líný den se táhne." (A lazy day drags on.) These usages illustrate how líný functions as a straightforward descriptor in both formal and informal Czech prose.

The precise etymology of líný is not fully settled. It is a native Czech term, with cognates in related Slavic languages such as Slovak and Polish forms describing laziness, though the exact historical development of the Czech form remains a matter of linguistic discussion. The related noun for laziness is lenost, and the verb lenivět means "to become lazy," reflecting the broader semantic field around inactivity.

In usage, líný often carries a colloquial or mildly humorous nuance. It contrasts with synonyms such as pracovitý (hardworking) and energický (energetic). In literature and media, it appears in dialogues and character sketches to signal a person’s reluctance to exert effort.