malými

Malými is the instrumental plural form of the Czech and Slovak adjective malý, meaning "small" or "little." This form is used with plural nouns in the instrumental case, typically after prepositions that require the instrumental, such as s (with), bez (without), or po (after/by). Examples include s malými dětmi (with small children), malými kroky (by small steps), and bez malých chyb (without small mistakes). The same form appears in both Czech and Slovak, reflecting their shared grammar for adjectives in the plural instrumental.

Morphology and usage notes:

- Malými is a plural form and can modify masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns in the instrumental case.

- It is not a standalone noun; rather, it functions as an adjective form that describes the plural noun it accompanies.

- The spelling remains malými in both Czech and Slovak; diacritics align with the standard orthography of each language.

Etymology:

- The word malý comes from a common Slavic root meaning "small." It has cognates in several Slavic languages, for example Russian малый (malyy), Polish mały, and Ukrainian малий (malyi).

See also:

- malý (the masculine singular form)

- mały (Polish cognate)

- related adjectives in Czech and Slovak with plural instrumental forms

Malými thus serves as a specific grammatical form used to describe multiple items in the instrumental case in Czech and Slovak, rather than representing a separate lexical entry.