náct

The term "náct" is a Czech diminutive suffix used to indicate a number between eleven and nineteen. It is derived from the word "deset," meaning ten. When attached to a cardinal number from one to nine, it forms the numbers eleven through nineteen. For example, "jeden" (one) becomes "jedenáct" (eleven), "dva" (two) becomes "dvanáct" (twelve), and "devět" (nine) becomes "devatenáct" (nineteen). This grammatical structure is a common feature of Slavic languages. The numbers formed with the "náct" suffix are irregular in their formation compared to the larger tens and hundreds, and do not follow a simple additive pattern. Understanding this suffix is crucial for comprehending basic counting and numerical vocabulary in Czech. The concept of these specific numbers having a distinct linguistic form reflects a common pattern in language development where numbers in this range are often treated as a separate category.