první

První is a Czech word meaning "first." Grammatically, it functions as an adjective and adverb, used to mark order in a sequence, to describe the earliest instance, or to form compound phrases such as "první den" (the first day) or "první kapitola" (the first chapter). In writing, it agrees with the noun in gender and number.

It derives from a common Slavic root prv-, meaning "first," and is cognate with related forms in other Slavic languages, such as Russian первый (pervyj), Slovak prvý, and Polish pierwszy.

In historical and cultural usage, První appears in well-known expressions such as První světová válka (First World War) and První republika (the Czechoslovak First Republic). The term is also used in modern Czech to denote the leading or initial version of things, for example in phrases like "první krok" (the first step) or "první etapa" (the first stage).

In toponymy, První occasionally occurs as part of place names or as a distinguishing element in multi-part local names, indicating the first settlement or a primary section relative to other nearby places. The form is also used in headlines and administrative designations to signal priority or sequence.

Notes: První is the standard Czech spelling; in other Slavic languages the form varies (e.g., prvý in Slovak, первый in Russian).