rodný

Rodné is an adjective used in Czech and Slovak to denote birth, native origin, or a relationship to birth or lineage. In everyday and official terms, it appears most often in fixed compound expressions that describe something connected to a person’s birth or origins.

In civil and genealogical language, rodné compounds are common. Examples include rodné číslo, the personal identification number used by citizens; rodný list, a birth certificate; and rodné jméno or rodné priezvisko, referring to a birth name or maiden name. The term is also found in phrases describing native origin or language, such as rodný jazyk (native language) or, in broader senses, rodná země or rodné město (birthplace in various contexts).

Etymologically, rodné derives from a Slavic root associated with birth, kin, and lineage. It functions as a descriptive element that links a noun to its birth-related or native attribute. The exact nuance can vary with the noun it modifies, and the form adapts according to standard gender and case rules of Czech and Slovak.

Rodné is primarily a component of official terminology and genealogical writing, but its usage also appears in general descriptions of origin, lineage, or language. It is part of a broader family of terms built from the root rod, which encompasses notions of family, origin, and inheritance.

See also: rodné číslo, rodný list, rodné jméno, rodný jazyk.