splátkou

Splátkou is the instrumental singular form of the Czech noun splátka, which denotes an installment payment in the repayment of a debt. The base noun splátka refers to a portion of the amount owed that is due at a scheduled time. In everyday and formal language, splátkou is used to express the manner of payment or the instrument by which a debt is settled, for example: platit splátkou or dluh se splácí splátkou.

Usage and context: A splátka is typically part of a loan, mortgage, credit line, or installment purchase (splátkový prodej). The terms of installments—amount, frequency, and number of payments—are specified in loan agreements. The plural form splátky denotes multiple installments, and splátkou is used in instrumental constructions; other forms include splátku (accusative) and splátek (genitive plural). The related process is splácení, the act of repaying.

In contractual contexts, the timeliness of each installment is binding, with consequences for late payments such as penalties or acceleration of the debt. Prepayment or restructuring may alter the schedule.

Etymology: from the noun splátka, itself derived from the verb splácet, meaning to repay or settle gradually.

See also: splátka, splácení, úvěr, dluh, splátkový prodej.