stálé

Stálý is a Czech adjective meaning constant, permanent, stable, or lasting. It is used to describe qualities or states that persist over time or do not change readily. The term can refer to physical properties, such as a constant temperature (stálá teplota) or a steady state (stálý stav), as well as to people or objects, for example a regular customer (stálý zákazník) or a firm, steadfast attitude (stálý postoj). In everyday language it can also describe reliability or consistency in behavior.

Etymology and related forms: stálý derives from the Czech verb stát, meaning to stand or to be. The adjective is inflected for gender and number like other Czech adjectives, with forms such as stálý (masculine singular), stálá (feminine singular), and stálé (neuter singular). Plural forms align with noun gender, e.g., stálí muži, stálé děti, stálé ženy. The term is often contrasted with trvalý (lasting or enduring for a longer period) and with stabilní (stable, more technical or borrowed in feel). In scientific and technical contexts, konstantní or konstanční is also used to mean “constant,” while stálý emphasizes persistence over time in a broader sense.

Usage notes: stálý conveys persistence and reliability, rather than a one-time condition. It is common in everyday speech and in formal writing to describe conditions, relationships, or traits that remain unchanged across time.

See also: stálost, trvalý, stabilní, konstantní.