vlastným

Vlastním is the first-person singular present tense form of the Czech verb vlastnit, meaning to own or possess. It is used to state that the speaker currently has ownership of something and is typically followed by a noun in the accusative case. Example: Já vlastním tento dům.

Vlastním can also appear as the instrumental singular form of the adjective vlastní, which means "own" or "private." In this usage, it modifies a noun to indicate ownership, often in phrases such as vlastní auto or s vlastním domem (with my own car or with my own house). The same form thus functions in different grammatical roles depending on context.

Etymology and related forms: The verb is derived from the noun vlastní meaning “property” and from the root vztahující se k vlastnictví. It traces back to Slavic roots related to possession. Related terms include vlastník (owner), which denotes a person who owns something, and vlastnictví (ownership). The adjective vlastní yields other derivations and combines with nouns to express possession, sometimes in compound expressions like vlastní auto or vlastní dům.

Usage notes: In everyday Czech, speakers may also use mít (to have) for general possession, but vlastní and vlastnící forms emphasize ownership or control, sometimes with legal or formal nuance. The present tense form vlastním specifically marks the speaker’s current claim of ownership, while the adjective form vlastní primarily serves as a descriptive modifier preceding a noun. Context usually clarifies whether the word functions as a verb form or as an attributive adjective.