vlnu

Vlnu is the accusative singular form of the feminine noun vlna in Czech and Slovak. As a grammatical case form, vlnu functions mainly as the direct object of a verb and is used wherever the meaning of vlna — most commonly “wave” or “wool” — is required in that case.

The base noun vlna has several senses. In physical contexts it denotes a wave on water, sound or electromagnetic wave, or other oscillatory phenomena; in textile contexts it means wool or fleece. The form vlnu is therefore used in sentences such as Viděl jsem vlnu na moři (“I saw a wave on the sea”) or Koupil jsem vlnu na svetr (“I bought wool for a sweater”), differing only by context. Figurative uses include “waves” of events or trends (e.g., migrations, strikes, cultural movements).

Phonologically, Czech and Slovak place primary stress on the first syllable, so vlnu is pronounced with initial stress. The word is etymologically Slavic in origin and has cognates in other Slavic languages (for example Russian volna, meaning “wave”). Orthographically and morphologically, vlnu is a regular declensional form within the Slovak and Czech noun paradigms and contrasts with other cases such as the nominative vlna, genitive vlny, and instrumental vlnou.