zlí

Zlá is the feminine singular form of the adjective zlý, meaning bad or evil, used in Czech and Slovak. It modifies feminine nouns, for example zlá žena (a bad woman), zlá rada (bad advice), or zlá nálada (a bad mood). The corresponding masculine and neuter forms are zlý and zlé, and the plural forms vary by gender and animacy. In both languages, zlý/zlá/zlé and its inflections function to express moral or evaluative judgments, not merely a lack of quality.

Etymology and cognates: zlý originates from the Proto-Slavic root zlъ, associated with harm or moral deficiency. Related words appear across Slavic languages, such as Polish zły, Russian злой (zloy), and Ukrainian злий (zlyj), all conveying notions of evil or harmfulness. The feminine form zlá and the neuter form zlé are parallel across Czech and Slovak due to shared grammar.

Usage and nuances: In everyday speech, zlá primarily conveys moral condemnation or strong negative evaluation. It can describe persons, actions, or things deemed morally wrong or harmful, but it can also refer to poor quality in a broader sense when paired with appropriate nouns. The word often carries stronger emotional or normative weight than simply “bad,” and its choice of form agrees with the noun’s grammatical gender and number.

See also: zlý, zlé, zlá nálada, zlá povaha, zlá rada. Examples illustrating gendered agreement and common collocations are typical in Czech and Slovak dictionaries and language guides.