bratr

Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech bratr, from Proto-Slavic *bratrъ, *bratъ, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr. The archaic form bratří is ultimately derived from Proto-Slavic *bratrьja.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbratr̩]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -atr̩

Noun

bratr m anim

1. brother

   Synonym: brácha

Declension

Declension of bratr (hard masculine animate // masculine animate (declined as neuter) in -í/-ý)

	singular	plural
nominative	bratr	bratři, bratří1
genitive	bratra	bratrů, bratří1
dative	bratrovi, bratru	bratrům, bratřím1
accusative	bratra	bratry, bratří1
vocative	bratře	bratři, bratří1
locative	bratrovi, bratru	bratrech, bratřích1
instrumental	bratrem	bratry, bratřími1

¹Archaic, similar to English brethren.

Coordinate terms

Czech family terms

rodina (“family”)		Male	Female	Neutral
parent		otec (“father”) nursery: táta	matka (“mother”) nursery: máma	rodič (“parent”)
grandparent	paternal	dědeček (“paternal grandfather”) nursery: děda	babička (“paternal grandmother”) nursery: bába	prarodič (“grandparent”)
	maternal1	stařeček (“maternal grandfather”)	stařenka (“maternal grandmother”)
sibling		bratr (“brother”)	sestra (“sister”)	sourozenec (“sibling”)
cousin		bratranec (“male cousin”)	sestřenice (“female cousin”)	–
second cousin		vlastník, bratránek (“male second cousin”)	vlastnice, sestřenka (“female second cousin”)	–
child		syn (“son”)	dcera (“daughter”)	dítě (“child”)
grandchild		vnuk (“grandson”)	vnučka (“granddaughter”)	vnouče (“grandchild”)
parent's sibling	paternal	strýc (“paternal uncle”)	strýna (“paternal aunt”)2	–
	maternal	ujec (“maternal uncle”)2	teta (“maternal aunt”)	–
sibling's child		synovec (“nephew”)	neteř (“niece”)	–
spouse		manžel (“husband”)	manželka (“wife”)	choť (“spouse”)
spouse's parent		tchán (“father-in-law”)	tchyně (“mother-in-law”)	–
child's spouse		zeť (“son-in-law”)	snacha (“daughter-in-law”)	–
child's spouse's parent		svat (“co-father-in-law”)	svatka (“co-mother-in-law”)	–
sibling's spouse		švagr (“sibilar brother-in-law”)	švagrová (“sibilar sister-in-law”)	–
spouse's sibling3	marital	deveř (“marital brother-in-law”)	zelva (“marital sister-in-law”)	–
	uxorial	šír (“uxorial brother-in-law”)	svěst (“uxorial sister-in-law”)	–
stepparent		otčím (“stepfather”)	macecha (“stepmother”)	–
stepchild		pastorek (“stepson”)	pastorkyně (“stepdaughter”)	pastorče (“stepchild”)
more distant: pra- (“grand- / once removed”) through a more distant ancestor: z druhého kolena (“second”) only through one parent: poloviční (“half-”) not blood relative: nevlastní (“step-”)

¹ Literary (the usual terms today are dědeček and babička).
² Literary (the usual terms today are strýc and teta).
³ Obsolete (replaced by švagr and švagrová).

Derived terms

adjectives

• bratrský

nouns

• bratranec
• bratránek
• bratrství
• bratrstvo
• bratříček
• bratřík

phrases

• bratři držme se

verbs

• bratřit

Further reading

• “bratr”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “bratr”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “bratr”, in Akademický slovník současné češtiny, 2012–2026, slovnikcestiny.cz
• “bratr”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Old Czech

Alternative forms

• brat

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr

Proto-Balto-Slavic *brā́ˀtē

Proto-Slavic *bratrъ

Old Czech bratr

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *bratrъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (13^th CE) /ˈbratr/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈbratr̩/

Noun

bratr m pers

1. brother

   strýčený/tetěný/ujčený bratr ― cousin

Usage notes

• The collective noun bratřie can be used instead of the plural.

Declension

Declension of bratr (hard o-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	bratr	bratry	bratři, bratrové
genitive	bratra	bratrú	bratróv
dative	bratru, bratrovi	bratroma	bratróm
accusative	bratra	bratry	bratry
vocative	bratře	bratry	bratři, bratrové
locative	bratru, bratrovi	bratrú	bratřiech
instrumental	bratrem	bratroma	bratry

This table shows the most common forms around the 13th century.

Coordinate terms

Old Czech family terms

rodina (“family”)		Male	Female
parent		otec (“father”)	máti (“mother”)
grandparent		děd (“grandfather”)	bába (“grandmother”)
sibling		bratr (“brother”)	sestra (“sister”)
cousin	paternal	strýčěnec (“paternal male cousin”)	strýčěna (“paternal female cousin”)
	maternal	ujčěnec, tetěnec (“maternal male cousin”)	ujčěna, tetěna (“maternal female cousin”)
child		syn (“son”)	dci (“daughter”)
grandchild		vnuk (“grandson”)	vnuka (“granddaughter”)
parent's sibling	paternal	strýc (“paternal uncle”)	strýna (“paternal aunt”)
	maternal	ujec (“maternal uncle”)	teta (“maternal aunt”)
sibling's child	fraternal	bratranec (“fraternal nephew”)	bratranicě (“fraternal niece”)
	sororial	sestřěnec (“sororial nephew”)	sestřěnicě (“sororial niece”)
spouse		malžen (“husband”), chot (“spouse”)	malženka (“wife”), chot (“spouse”)
spouse's parent		test (“father-in-law”)	tščě (“mother-in-law”)
child's spouse		zět (“son-in-law”)	nevěsta (“daughter-in-law”)
sibling's spouse		svekr (“sibilar brother-in-law”)	svekrev (“sibilar sister-in-law”)
spouse's sibling	marital	deveř (“marital brother-in-law”)	zelva (“marital sister-in-law”)
	uxorial	šúr (“uxorial brother-in-law”)	svěst (“uxorial sister-in-law”)
stepparent		otčím (“stepfather”)	macecha (“stepmother”)
stepchild		pastorek (“stepson”)	pastorkyni (“stepdaughter”)

Derived terms

• brach
• brachek
• bratran
• bratranec
• bratřec
• nebratr
• spolubratr

Descendants

• Czech: bratr

References

• Jan Gebauer (1903–1916), “bratr”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

Upper Sorbian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *bràtrъ. Plural form bratřa inherited from Proto-Slavic *bràtrьja.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbʀatʀ/
• Rhymes: -atʀ
• Hyphenation: bratr
• Syllabification: bratr

Noun

bratr m pers (diminutive bratřik)

1. brother (one who, in relation to another, is the son of the same father and the same mother, or only of the same father, or only of the same mother)

   Wón je twój bratr? ― He's your brother?

Declension

Declension of bratr (masculine hard stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	bratr	bratraj	bratřa, bratrojo
genitive	bratra	bratrow	bratrow
dative	bratrej	bratromaj	bratram
accusative	bratra	bratrow	bratrow
instrumental	bratrom	bratromaj	bratrami
locative	bratru, bratře	bratromaj	bratrach
vocative	bratře	bratraj	bratřa, bratrojo

Derived terms

adjectives

• bratrowski
• bratrowy
• bratrski
• bratřikowy

nouns

• bratrowc m pers
• bratrowča f
• bratrowka f
• bratrownja f
• bratřik m pers

verbs

• bratřić impf

Further reading

• “bratr”, in Mudra corpus [Upper Sorbian–Czech dictionary] (in Czech), 2024–2026
• “bratr” in Soblex