What comes to your mind when you think about learning another language? 

Casually chatting with locals while drinking delicious Czech beer? Enjoying Forman’s early movies? Writing a secret diary that nobody in your family could read?

You can certainly do all of those things. 

Are you expecting a big fat BUT? You’re correct!

BUT first you have to learn Czech grammar and understand how it works.

I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: It’s completely different from English grammar and the rules might not make much sense to you. 

Yes, there is the dreaded declension (each noun and adjective has fourteen different forms) and verb conjugation.

In the end, though, you’ll find out that learning Czech is quite easy, as long as you don’t try to compare it to English.

On this page, I’ll walk you through the rules of basic Czech grammar. And because I’m a nice person, I’ll add some tricks on how to master them.

Shall we? I promise it’s going to be a breeze.

Table of Contents

1. Basic Czech Grammar: General Rules
2. Cases: Noun and Adjective Declension
3. Czech Verb Conjugation and Tenses
4. Formal and Informal Voice
5. Numbers
6. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Basic Czech Grammar: General Rules

First things first: Czech is a Slavic language, and as such, it has nothing in common with English. You need to forget all about English grammar when studying Czech. Trying to compare the languages and scrambling around to find similarities would only hinder your efforts. It would be a complete waste of time. 

That said, there are some Czech words that come from Latin, and we use quite a lot of Americanisms (you might hear the words “sorry” and “legit” a lot).

The most significant difference? (Apart from pronunciation, of course…)

Word Order

Czech word order is much more flexible than you’d expect. The rules are pretty much non-existent (figuratively speaking) and we rely a lot on intonation.

General word order:

• Subject – Verb – Object
  Tomáš nerad jí. (“Tomáš doesn’t like to eat.”)

• Verb – Subject – Object – ?
   Jí Tomáš rád? (“Does Tomáš like to eat?”)

As mentioned above, intonation is very important. It will help you distinguish between a neutral statement and a question in sentences with the same word order (yes, that can and does happen a lot). 

→ If you’re a little confused or just want to learn more, Czech out our lesson on intonation.

Null-Subject Sentences

→ In Czech, personal pronouns are used way less often than in English. And thanks to declension and verb conjugation, they’re mostly used for emphasis.

That means the personal pronoun can be omitted—the suffix of the verb makes it perfectly clear who or what the subject is.

Take these two sentences for example: 

• Já tě miluju víc než ona! (“I love you more than she does!”) 
• Miluju tě víc než ona. (“I love you more than she does.”)

The former is what you might hear screamed out loud during a fight, while the latter is something you would hear whispered or stated in a conversation.

For more details on this, see our page for painless Czech grammar and our Czech pronouns vocabulary list.

Learning a new language is fun!

Genders

Some of the most unfamiliar Czech language grammar rules for new learners have to do with grammatical gender. The Czech language divides nouns into three categories based on their gender:

• Feminine
• Masculine
• Neuter

For the record, masculine and feminine partially overlap with the natural gender of human beings, and baby animals are usually neuter.

To determine the grammatical gender of a noun, you need to look at its ending in singular form (the last consonant or vowel).

• Masculine nouns normally end in a consonant. (otec – “father” / pes – “dog” / hrad – “castle”)
• The majority of nouns that end in -a are feminine. (máma – “mom” / sestra – “sister” / kočka – “cat”) 
• Nouns that end in -o are always neuter. (auto – “car” / okno – “window”)
• Nouns that end in -e are usually feminine, but can also be neuter. (růže – “rose” / kuře – “chicken”)

To make things even more exciting:

➢ Masculine nouns are further divided into animate (people and animals) and inanimate (things, places, and abstractions) nouns.

My personal tip: Don’t get creative and forget about shortcuts. The only bulletproof way… You know what I’m about to recommend, don’t you? (Memorize each word’s gender while learning new vocabulary!)

Why is grammatical gender so important? You need to know a word’s gender in order to add the correct ending when declining a noun or linking an adjective to it.

Speaking of which…

2. Cases: Noun and Adjective Declension

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for: Czech declension rules!

• In Czech, as well as in many other Slavic languages, each noun and adjective can have fourteen forms (seven in singular, seven in plural).
• There are seven cases.
• There is a set of paradigms for each grammatical gender.

1. Nominative (basic)

• David je krásný. (“David is gorgeous.”)

2. Accusative (primarily used for the object of a verb)

• Bez Davida nikam nejdu. (“I’m not going anywhere without David.”)

3. Genitive (the same as the English preposition “to”)

• Dám to Davidovi. (“I will give it to David.”)

4. Dative (primarily means “to” / “for”)

• Tohle je pro Davida. (“This is for David.”)

5. Vocative (for addressing or calling people)

• Davide, počkej! (“David, wait!”)

6. Locative (“about,” used only after prepositions)

• Řekla mi o Davidovi. (“She told me about David.”)

7. Instrumental (“by” / “with”)

• Jdu s Davidem. (“I’m going with David.”)

Make sure you memorize all the paradigms and know how to use them correctly. It’s a little tedious, but I assure you it’s doable.

When I was in third grade, we used a set of questions to help us remember the seven cases:

1. Who/what? (Who is that?)

2. Without whom/what? (Without whom would you not be the person you are today?)

3. To whom/what? (To whom are you going to give this present?)

4. I see who/what? (Who did you meet at the movies?)

5. Hi, …!

6. About whom/what? (I’ll tell you everything about her.)

7. With whom? (Who did you dance with at the party?)

Reading is a great way to improve your language skills.

Is it really important to remember all that stuff?

It is, because…

Czech Genders and Declension

In English, the plural of a noun is formed by adding -s to the singular form. However, Czech language grammar requires that we add various suffixes according to gender and number (singular or plural) to form the plural of nouns and adjectives.

That’s when the paradigms come into play.

➢ You can’t form a Czech sentence without knowing the gender of the noun—you wouldn’t be able to decline it correctly.

3. Czech Verb Conjugation and Tenses

In Czech grammar, conjugation is done through verb ending modification based on the tenses.

• Czech verbs express three absolute tenses: past, present, and future.

Present tense verb endings:

Person	Singular	Plural	Example: Dělat (“To do”)
1st (I; We)	-u/-i/-m	-eme/-íme/-áme	Dělám; děláme
2nd (You)	-eš/-íš/-áš	-ete/-íte/-áte	Děláš; děláte
3rd (He/she/it; They)	-e/-í/-á	-ejí/-ějí/-í/-ou/-ají	Dělá; dělají

Past tense:

The past tense in Czech is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (which indicates the person and number of the verb’s subject, a.k.a. “the doer”) with a past form of the main verb. 

➢ The Czech past tense can have various translations in English. 

Example:
Žila jsem…
“I have lived…” / “I lived…” / “I was living…”

Future tense:

In imperfective verbs, it is formed using the future forms of the verb být (“to be”) and the infinitive.

• Budu vařit. (“I’ll cook.”)

In perfective verbs, the present form expresses the future.

• Uvařím. (“I’m going to cook.”)

Být (“to be”) conjugation for future tense:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	budu	budeme
2nd	budeš	budete
3rd	bude	budou

Czech conjugation requires quite a bit of memorizing. You can start with this list of the most common Czech verbs.

Remember:

➢ Czech is a null-subject language, which means that the subject (personal pronouns are almost never used) can be omitted if it’s clear from the context. The person is expressed through the verb’s conjugation.

4. Formal and Informal Voice

If you speak French, Spanish, or German (for example), you might be familiar with this fun, slightly old-fashioned verb modification. In Czech, there’s a difference between formal and informal speech. 

➢ The main difference is that when talking to a person in the formal voice, you have to use the second person plural instead of the second person singular.

So, instead of saying Jak se máš? you say Jak se máte? (“How are you?”)

➢ Another difference: Greetings.

When greeting your friend whom you know well, you would use the informal voice as well as a different set of greetings.

Informal greetings:

• Ahoj! (“Hello!” and also “Bye!”) 
  • This is one of the most used greetings.
• Čau! (Same as above.) 
  • Fun fact: It’s pronounced pretty much the same way as the Italian word Ciao!
• Měj se! (“See you!”) 
  • Literally: “Be good.”

Formal greetings:

• Dobrý den. (“Good day.”)
• Dobré ráno. (“Good morning.”)
• Dobré odpoledne. (“Good afternoon.”)
• Dobrý večer. (“Good evening.”)
• Nashledanou. (“Bye.”)

Watching videos in Czech will help you understand word order and get a grip on intonation.

5. Numbers

The Czech numbers one through ten are unique, which means you’ll have to memorize them. (So much memorizing, I knooooow. But it’s grammar, we’re doing serious work here!)

1. Jeden
2. Dva
3. Tři
4. Čtyři
5. Pět
6. Šest
7. Sedm
8. Osm
9. Devět 
10. Deset

Now it gets easier!

For tens, you add -náct:

11. Jedenáct
12. Dvanáct
13. Třináct

Once you reach 20, 30, 40, up to 100, you connect the respective numbers (tens go first):

Dvacet pět. (“Twenty-five.”)
Padesát dva. (“Fifty-two.”)

As you go higher, you do the same with hundreds and thousands (the highest goes first):

Sto třicet tři. (“One hundred thirty three.”)
Dva tisíce dvacet. (“Two thousand and twenty.”)

We have a great guide on Czech numbers, and if you’re interested in counting your riches in Czech, check out this one.

Czech numbers are much easier than those in other languages.

6. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

If you’re taking learning Czech seriously, you could grab a Czech grammar book or learn online (the latter of which is way more convenient).

CzechClass101.com will make learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech with us and make progress faster than you could imagine!

What can you find here?

• English-to-Czech translation and pronunciation tips/tricks
• Over 630 audio and video lessons
• Vocabulary learning tools
• Spaced repetition flashcards
• Detailed PDF lesson notes

Sign up now, it’s free!

One last thing: Let us know if this page helped you. Let’s get in touch!

When I was a little girl, I used to spend a lot of time with my grandma. That wonderful lady, like all grandmothers around the world, was an endless source of what (back then) sounded like weird little poems that didn’t rhyme.

And, of course, they made very little sense to me.

You might feel the same way when you look at a Czech sentence that is (seemingly) just a series of random words.

That’s why you should keep on reading this article.

In this list of Czech quotes with translations in English, you’ll find words of wit and wisdom on a variety of topics. From Czech love quotes to proverbs about life, our top picks will give you a little peek into the intriguing Czech culture and mindset. And this, in turn, will enhance your language studies and help you start speaking Czech like a native in record time.

As you read, you’ll find that some of them are very similar to American proverbs, while others are completely different. These little differences and surprising similarities are fascinating—and besides, why not take a break from memorizing new vocabulary or drilling through Czech grammar?

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

1. Quotes About Success
2. Quotes About Life
3. Quotes About Time
4. Quotes About Love
5. Quotes About Family
6. Quotes About Friendship
7. Quotes About Food
8. Quotes About Health
9. A Quote About Language Learning
10. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Quotes About Success

First and foremost, Czechs are not go-getters. Some three decades after democracy was restored in Czechoslovakia and people finally got to take a breather and expand their lives, they are still…cautious and coy. (That’s why you might think Czechs are unfriendly. They’re not.)

The reason for this is because, not so long ago, they were living a life that the regime dictated and designed for them; “freedom” was just an empty word, and their choices were severely limited in every single way. However, most citizens were also “taken care of,” meaning that they didn’t really have to think for themselves or work hard. This was the case due to a lack of challenges and numerous restrictions. 

Therefore, success is quite a “new” thing in the Czech Republic, and you might find some of the Czech quotes about success quite grim.

1. Bez práce nejsou koláče.

In English: “Without work, there are no koláče.” (Czech pastry)
Equivalent: “There’s no reward without effort.”

Oh yes. The average Czech person believes that success is a lot of work; in order to achieve it, you have to work your butt off. Succeeding without putting in extreme amounts of hard work might seem suspicious and is often referred to as “good luck” or “a fluke.”

2. Dvakrát měř, jednou řež.

In English: “Measure twice, cut once.”

In other words, make sure you’re 200% prepared before you take action.

We’re not only pessimistic, but also overly anxious and afraid of failure. So much so that some people never try anything new.

3. Co se lehce nabude, snadno se pozbude.

In English: “What is easy to gain, is easy to lose.”
Equivalent: “Easy come, easy go.”

Oh well. I hate to admit that this is still the number-one rule for some people. As you can see, it would be quite difficult to fill your Instagram with inspirational Czech thoughts.

2. Quotes About Life

What is life all about, and how should a person live? People have been asking these questions for a long time. Here are some Czech quotes about life to give you a glimpse into how the Czech might answer.

4. Mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato.

In English: “Speaking is silver, silence is gold.”

Sometimes it’s just better to keep your thoughts to yourself. Unless you’re about to give someone a compliment or offer to make food. In that case, speak up. Always.

Mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato.

5. Nehas, co tě nepálí.

In English: “Do not fight the fire that isn’t burning you.”

In other words, mind your own business.

Shrug.

6. Malé ryby taky ryby.

In English: “Even small fish are fish.”

Contrary to the common belief that life has to be hard, most Czech people appreciate the little things in life (which might be another thing learned from the Communist rule). 

Here’s a little example: 

In 1983, Miloš Forman was shooting his famous Oscar-winning movie Amadeus in his homeland, Czechoslovakia. He brought his Hollywood crew to Prague, which was bleak and gray (sort of like a very poor Russian suburb). 

The reasons he decided to set his big project there were pretty straightforward: Prague looks a lot like Vienna, the expenses were considerably lower, and thanks to the regime there were no “capitalistic” changes made to the city (no billboards, ads, or new modern buildings). 

One of the American actors happened to have friends who fled Czechoslovakia some years earlier, and before his departure, they asked him to bring some presents and fresh fruit to their relatives back in Europe. Among other stuff, there was a large, fresh pineapple. At that time, the only pineapple you could get in Prague was the canned kind, and the majority of people had never seen the fresh fruit before. The day it was brought to the set, dozens of Czech people gathered around it and admired this new, “Western” wonder.

3. Quotes About Time

Now, here are some Czech quotes and sayings about time to show you how Czechs perceive its influence on our lives.

7. Pozdě, ale přece.

In English: “Late, but still.”
Equivalent: “Better late than never.” / “It’s better to arrive late than not at all.”

Obviously, it’s okay to miss the first ten minutes of a movie and still enjoy the beautiful story—or to meet the love of your life forty years later than expected.

Just show up. 

8. Ráno moudřejší večera.

In English: “Better to sleep on it.”
Equivalent: “Morning is wiser than the evening.” / “Take your time to make a decision.”

Do you like to think before taking action? Do you take your time before making a decision?

Maybe the Czech Republic is your spirit country!

4. Quotes About Love

Are you madly in love with someone? Or maybe you’re a hopeless romantic? Either way, I think you’ll enjoy these Czech quotes about love!

9. Láska prochází žaludkem.

In English: “Love goes through your stomach.”
Equivalent: “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

If you and your partner like the same food, you will likely have a lot in common in other areas, too. I completely agree with this. Not to mention that sharing a dessert or cooking together is a great way of bonding!

Láska prochází žaludkem!

10. Snesl bych ti modré z nebe.

In English: “I would bring you the blue from the sky.”
Equivalent: “I would do anything for you.”

Sounds poetic, right?

11. Jsme dva, dva na všechno, na lásku, život, na boj i bolest, na hodiny štěstí. Dva na výhry i prohry, na život a na smrt – DVA!

In English: “There’s two of us, two for everything, for love, life, for a fight and pain, for hours of happiness. Two for wins and losses, for life and for death – TWO!”

– Karel Čapek, Czech author (1890-1938)

I have always felt like Czechs weren’t the most affectionate people. You won’t hear fiery love declarations too often…if ever. Also, we don’t use the word milovat (“to love”) nearly as often as it’s used in English.

5. Quotes About Family

Family is a major cornerstone of any society. Learn how Czechs perceive familial relationships with these Czech quotes about family. 

12. Krev není voda.

In English: “Blood is not water.”
Equivalent: “Blood is thicker than water.”

Czechs are usually very close with their families (although not to the extent that Southern Europeans are). It’s partly because it isn’t common to move for work and people usually spend their whole lives in one town—or even in one house.

Sunday family lunches are a very common thing, and during the summer break, kids often spend a lot of time with their grandparents.

13. Bližší košile nežli kabát.

In English: “Your shirt is closer to your skin than your coat is.”

This basically means that your own interests/family should be your priority.

Oh yes, we really do like to protect our privacy and hang out only with people we have known for a while!

14. Host do domu, hůl do ruky.

In English: “If a guest comes to your home, grab a stick.”

You guessed it! Czech people aren’t really used to having people over and they are very protective of their privacy. If someone invites you over to their house, it means they trust you and feel warmly about you.

6. Quotes About Friendship

Friends are one of life’s greatest joys and necessities. Here are some Czech friendship quotes for you! Can you relate?

15. Lépe mít sto přátel, než jednoho nepřítele.

In English: “It is better to have a hundred friends than one enemy.”
Equivalent: “Do not think that one enemy is insignificant, or that a thousand friends are too many.”

You can never have too many friends.

16. Nejlepší přítel je ten, co tě napomene, co ti řekne pravdu do očí. Toho si važ!

In English: “The best friend rebukes you and always tells you the truth. Appreciate friends like this!”

– Božena Němcová, nineteenth century Czech female author (1820-1862)

Yup, being honest (often too much) is a huge Czech thing. Our friendships tend to be long-term and based on “tough love.”

7. Quotes About Food

Who doesn’t enjoy sitting down to a nice meal now and then? Here are some quotes in Czech that touch on the topic of food!

17. Hlad je nejlepší kuchař.

In English: “Hunger is the best cook.” 

If you’re hungry, you’ll forget about being picky and just eat whatever you’re served. (I hated this proverb so much when I was a kid!)

18. Sytý hladovému nevěří.

In English: “No one will believe you if you’re hungry and they’re not.”
Equivalent: “He who has not experienced difficulties does not believe the accounts of those who have.”

Right. If you’re not in the same boat, it will be pretty difficult to make people understand your struggles.

19. Jez do polosyta, pij do polopita.

This is like saying, “Only eat and drink until you’re half-full.”

No second helpings. (Unless it’s pizza?)

8. Quotes About Health

You should always prioritize your health, because only in good health can you accomplish more important goals and live life to the fullest. Here’s what Czechs have to say about it.

20. Veselá mysl je půl zdraví.

In English: “Merry mind is half of your health.”

Czechs, like many people, believe that everything you do is “healthy” as long as it makes you happy. I totally agree. I mean, if you eat a giant piece of cake that you love so much that it creates sparks of joy floating around in your head…it becomes healthy food, right?

21. Prostě-li žiješ, sta let dožiješ.

In English: “If you live simply, you will live a long life.”

Living and eating simply is beneficial not just for your physical health, but also for your mental health. And our ancestors were well aware of it. Many of us struggle with the unnecessary stress we put on ourselves to just “live a great life” or to “achieve great things.” It’s good to go back to the basics and enjoy the simple things.

22. Strach je nemoc špatného svědomí.

In English: “Fear is a disease of those who feel guilty.”
Equivalent: “Guilt leads to a diseased soul.”

– Karel Čapek, Czech author

Čapek wrote this in reaction to the political changes that preceded WWII. He was one of the most influential Czech writers of the twentieth century (by the way, he also invented the word “robot”) who died less than a year after the beginning of WWII. He was close friends with the first Czechoslovakian President, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. (By the way, the President’s middle name is actually his wife’s maiden name. Charlotte was an American suffragette, and they got married in Brooklyn.)

9. A Quote About Language Learning

To close, let’s look at a quote about language learning. What better way to motivate you in your language studies? 

23. Kolik řečí umíš, tolikrát jsi člověkem.

In English: “The more languages you can speak, the more times you are human.”
Equivalent: “A new language is a new life.”

Learning foreign languages was not common during the Communist Era. Children took Russian (of course), and no one really expected that there would be such wonders as online shopping, YouTube, or even traveling abroad.

Today’s kids are usually pretty good at English and a lot of Czechs speak or learn German.

Learning another language will make your life more exciting in many different ways.

10. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

CzechClass101.com will make learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech with us and make progress faster than you could imagine!

What can you find here?

• English-to-Czech translation and pronunciation tips/tricks
• Over 630 audio and video lessons
• Vocabulary learning tools
• Spaced repetition flashcards
• Detailed PDF lesson notes

Sign up now—it’s free!

One last thing: Let us know in the comments which of these quotes is your favorite, and why!

What’s your relationship with the clock like? Does it run your day from a morning alarm to a cut-off chime for bed, or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type, letting your mood and emotions decide how much you fall in line with time?

Understanding time in Czech is an important part of your studies. As humans, our lives are filled with habits and schedules. From waking up and going to work or gym, to missing rush hour traffic on our way home, we’re always aware of time. We have routines around coffee breaks, meetings, soccer games and vacations. In fact, time can seem rather capricious – going slowly, going fast, sometimes against us, other times on our side – like a force that has a life of its own.

In science, time is often referred to as a fourth dimension and many physicists and philosophers think that if we understood the physics of the universe, we would see that time is an illusion. We sense an ‘arrow’ or direction of time because we have memories, but really time is just a construct that humans have created to help make sense of the world. 

On the other hand, poets through the ages have written impassioned thoughts about time, depicting it as both a relentless thief and an immensely precious resource, not to be wasted at any cost.

Well, poets and scientists may have their views, but in our everyday lives there’s the question of practicality, isn’t there? I mean, if you have plans and want things to happen your way, there’s a certain amount of conforming to the human rules of time that you can’t avoid. 

In ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the prince has a rose that he falls in love with, and he tenderly protects it with a windscreen and places it under a glass dome on his tiny planet.  I love this quote from the book:  “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”  If we truly love something, we spend time with it and not a second of that time could ever be seen as wasted. I feel that way about horses, my children, travel and learning languages. 

With that in mind, I’d like to take you on a journey into ‘time’ from a Czech perspective. It’s fun, it’s informative and it’s a basic necessity if you’re learning the language – especially if you plan to travel. CzechClass101 has all the vocab you need to fall in love with telling time in Czech, and not a minute will be wasted.

Table of Contents

1. Talking about Time in Czech
2. How to Tell the Time in Czech
3. Conclusion

1. Talking about Time in Czech

As a traveler, your primary need for knowing how to read the hour in Czech will be for transportation schedules: the bus, train, airplane, ferry, taxi… whatever you plan to use to get from A to B, it won’t wait for you! Fortunately, it’s really not complicated. You already have a firm grasp of time in English and you know you’ll need to reset your watch and phone to the local time. Great – that means you’ll have the correct time on your person. 

We’re so used to just looking at our phones for the time, that it’s easy to take this convenience for granted and forget some travel basics: in a foreign country, times won’t always be written digitally. If you see the time written in words, it’ll be the same challenge to you as hearing it spoken: you’ll need to be familiar with the language. 

You may be surprised at how often ‘time’ comes into conversation. Learning the Czech terms for time will help you when you have to call a taxi, ask about opening and closing times of events and tourist attractions, restaurants and bars and even late-night food cafes.

My biggest annoyance when traveling is not being able to get coffee and amazingly, even at nice hotels this has happened more times than I care to think about. I’ll be up late planning something, writing my blog or chatting and when I go looking for coffee downstairs, I’m told the kitchen is closed or the ‘coffee lady’ has gone to sleep. Frustrating!

If you’re doing a homestay or at a youth hostel or backpackers, there will probably also be a limited timeframe for when you can grab dinner. Do you know how to ask when it’s time to eat in Czech? I’ve learned that it’s vital to know how to make my queries clearly understood to accommodation staff and for me to clearly understand their answers. Perfect your ‘time in Czech’ translations early on – you’ll thank me. 

At CzechClass101, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of Czech time words and phrases to get you going. 

1- Morning – ráno

Morning is the time when we wake up from our dreamworld, hopefully fully rested and restored; we brew the first delicious cup of coffee for the day and watch the sunrise as we prepare for another glorious twelve hours of life. No matter what happened the day before, a new morning is a chance to make everything right. 

I like these quiet hours for language practice, as my mind is clear and receptive to learning new things. I start by writing the Czech time, date and word of the day on my whiteboard, then get back under the covers for an engrossing lesson.

Time in the morning is written as AM or A.M., which stands for ante meridiem – meaning ‘before midday’ in Latin.

2- Evening – večer

Evening is the part of night when we’re still awake and doing things, winding down from the day. Whether you enjoy a tasty international dinner with friends, go out to see a show, or curl up on the couch with a Czech snack and your favorite TV series, evening is a good time to forget your worries and do something that relaxes you. If you’re checking in with your Facebook friends, say hi to us, too!  

Evening is also an ideal time to catch up on your Czech studies. The neighbourhood outside is likely to be quieter and time is yours, so grab a glass of wine or a delicious local tea, and see what’s new on your Mac App or Kindle. 

3- Daytime – den

Daytime is defined as the period from early morning to early evening when the sun is visible outside. In other words: from sunrise to sunset.  Where you are in the world, as well as the season, will determine how many daylight hours you get. 

Interestingly, in locations north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, in summertime the sun does not sink below the horizon within a 24-hour period, bringing the natural phenomenon of the midnight sun.  You could only experience this in the north, though, because there aren’t any permanent human settlements south of the Antarctic Circle.

4- Nighttime – noc

Nighttime is all the hours from sunset to sunrise and depending on where in the country you are, people may be partying all night, or asleep from full-dark. 

In the same northernmost and southernmost regions where you can experience a midnight sun, winter brings the opposite phenomenon: the polar night. Can you imagine a night that lasts for more than 24 hours? 

5- Hour – hodina

An hour is a unit of time made up of 60 minutes and is a variable measure of one-24th of a day – also defined by geeks as 3 600 atomic seconds. Of all the ‘time’ words we use on a daily basis, the hour is the most important, as time of day is typically expressed in terms of hours. 

One of the interesting methods of keeping time that people have come up with is the hourglass. Although the origins are unclear, there’s evidence pointing to the hourglass being invented around 1000 – 1100 AD and one of the ways we know this, is from hourglasses being depicted in very old murals. These days, with clocks and watches in every direction we look, they’re really only used symbolically to represent the passage of time. Still – a powerful reminder of our mortality and to seize the day. In his private journal, the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wrote: “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”

6- Minute – minuta

Use this word when you want to say a more precise time and express minutes in Czech. A minute is a unit of time equal to one sixtieth of an hour, or 60 seconds. A lot can happen in the next 60 seconds. For example, your blood will circulate three times through your entire vascular system and your heart will pump about 2.273 litres of blood. 

7- O’clock – hodin

We use “o’clock” when there are no minutes and we’re saying the exact hour, as in “It’s two o’clock.”

The term “o’clock” is a contraction of the term “of the clock”. It comes from 15th-century references to medieval mechanical clocks. At the time, sundials were also common timekeepers. Therefore, to make clear one was referencing a clock’s time, they would say something like, “It is six of the clock” – now shortened to “six o’clock”.

We only use this term when talking about the 12 hour clock, though, not the 24 hour clock (more on that later!) The 12-hour clock can be traced back as far as Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. Both an Egyptian sundial for daytime use and an Egyptian water clock for nighttime use were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep I. Dating to c.1500 BC, these clocks divided their respective times of use into 12 hours each. The Romans also used a 12-hour clock. Daylight was divided into 12 equal hours and the night was divided into four watches. 

These days, the internet has made it very easy to know what the time is in any part of the world.  Speaking of which, why not add the Czech time zone clock to your laptop?

8- Half past – půl

When the time is thirty minutes past the hour, in English we say “half past”. Just like the hour, the half-hour is universally used as an orientation point; some languages speak of 30 minutes before the hour (subtraction), whereas others speak of 30 minutes after the hour (addition). 

9- AM – ráno

As mentioned earlier, AM is the abbreviation of the Latin ante meridiem and means before midday. Using ‘AM’ as a tag on your time simply tells people you’re speaking about a time in the morning. In some countries, morning is abbreviated to “AM” and you’ll see this on shop signs everywhere, announcing the opening hour. A typical shop sign might read something like this:

“Business hours are from 7AM to 6PM.” 

10- PM – odpoledne

PM is the abbreviation of the Latin post meridiem and means after midday. Along with ‘AM’, you’ll usually find ‘PM’ on store signs and businesses, indicating the closing hours. It’s advisable to learn the difference between the two, since some establishments might only have one or the other on the sign. For example, a night club sign might say: 

“Open from 10 PM until late.” 

11- What time is it now? – Kolik je teď hodin?

Here’s a very handy question you should memorize, as you can use it in any situation where you don’t have your watch or phone on you. This could be on the beach, in a club, or if you’re stuck anywhere with a flat phone battery. It happens at home, so it can happen when you’re traveling! 

12- One o’clock – jedna hodina

One o’clock, or 1 PM, is the average lunch time for many people around the world – at least, we try to get a meal in at some point between midday and 2 PM.  In terms of duration, the nations vary: Brazililans reportedly take the longest lunch breaks, averaging 48 minutes, whereas Greece reports an average break of only 19 minutes. Historically, Greeks were known for their very leisurely lunch breaks, so it just goes to show how fast the world is changing. If you’re curious about what to expect in Czech Republic, try asking our online community about lunch time in Czech.

13- Two o’clock – dvě hodiny

In his last days, Napoleon Bonaparte famously spoke of “Two o’clock in the morning courage” – meaning unprepared, spontaneous  courage. He was talking about soldiers who are brave enough to tumble out of bed in an instant, straight into action, without time to think or strategize. Do you think you have what it takes? I’m pretty sure all mothers know this feeling!

14- Three o’clock – tři hodiny

3 AM can be perceived as the coldest time of day and is not an hour we want to wake up, but meteorologists will tell you that the coldest time is actually half an hour after sunrise. Even though the sun is peeking over the horizon, the solar radiation is still weaker than the earth’s infrared cooling to space.

15- Four o’clock – čtyři hodiny

Do you know anyone who purposely gets up at 4 o’clock in the morning? As crazy as it sounds, there is something to be said for rising at 4 AM while the rest of the world sleeps. If you live on a farm, it might even be normal for you. I know that whenever I’m staying in the countryside, rising early is a lot easier, because there’s a satisfying reason to do so: watching a sunrise from a rooftop, with uninterrupted views, can’t be beat! It’s also likely that you’ll be woken by a cock crowing, or other animals waking to graze in the fresh pre-dawn air. 

In the world of business, you’ll find a small group of ambitious individuals – many entrepreneurs – who swear by the 4 o’clock in the morning rise. I’m not sure I like that idea, but I’d wake up at 4 AM if it was summer and I had my car packed for a vacation!

16- Five o’clock – pět hodin

What better way to signal the transition between work and play than the clock hands striking 5 o’clock? It’s the hour most working people look forward to each day – at least, those who get to stop working at 5 PM.  Meanwhile, millions of retired folks are taking out the wine glasses, as 5 PM is widely accepted as an appropriate time to pour the first glass. I don’t know how traditional your families are, but for as long as I’ve been alive, my grandparents have counted down the milliseconds to five o’clock, and the hour is announced with glee.

17- Six o’clock – šest hodin

This is the time many working people and school kids wake up in the morning. In many parts of the world, 6 o’clock is also a good time to watch the sunrise, go for a run or hit the hiking trails. 

18- Seven o’clock – sedm hodin

Health gurus will tell you that 7 o’clock in the morning is the best time to eat your first meal of the day, and 7 o’clock in the evening is the time you should eat your last meal. I’ve tried that and I agree, but it’s not always easy!

19- Eight o’clock – osm hodin

8 o’clock in the morning is the time that most businesses open around the world, and the time most kids are in their first lesson at school – still full of energy and willing to participate. Interestingly, it’s also the time most babies are born in the world!  In the evening, 8 o’clock is many young children’s bedtime and the time for parents to watch the evening news. 

20- Nine o’clock – devět

It’s good to occasionally sleep late on a weekend and for me, this means waking up at 9 AM. If you’re traveling in Czech Republic and staying at a hotel, planning to sleep late means politely requesting to not be woken up by room service.

21- Ten o’clock – deset

10 o’clock in the morning is a popular time to conduct business meetings, and for first break time at schools. We’re usually wide awake and well into our day by then.  But what about the same hour at night? Modern people are often still awake and watching TV at 10 PM, but this isn’t exactly good for us. Experts say that the deepest and most regenerative sleep occurs between 10 PM and 2 AM, so we should already be sound asleep by ten o’clock. 

In advertising, have you ever noticed that the hands of the clock usually point to 10:10? Have a look next time you see a watch on a billboard or magazine. The reason? Aesthetics. Somehow, the human brain finds the symmetry pleasing. When the clock hands are at ten and two, they create a ‘smiley’ face and don’t cover any key details, like a logo, on the clock face. 

22- Eleven o’clock – jedenáct hodin

When I see this time written in words, it makes me think of the hilarious Academy Award-winning very short film, “The Eleven O’Clock”, in which the delusional patient of a psychiatrist believes that he is actually the doctor. 

Then there’s the tradition of ‘elevenses’ – tea time at eleven o’clock in the morning. Strongly ingrained in British culture, elevenses is typically a serving of hot tea or coffee with scones or pastries on the side. It’s a great way to stave off hunger pangs before lunch time arrives. In fact, if you were a hobbit, ‘Elevenses’ would be your third meal of the day!

23- Twelve o’clock – dvanáct hodin

Twelve o’clock in the daytime is considered midday, when the sun is at its zenith and the temperature reaches its highest for that day; it’s written as 12 noon or 12 PM. In most parts of the world, though, this doesn’t happen at precisely 12 PM. ‘Solar noon’ is the time when the sun is actually at its highest point in the sky. The local or clock time of solar noon depends on the longitude and date. If it’s summertime, it’s advisable to stay in the shade during this hour – or at least wear good quality sunblock.

Midnight is the other ‘twelve o’clock’, of course. Midnight is written as 12 AM and is technically the first minute of the morning. On the 24-hour clock, midnight is written as 00:00. 

2. How to Tell the Time in Czech

Using a clock to read the time in Czech Republic is going to be the same as in your own country, since you’re dealing with numbers and not words. You’ll know the time in your head and be able to say it in English, but will you be able to say it out loud in Czech? 

The first step to saying the time in Czech is knowing your numbers. How are you doing with that? If you can count to twelve in Czech, you’re halfway there! We’ve already covered the phrases you’ll need to say the exact hour, as in “five o’clock”, as well as how to say “half past”. What remains is the more specific phrases to describe what the minute hand is doing.

In everyday speech, it’s common to say the minutes past or before the hour. Often we round the minutes off to the nearest five. 

Then, there’s the 24-hour clock. Also known as ‘military time’, the 24-hour clock is used in most countries and, as such, is useful to understand. You’ll find that even in places where the 12-hour clock is standard, certain people will speak in military time or use a combination of the two.  No doubt you’ve also noticed that in written time, the 24-hour clock is commonly used.  One of the most prominent places you’ll have seen this is on airport flight schedules.

Knowing how to tell military time in Czech is really not complicated if you know your numbers up to twenty-four. One advantage of using the 24-hour clock in Czech, is there’s no chance of confusing AM and PM.

Once you know how to say the time, it will be pretty easy to also write the time in Czech. You’re already learning what the different hours and minutes look and sound like, so give yourself some writing practice of the same. 

3. Conclusion

Now that you understand the vocabulary for telling time in Czech, the best thing you can do to really lock it down is to just practice saying Czech time daily. Start by replacing English with Czech whenever you need to say the time; in fact, do this whenever you look at your watch. Say the time to yourself in Czech and it will become a habit. When learning a new language, the phrases you use habitually are the ones your brain will acquire. It feels amazing when that turning point comes!

To help yourself gain confidence, why don’t you make use of our various apps, downloadable for iPhone and iPad, as well as Android? Choose what works best for you. In addition, we have so many free resources available to supplement your learning, that you simply can’t go wrong. Some of these are:

• Free lessons on iTunes
• A free mini lesson every day with the Innovative Language Calendar.
• Free audio books for lessons on the go.

If you prefer watching your lessons on video, check out our YouTube channel – there are hundreds of videos to browse. For those of you with Roku, we also have a TV channel you can watch.

Well, it’s time for me to say goodbye and for you to practice saying the time in Czech. Look at the nearest clock and try to say the exact time, down to the seconds. See you again soon at CzechClass101!

Did you know there are many different types of calendars?

As you probably know – a calendar is a system of organizing days in weeks and months for specific purposes, according to Wikipedia.

Worldwide, most countries use the Gregorian calendar. Some just work on the same framework, meaning that time is divided into units based on the earth’s movement around the sun – the “solar calendar”. Other calendars keep time by observing the moon’s movements, a combination of the moon and the sun’s movements, and seasons.

Through CzechClass101, you can learn all about this and so much more! Our themed, culturally relevant lessons are skillfully designed so you can do your planning perfectly for a holiday or a date.

Having a good plan for a visit or a trip is like studying well for an exam. You’re just so much better prepared! For that, you could well need specific phrases to plan around appointments and such, especially on business trips. Make sure to use the charts we provide here with the days of the week in Czech, as well as the months in Czech to navigate your way as you plan. Great resources!

Also – always remember to have fun!

Table of Contents

1. Why Will It Help To Know How To Talk About Dates in Czech?
2. Talking About your Plans
3. Can CzechClass101 Help You In Other Ways Too?

1. Why Will It Help To Know How To Talk About Dates in Czech?

Well, that’s not a difficult question to answer. No matter why you’re travelling, it would be best to at least know the names of days and months in Czech. You don’t want to miss your flight or an appointment because you confused “pátek” (Friday) with “sobota” (Saturday)! Or maybe you planned a holiday for “červenec” (July), but you booked a flight for “červen” (June) by accident!

Avoid this confusion by learning the Czech calendar before you leave.

Now, as promised, the 15 phrases to help you make and discuss plans.

2. Talking About your Plans

Perhaps you’re working in Czech Republic, or maybe you’re enjoying a prolonged holiday. Fabulous! Memorize these phrases so you can be sure to successfully negotiate meetings, appointments, dates, events, the list goes on!

1. Co děláte tento víkend?

“What are you doing this weekend?”

This question is usually a preamble to inviting someone somewhere. Given that it’s over the weekend, it probably means a casual get-together or another social event. (But not necessarily! A manager or boss could also ask this for entirely different reasons.)

It’s a handy phrase to know when you’ve made Czech or expat friends in the country. Or, be the one doing the inviting. Then train your ear to learn the following phrases so you can understand the response.

2. Tento víkend budu cestovat.

“I am traveling this weekend.”

This could be a reply if you’re not available because you’re doing other fun stuff.

No matter why you are visiting Czech Republic, do take the time to explore the country! It’s beautiful and it has so many wonderful, interesting spots ready to be visited.

3. Zůstanu doma.

“I am planning to stay at home.”

Maybe you feel unwell, but don’t want to give too much information? Or maybe you have work to do? Perhaps you just need some quiet gardening time…it doesn’t matter. This response is polite and honest without oversharing.

It could also be a slightly open-ended response, depending on how you deliver it. Because hey, being home could still mean your plans are flexible, right?

That said – depending on your relationship with the inviter, nuances like these will probably not be so apparent in a foreign culture. So, best to use this excuse for declining an invitation only if you are truly set on staying in.

4. Tento týden nemám čas.

“This week I am busy.”

Another polite phrase that gives a reason for declining an invitation but without oversharing details.

Don’t decline too many invitations, though! You don’t want people to think that you’re too busy to hang out with them. They will stop inviting you out, and you know how the saying goes – all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…! Being social is good for the soul.

5. Mám zítra volno.

“I am free tomorrow.”

Yay! Perhaps you were approached by that person and they asked about your availability for a date. This would be a fine reply. Not too eager, but still indicating that you’re interested.

Or maybe you’re just replying to a colleague or manager’s request for a meeting. Polite, honest and clear.

Alternatively, you’re just busy right now, and plans are not going the way they were…well, planned. Compromise is a lovely thing! And this phrase sounds just like that.

Use it to indicate that you want to accommodate an invitation or the inviter’s plans, despite your current unavailability. Only if you are really free, of course.

6. Můžeme to změnit?

“Can we reschedule this?”

So, life happened and you are unable to meet obligations or attend a planned meeting. This is a suitable question to ask if you wish to indicate your willingness to still engage with whatever is on the table.

Obviously you should (ideally) not ask to reschedule a party or big meeting! (Unless you’re the boss or it’s your own party, of course.) But if there’s reasonable wiggle room regarding arrangements, then this one’s your question.

7. Na konci měsíce budu mít dost času.

“I will have enough time at the end of the month.”

A go-to phrase when events or activities are likely to take up a lot of your time, such as going away for a weekend, spending the day at a local market, or writing your manager’s quarterly report (with 20 flow-charts in Powerpoint) – anything that won’t only take an hour or two.

8. Kdy vám to nejlépe vyhovuje?

“When is the best time that suits you?”

Remember phrase #5? That was a possible reply to this question. Asked by your crush, very possibly! Or, it could be asked by any other person for any other reason, doesn’t matter.

If this is addressed to you, it usually means that the person respects your time and schedule, which is a good thing. It probably also means that their own schedule is flexible, another good thing.

This is also a polite question to ask when a manager or senior colleague wants to meet with you. Let them decide on the time, and be as accommodating as possible. This attitude shows respect for seniority – good for career building. (Within reason, of course. You don’t need to postpone your wedding or your paid-up holiday to Australia because your manager wants to see you.)

9. Je toto datum v pořádku?

“Is this date OK with you?”

But – if the other party insists that you choose a time for a meeting, appointment, or date etc., then do so! Respond with this nice, somewhat casual question that leaves space for negotiation, but only needs a simple reply.

Suitable for friends, and casual acquaintances and colleagues.

10. Máte v ten den čas?

“Are you available on that day?”

This is the a-bit-more-formal version of the previous question. Again, it has room for negotiation, but only needs a simple response – nice and neat!

Maybe this is the go-to question when you’re addressing your seniors at work, or a person much older than you.

11. Můžeme to udělat co nejdříve?

“Can we do it as soon as possible?”

This question has an urgency to it that should preferably be responded to with the same. A simple reply will be good – yes or no. Less negotiable, this is still polite because it’s a question that gives you a choice.

But stand ready with one of the phrases in this article to help tie down a time and date!

12. Jsem k dispozici každý večer.

“I’m available every evening”

If you’re going to reply with this phrase, context is everything.

– If it’s your manager asking you to put in a bit of overtime, and you are available to – great reply! When deadlines are tight and everybody is stressing, your willingness to go the extra mile can only improve your relationship with your boss.

(Still, no need to be a doormat! If you get asked to work overtime too often, or if everyone else is goofing around while you have to graft, then re-evaluate the situation. And if you feel you’re being exploited a bit, don’t stress! Equip yourself with the diplomatic, yet assertive responses right in this article.)

– If it’s an old friend or longtime significant other asking to hang out – good reply. You know one another and appearances don’t matter any longer.

– If it’s a new crush who just asked when you’d be available for a date – stop. Not such a great reply. Tone down a bit! “Interested but not overly eager” is what you’re going for here.

Refer back to response #5, or use a counter-question, such as #1. Whatever suits you.

But if they – or anyone else – invite you to scale the Himalayas with them, then the next phrase will probably be the only sane response!

13. Potřebuji to naplánovat dopředu.

“I need to plan this well in advance.”

So, as said under #9, perhaps you’re invited to join someone conquer the Himalayas.

Or your company manager wants you to plan the Party that Tops All Year-End Parties Forever.

Simply – if you get asked to do something that you know will need a lot of thorough planning, this is a good phrase to respond with.

It’s an assertive phrase that demonstrates two things regarding your attitude:

a) That you know your own abilities, and respect your own schedule.
b) That your respect other people’s time and schedule too.

Then just be sure to actually do that planning well in advance!

14. Musíme najít další datum.

“We need to find another date.”

So, you’re in negotiations regarding a date.

This is an assertive statement that should probably not be used with a “My way or the highway” attitude.

That stuff only works in the movies – think sharp-tongued Samuel L. Jackson. Or fierce Kristen Stewart. Yea, they can be scary, so tone down that tone.

Also, be mindful that fickle people who change plans all the time don’t keep friends! Taking others’ needs into consideration, while simultaneously having your way is a delicate art that takes proper cultivation. Use this phrase sparingly – we have better ones here to negotiate with.

Of course, if your planned trip to the dentist falls on the same day as the only Billie Eilish concert close by…well, priorities are priorities. Feel free to call the dentist with this phrase. Or even better, use the next one.

15. Nemůžu to udělat v ten den.

“I cannot do it on that day.”

This is the low-key-but-still-firm cousin of the previous phrase. You’re stating a personal fact, and depending on your tone, this can be as non-negotiable as you prefer.

Again, only use this when you really mean it, if you’re visiting Czech Republic or any other foreign country.

So, that’s it, folks! Which phrase did you find the most helpful? Let us know in the comments!

3. Can CzechClass101 Help You In Other Ways Too?

Well yes, of course!

We think you will find these phrases easy to use when talking about dates and months in Czech. But knowing how to employ them properly could help you avoid sticky situations!

CzechClass101 is uniquely geared to help you with this and so much more.

This InnovativeLanguage.com initiative is one of many online language-learning courses. With us, you’ll find it easy and fun to learn a new language, and here are a few reasons why:

• Immediately upon enrollment, you’ll receive hundreds of well-designed lessons to get you going.
• Watch superb recordings of native Czech speakers in cool slide-shows – the easy way to practice till you sound just like a native speaker yourself!
• Also immediately upon enrollment, you’ll get access to a huge library of free resources! These include extensive, theme-based Vocabulary Lists and a Word of the Day List (For free, hot bargains!) These alone are sure to give your vocab-learning boxing gloves.
• You’ll also immediately be able to use an excellent and free Czech online dictionary. Necessary for quick, handy translations, no matter where you find yourself.
• For the serious learner, there are numerous enrollment upgrades available, one of which offers you a personal, online Czech host. Allow us to hold your hand and support you in your learning!

If you’re serious about mastering Czech easily yet correctly, CzechClass101 is definitely one of, if not the best, online language learning platforms available. Talking about your plans or dates in Czech need not ever spoil your stay.

So, hurry up—enroll today!

Traveling to foreign countries is nearly always an exciting, enriching, and beneficial experience. Yet, some things can be real downers, such as boredom on a lengthy flight to Czech Republic. Really, binge-watching onboard movies can only be interesting for so long! And jet lag – another huge downer. Did you know that jet lag is more severe when you travel from the West to the East?

Well, we won’t know how to beat that, but there are fortunately plenty of remedies around to investigate.

To beat flight boredom, though, we may have the answer for you at CzechClass101! Why don’t you take the time to study Czech travel phrases? We make this super easy and fun, with great downloadables, like our PDF Cheat Sheets. Quickly memorize these, and impress your Czech friends or travel guide with your flawless Czech!

Table of Contents

1. Importance Of Learning Travel Phrases
2. 13 Must-Have Travel Phrases and Words
3. Good-To-Have Travel Phrases
4. Ways To Improve Communication in a Foreign Country
5. CzechClass101 Can Help You Master Travel Phrases Easily and Effortlessly!

1. Importance Of Learning Travel Phrases

Impressing Czech people or your travel partners will be the least of the benefits you reap from learning these helpful phrases. These are greater ones:

1) Eliminate Travel Frustration: First of all, you’ll be able to cut out a good chunk of travel frustration and inconvenience due to language barriers.

Know how to pronounce and use at least the basic Czech phrases, and then just look foreign. This should go a long way to help you get by and win you friends, because locals would be more inclined to help someone who took the trouble to learn a smidgen of their language.

2) Emergency Readiness: In case of an emergency, you will be able to get help a lot quicker if you know how to ask for what in Czech. Imagine miming to a doctor or nurse that you have a sore ear but that you’re allergic to penicillin. Not so easy, right?

Rather, you should know basic emergency travel phrases, especially if you suffer from a serious condition. Also, information about life-threatening allergies you have should always be on your person in the language of the country you’re visiting.

3) Sight-Seeing Readiness: Hopefully, you also travel to learn more about a country’s culture. Visiting the main tourist sites in Czech Republic will be more interesting if you know how to ask pertinent questions in Czech.

In this blog, we’ll also be giving you important travel phrases to consider – from the 13 essential must-have phrases to ones that are just generally useful and good to know.

Let’s get cracking!

2. 13 Must-Have Travel Phrases and Words

Seasoned explorers of multiple countries will tell you that certain words and phrases are absolute must-knows in anyone’s travel vocabulary. Learning from them, we collated some of the most essential ones here for you.

If you know these travel phrases and words by heart in Czech, you will be much better equipped for your visit than most of your movie-binging travel mates.

1) Děkuji vám (Thank you)

As a tourist, you will be relying on the kindness of strangers to get by. Repay them with a small acknowledgment of their friendly generosity – know how to say “thank you” in Czech.

2) Mluvíte anglicky? (Do you speak English?)

While it may be a bit of a cop-out, sometimes you just can’t figure out how to communicate. Maybe you’re blanking on one specific word you need, maybe they’re speaking with a heavy accent, or maybe it’s just really late and you really want to get to the hotel. In that case, try asking if they speak English, and hopefully you can make things a little bit simpler for yourself.

Don’t abuse this phrase, though! If you just try to get by without learning any of the local language, not only will you not learn anything – you’ll be out of luck if they can’t speak English!

3) Jede z letiště do města autobus? (Is there a bus from the airport to the city?)

Public transit is usually cheaper, if slower, than taking a taxi or rideshare. Use this phrase to see if you can get where you’re going when you’re strapped for cash, or just when you’d like to take the scenic route into town!

4) Jede ten autobus na letiště? (Is this the right bus for the airport?)

Likewise, if you’re the kind of person who can get themselves moving early (or maybe you just have a late flight), maybe you want to take the bus to the airport rather than taking a cab. If that’s the case, you’ll want to be sure you’re actually heading the right way! You wouldn’t want to end up at a lookout point half an hour away, watching your flight take off in the distance, would you?

5) Promiňte, kolik stojí jízdenka? (Excuse me, what’s the fare?)

If you are paying for a cab, you’ll want to know how much. Most legal taxis will have meters, but when dealing with a currency you’re not familiar with, it can be worth asking just to double check that you’re paying the right amount – especially if the currency has cents.

6) Mám rezervaci (I have a reservation)

This one you can expect to use at least a few times throughout your trip, unless you’re the kind of person who travels by the seat of their pants and just goes to whatever hotel, motel, or hostel has rooms available.

7) Máte nějaké volné pokoje? (Do you have any vacancies tonight?)

If that’s the case, you’ll definitely be using this phrase instead. Quite possibly a lot, depending on how lucky you are!

8 ) Kde je nádraží? (Where is the train station?)

If you’re in a country with an expansive commuter rail system (or maybe just a fan of other types of locomotives), you may want to know where the closest station is. Just don’t go looking for pennies on the rails!

9) Jsem alergický na arašídy (I am allergic to peanuts)

Replace “peanuts” with whatever the word for your allergen may be. If your allergy is serious, you probably already know the importance of stating this very clearly in Czech.

If the condition is life-threatening, be sure to have a letter or prescription from a medical professional in Czech on your person at all times. Consider getting a medical alert bracelet specially made in Czech if your stay will be longer than a month or so.

10) Máte nějaká vegetariánská jídla? (Do you have any vegetarian dishes?)

If you dislike eating certain things, or you have certain dietary restrictions, it would be best if you knew how to convey this clearly in Czech.

Remember, though, that saying “I’m vegan” or “I’m diabetic” may not be enough to get you what you want. The rules for veganism and vegetarianism are not standard everywhere in the world. Also, your patron might not understand what “diabetic” means. If you have a medical condition, it would be best to research some in-depth vocabulary beforehand.

11) Mohl bych dostat mapu? (Could I get a map?)

Planning on exploring your destination? Hopelessly lost? Maybe just an amateur cartographer? No matter the reason, this phrase is sure to come in handy. That said, you’re more likely to get use out of it at some sort of tourist or travel center than you are asking a random passerby on the street.

12) Kolik to stojí? (How much is this?)

Even if you’re not a big shopper, you’re probably going to need this phrase at some point. Knowing how to count in Czech will, of course, help a lot with purchases too.

13) Berete kreditní karty? (Do you take credit card?)

This is another travel phrase that will smooth your monetary transactions considerably.

3. Good-To-Have Travel Phrases

Unlike the previous phrases, these are not really essential so much as they are useful. Yet, knowing these will still smooth over some bumps on your journey, more than just knowing the crucial phrases would.

1) Je Wi-Fi zdarma? (Is the Wi-Fi free?)

If you’re abroad, your normal cellular plans probably won’t have any service, and you’ll be totally reliant on publically available Wi-Fi while you’re out and about. Just ask a server, clerk, or attendant, and they’ll be happy to let you know. Just make sure you’re paying attention when they tell you the password!

2) Mohl byste mě vyfotit, prosím? (Could you take a picture of me please?)

What would a trip be with no photos to commemorate the event? Just be sure to ask this of someone who actually looks like they’d be willing to, unless you’re willing to risk being given the cold shoulder or worse. If you’re at a tourist attraction, you’ll find that most people are more than happy to take one for you, so long as you take one of them as well!

3) Můžete něco doporučit? (Do you have any recommendations?)

Eating alone in a restaurant? Or going out with new Czech friends or business colleagues? Let them help you decide what to have.

4) Mohl byste mi najít nekuřácký pokoj? (I’d like to have a non-smoking seat, please)

Though smoking has gone out of fashion in some places, it’s still popular in others. In the event you’re at a restaurant where smoking is allowed on premises, you can always ask this question to the staff and be seated elsewhere.

5) Vodu, prosím (Water, please)

If you’ve emptied your glass, or are cutting yourself off after a few drinks, you can always ask for some water. It can be especially useful if the restaurant is busy to the point you need to call out to someone to get service.

6) Mohl bych dostat účet? (Could I have the check?)

To finish off the restaurant related phrases, if you’re eating with friends or really want to impress your colleagues, taking the bill can be a nice treat for them. Of course, this phrase could come in handy as well if you’re eating alone and you’re just impatient to leave.

7) Co doporučujete jako suvenýr? (What do you recommend for a souvenir?)

Now that your trip is over, what better way to cap it all off than a memento, or maybe a gift for friends and family at home? It’ll be nicer to have something recommended by the locals than a cheap bauble from the airport store, so go ahead and ask someone you’ve met what they think.

4. Ways To Improve Communication in a Foreign Country

When traveling, it’s possible to keep communication smooth when you don’t share a language.

Do so by keeping these five tips in mind. They are aimed to help you communicate with those who cannot speak English very well, and also to keep your traveling experience pleasant!

1. Keep your English simple and easy to understand.
If the person you are talking to speaks very little English, use basic verbs, adjectives, and nouns, and keep sentences short.

However, don’t patronize them by talking in pidgin or like you would address a child. Keep your speech simple but natural, and use the correct grammar.

For instance, don’t say: “You come when?”. If you say: “When will you come?”, you will very likely be understood, and may even help someone who wants to improve their English.

2. Ask someone to write information down.
Apply Rule 1 first at your hotel, where the staff is very likely to be able to speak some English. Get them to write down, in their native language, things like: “I would like to go to the airport, please,” “Please take me to the beach,” or “Where is the closest bathroom?”

These written questions are something you can then give to taxi drivers or any other people who are willing and able to help you. This simple step could make your life a lot easier when you travel to a foreign country!

3. Avoid asking leading questions!
If you want the correct information from a non-native English speaker, that is.

When you need directions, for instance, don’t ask: “To get to the bus stop, do I need to turn left here?” If the person didn’t really understand you, you will probably just get a smile and a “Yes,” which could possibly make you miss your bus.

Rather, you should ask: “Where is the bus stop?” If they understand you, you will get the correct directions.

4. Pick the right person to ask for help.
Time to look at people and think a bit about their appearance! A younger person who looks like they might be a student is more likely to have English skills than the friendly but ancient lady smiling at you from a fruit stall.

If you don’t see anyone like that, head into town to the nearest bank, hospital, pharmacy, or hotel. The staff at those places usually speak a bit of English.

5. Know when to quit.
If you stuck to the above rules, but the person you are talking to only stares at you blankly, say thank you and leave. Hanging around hoping someone will suddenly understand and respond is just wasting your time, and may irritate them as well. Go find someone else.

5. CzechClass101 Can Help You Master Travel Phrases Easily and Effortlessly!

So, reader, have you found this article helpful?

Do you feel comfortable enough to use some essential travel phrases in Czech? We’d also love to hear if you think we left out important travel phrases. Leave your suggestions and opinions in the comments!

CzechClass101 takes the lead with many free learning tools to help you master Czech reading and speaking easily, and in fun ways.

These tools include:

– An extensive vocabulary list, regularly updated
– A new Czech word to learn every day
– Quick access to the Czech Key Phrase List
– A free Czech online dictionary
– The excellent 100 Core Czech Word List
– An almost limitless Lesson Library for learners of all levels

You will also have access to topic-specific recordings like our Before You Travel: Survival Phrases lesson.

Learn even more efficiently with the help of a personal tutor, after taking an assessment test to personalize and tailor your training.

Getting a tutor is also a good option if you meet challenges in your learning, or need to fast-track correct pronunciation and diction. Your very own friendly, Czech-speaking teacher will be only a text away on a special app, anywhere, anytime – an excellent option for business persons!

Using a guided learning system that was developed by experts in language and online education, you’ll receive personal feedback and constant support to improve in no time. You’ll also be tasked with weekly assignments in reading, writing, and speaking to hone your Czech speaking skills.

Imagine how impressed your Czech friends or colleagues will be when you display your excellent conversational skills! With CzechClass101, getting there will be easy and fun.

Learn all the Czech New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join CzechClass101 for a special Czech New Year celebration!

Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.

So, how do you say Happy New Year in Czech? Let a native teach you! At CzechClass101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Czech New Year wishes!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Czech Republic
2. Must-Know Czech Words & Phrases for the New Year!
3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions in Czech
4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
7. How CzechClass101 Can Help You Learn Czech

But let’s start with some vocabulary for Czech New Year celebrations, very handy for conversations.

1. How to Celebrate New Year in Czech Republic

Just like in all European countries, the New Year in the Czech Republic is among the most eventful celebrations of the year. It is also called Silvester, after St. Silvester, whose feast is on the last day of the year, December 31.

Do you know what a New Year’s resolution is and why Czechs keep making them?

If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later, so keep reading!

New Year celebrations begin in the afternoon or evening of the previous day, on New Year’s Eve. While it can also be celebrated with the family, typical celebrations include a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. A good tradition is for people to gather in the squares of towns and villages before midnight, with everybody counting down the last seconds of the old year and celebrating the arrival of the new one with the thunderous opening of champagne bottles and the setting off of rockets, firecrackers, and fireworks.

The celebrations are inseparable from heavy alcohol consumption, which significantly contributes to the exuberant atmosphere. There is also food; typically there are all kinds of sandwiches, canapes, and other delicatessen products. The sipping is crowned by the New Year’s toast at midnight when the old year ends and the new year begins. At that moment, people wish each other a Happy New Year and send out emails and SMS greetings. New Year’s celebrations usually last until the morning hours.

A: stop smoking, start working out, and lose weight. Not everyone can stick with it. However, it ==does not matter. There is another new year coming and with it another opportunity for a resolution.

The main motto of the New Year’s day is saying, as on New Year, so throughout the rest of the year, meaning that the way we will spend the first day of the new year will be the way we spend the entire year.

And now, the answer to the earlier question.

Do you know what a New Year’s resolution is and why Czechs keep making them?

The New Year’s resolution is the promise that the Czechs usually make on New Year’s day. It’s a commitment to do something positive in your life.

Happy New Year!

Šťastný Nový Rok!

2. Must-Know Czech Words & Phrases for the New Year!

1- Year

rok

This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Czech Republic could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?

2- Midnight

půlnoc

The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!

3- New Year’s Day

Nový Rok

In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.

4- Party

párty

A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.

5- Dancing

tanec

Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.

6- Champagne

šampaňské

Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.

7- Fireworks

ohňostroj

These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.

8- Countdown

odpočítávání

This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!

9- New Year’s Holiday

Novoroční dovolená

In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.

10- Confetti

konfeta

In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

11- New Year’s Eve

Silvestr

This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?

12- Toast

přípitek

A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!

13- Resolution

předsevzetí

Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!

14- Parade

průvod

New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At CzechClass101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Czech New Year celebrations are like!

3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

So, you learned the Czech word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at CzechClass101 – what are yours?

Learn these phrases and impress your Czech friends with your vocabulary.

1- Read more

Přečtěte si více.

Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Czech in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Czech language skills!

2- Spend more time with family

Trávit více času s rodinou.

Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.

3- Lose weight

Zhubnou

Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!

4- Save money

Šetřete peníze.

Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to CzechClass101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!

5- Quit smoking

Přestat kouřit.

This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.

6- Learn something new

Naučit se něco nového.

Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!

7- Drink less

Pijte méně.

This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!

8- Exercise regularly

Pravidelně cvičit.

This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.

9- Eat healthy

Jíst zdravě.

If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!

10- Study Czech with CzechClass101

studovat češtinu s CzechClass101.com

Of course! You can only benefit from learning Czech, especially with us! Learning how to speak Czech can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. CzechClass101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.

4. Inspirational New Year Quotes

Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.

Click here for quotes that will also work well in a card for a special Czech new year greeting!

Make decorative notes of these in Czech, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Czech incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!

5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes

Still undecided whether you should enroll with CzechClass101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.

Click here to read the most inspirational Language Learning Quotes!

As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Czech could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Czech – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.

6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages

Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Czech – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.

7. Why Enrolling with CzechClass101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!

If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Czech! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that CzechClass101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!

• Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Czech at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
• Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Czech that makes sense!
• Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
• Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
• Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!

There’s no reason not to go big in 2018 by learning Czech with CzechClass101. Just imagine how the world can open up for you!

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Czech? CzechClass101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Czech Christmas phrases!

Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Czech speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and vocabulary, CzechClass101 will teach you the most important ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Czech!

Table of Contents

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Czech Republic
2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes
3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary
4. Twelve Days of Christmas
5. Top 10 Christmas Characters
6. How CzechClass101 Can Help You

1. How to Celebrate Christmas in Czech Republic

There are many interesting customs and superstitions associated with Christmas
in the Czech Republic. No one is to turn on any lights in the house on Christmas Eve until the first star appears in the sky. The dinner table must be set for an even number of places, because an odd number is believed to bring bad luck. Dinner consists of nine courses, but no alcohol may be served. Everyone must completely clear their plate of food, and no one may get up from the table before the meal is finished. Doing so is believed to bring bad luck. Everyone must get up from the table at the same time because it is believed that the first person to stand up from the table will be the first to die in the New Year.

2. Holiday Greetings and Wishes for the Holiday Season

1- Merry Christmas!

Veselé Vánoce!

Do you know how to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Czech? Learn here how to pronounce it perfectly! ‘Merry’ means to be joyful, to celebrate and generally be in good spirits. So, with this phrase you are wishing someone a joyful, celebratory remembrance of Christ’s birth!

2- Happy Kwanzaa!

Šťastné Kwanzaa!

Surprise your African-American, or West African native friends with this phrase over the Christmas holidays! Kwanzaa is a seven-day, non-religious celebration, starting on Dec 26th each year. It has its roots in African American modern history, and many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas!

3- Have a happy New Year!

Šťastný Nový Rok!

In countries where Christmas is not officially celebrated, but a Gregorian calendar is observed, this would be a friendly festive-season wish over New Year.

4- Happy Hanukkah!

Šťastnou Chanuku!

Hanukkah is the beautiful Hebrew festival over November or December each year. It is also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated to commemorate the Jewish freedom of religion.

5- Have a great winter vacation!

Pěknou dovolenou!

This is a good phrase to keep handy if someone doesn’t observe any religious festival over the Christmas holidays! However, this will only be applicable in the Northern hemisphere, where it is winter over Christmas.

6- See you next year!

Uvidíme se příští rok!

Going away on holiday over Christmas season, or saying goodbye to someone about to leave on vacation? This would be a good way to say goodbye to your friends and family.

7- Warm wishes!

Všechno nejlepší!

An informal, friendly phrase to write in Czech Christmas cards, especially for secular friends who prefer to observe Christmas celebrations without the religious symbolism. It conveys the warmth of friendship and friendly wishes associated with this time of year.

8- Happy holidays!

Pěkné prázdniny!

If you forget how to say ‘Merry Christmas!’ in Czech, this is a safe, generic phrase to use instead.

9- Enjoy the holidays!

Užijte si dovolenou!

After saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in Czech, this would be a good phrase with which to wish Christmas holiday-goers well! It is also good to use for secular friends who don’t celebrate Christmas but take a holiday at this time of the year.

10- Best wishes for the New Year!

Všechno nejlepší do nového roku!

This is another way of wishing someone well in the New Year if they observe a Gregorian calendar. New Year’s day would then fall on January 1st.

3. Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary

Christmas is associated with many traditions and religious symbols in multiple countries across the world. It originated centuries ago in the West with the birth of Christianity, and the celebrations are often embedded with rich cultural significance. So, by now you know how to say Merry Christmas in Czech! Next, learn pertinent vocabulary and phrases pertaining to Christmas, as well as how to pronounce them correctly. At CzechClass101, we make sure you sound like a native speaker!

1- Christmas

Vánoce

This is the Czech word for ‘Christmas’. Most happy Christmas wishes in Czech will include this word!

2- Snow

sníh

In most Northern-hemisphere countries, Christmas is synonymous with snow, and for Christmas, the snowman is often dressed as Santa Claus.

3- Snowflake

sněhová vločka

Snowflakes collectively make up snow. A single snowflake is small, white, light like a feather and icy cold! When put under a microscope, the snowflake reveals itself to have the most beautiful, symmetrical patterns. These patterns have become popular Christmas decorations, especially in Western countries.

4- Snowman

sněhulák

As you guessed – a snowman is only possible to build if it is snowing! What a fun way to spend Christmas day outside.

5- Turkey

krocan

Roast turkey is the traditional main dish on thousands of lunch tables on Christmas day, mainly in Western countries. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

6- Wreath

věnec

Another traditional Western decoration for Christmas, the wreath is an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring. Many families like to hang a Christmas wreath outside on their houses’ front doors.

7- Reindeer

sob

Reindeer are the animals commonly fabled to pull Santa Claus’ sled across the sky! Western Christmas folklore tells of Father Christmas or Santa Claus doing the rounds with his sled, carrying Christmas presents for children, and dropping them into houses through the chimney. But who is Santa Claus?

8- Santa Claus

Santa Claus

Santa Claus is a legendary and jolly figure originating in the Western Christian culture. He is known by many names, but is traditionally depicted as a rotund man wearing a red costume with a pointy hat, and sporting a long, snow-white beard!

9- Elf

elf

An elf is a supernatural creature of folklore with pointy ears, a dainty, humanoid body and a capricious nature. Elves are said to help Santa Claus distribute presents to children over Christmas!

10- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolf, sob s červeným nosem

‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ is a Christmas song based on an American children’s story book with the same name. Rudolph is one of Santa’s reindeer. The song became more famous than the book, and can still be heard playing in many shopping malls over Christmas time across the globe!

11- North Pole

Severní pól

The cold North Pole is where Santa Claus is reputed to live with his reindeer!

12- Sled

sáně

A sled is a non-motorised land vehicle used to travel over snow in countries where it snows a lot, and is usually pulled by animals such as horses, dogs or reindeer. This one obviously refers to Santa’s sled! Another word for sled is sleigh or sledge.

13- Present

dárek

Gift or present giving is synonymous with Christmas Eve and the greatest source of joy for children over this festive time! This tradition signifies that Christ’s birth was a gift to mankind, but not all people who hand out presents over Christmas observe the religious meaning.

14- Bell

zvonek

On Christmas Day, or Christmas Eve, many religious celebrants enjoy going to church for a special sermon and Christmas rituals. The start of the sermon is often announced with bells or a bell, if the church has one. For this reason, the sound of ringing bells is often associated with Christmas Day.

15- Chimney

komín

The chimney is the entrance Santa Claus uses to deliver children’s presents on Christmas Day, according to folklore! Wonder how the chubby man and his elves stay clean…?!

16- Fireplace

krb

In most countries where it snows, Christmas is synonymous with a fire or burning embers in houses’ fireplaces. Families huddle around its warmth while opening Christmas presents. Also, this is where Santa Claus is reputed to pop out after his journey down the chimney!

17- Christmas Day

Štědrý den

This is the official day of commemorative celebration of Christ’s birth, and falls each year on December 25.

18- Decoration

dekorace

Decorations are the colourful trinkets and posters that make their appearance in shops and homes during the Christmas holiday season in many countries! They give the places a celebratory atmosphere in anticipation of the big Christmas celebration. Typical Christmas decorations include colorful photographs and posters, strings of lights, figurines of Santa Claus and the nativity scene, poinsettia flowers, snowflakes and many more.

19- Stocking

punčocha

According to legend, Santa Claus places children’s presents in a red stocking hanging over the fireplace. This has also become a popular decoration, signifying Christmas.

20- Holly

cesmína

Holly is a shrub native to the UK, and parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. It is characterised by glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries. Ironically, its significance for Christmas relates to Christ’s crucifixion and suffering rather than his birth. However, the leaves’ distinctive shape and image have become popular Christmas decorations.

21- Gingerbread house

perníková chaloupka

According to legend, the gingerbread house synonymous with Christmas is related to Christ’s birth place, Bethlehem. Bethlehem literally means ‘House of Bread’. Over centuries, it has become a popular treat over Christmas time in many non-religious households as well.

22- Candy cane

cukroví

According to folklore, Christmas candy canes made their appearance first in Germany in the 16th century. A choir master gave children the candy canes to suck on in church in order to keep them quiet during the Christmas sermon! Apparently, the candy is shaped like a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who were the first to visit the baby Jesus. Today, like gingerbread houses, they are still a popular sweet over the festive season!

23- Mistletoe

jmelí

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on certain trees. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mistletoe has magical powers, and could protect a household from evil if hung above a door during December. The belief didn’t last but the habit did, and the mistletoe is another popular Christmas decoration!

4. Twelve Days of Christmas

Wow, you’re doing extremely well! You know how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in Czech, and you learned pertinent vocabulary too! The Twelve Days of Christmas is not very well known in modern times, so, you’re on your way to becoming an expert in Christmas traditions and rituals. Well done!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a traditional festive period of 12 days dedicated to celebrate the nativity of Christ. Christmas Day is, for many who observe Twelvetide, the first day of this period.

‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is also a popular Christmas song about a series of gifts given on each day of Twelvetide. According to experts, these gifts were created as a coded reference to important symbols in the Christian church. Here is a list of those gifts mentioned in the song! Do you recognise them?

5. Top 10 Christmas Characters in American Culture

This is fantastic, you know how to explain almost everything about Christmas in Czech! However, do you know the most popular Christmas characters in American culture? Your knowledge will not be complete without this list.

6. CzechClass101 Is One Of The Best Online Language Schools Available!

We don’t just say this – we can prove it! Geared to your personal needs and goals, we have several learning paths from which to choose. From Czech for Absolute Beginners to Advanced Czech, lessons are designed to meet you where you are, and increase your language abilities in fun, easy and interactive lessons! Mastering a new language has never been this easy or enjoyable.

We have over a decade of experience and research behind us, and it shows! With thousands of audio and video lessons, detailed PDF lessons and notes, as well as friendly, knowledgeable hosts, CzechClass101 is simply unbeatable when it comes to learning correct Czech. Plenty of tools and resources are available when you study with us. New lessons are added every week so material remains fresh and relevant. You also have the option to upgrade and enjoy even more personalised guidance and services. This is a sure way to fast-track your learning!

So, this Christmas, why don’t you give yourself a present and enroll in CzechClass101? Or give an enrollment as a present to a loved one. It will be a gift with benefits for a whole lifetime, not just over Christmas!

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power – use these ones sincerely and often!

Table of Contents

1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Czech
2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes
3. Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You
4. Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages
5. How CzechClass101 Can Help You

So, how do you say ‘Thank you’ in Czech? You can learn easily! Below, CzechClass101 brings you perfect translations and pronunciation as you learn the most common ways Czech speakers say ‘Thanks’ in various situations.

1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Czech

1- Thank you.

Děkuji vám.

The magical words that can bring a smile to any face. For one day, truly mean it whenever you say these words, and see how this lifts your spirit too!

2- That’s very kind of you.

To je od vás velmi laskavé.

This phrase is appropriate when someone clearly goes out of their way to give good service, or to offer you a kindness.

3- Thanks for your kind words!

Díky za vaše milá slova!

Someone paid you a compliment and made you feel good? That is kind of him/her, so express your gratitude!

4- Thank you for coming today.

Děkuji, že jste dnes přišli.

This welcoming phrase should be part of your arsenal if you’re conducting more formal meetings with Czech speakers. If you’re hosting a party, this is also a good phrase when you greet your Czech guests!

5- Thank you for your consideration.

Děkuji, že to vezmete v potaz.

This is a more formal, almost solemn way to thank someone for their thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards you. It is also suitable to use when a native speaker has to consider something you submit, like a job application, a project or a proposal. You are thanking them, in essence, for time and effort they are about to, or have spent on your submission.

6- Thanks a lot!

Díky moc!

This means the same as ‘Thank you’, but with energy and enthusiasm added! It means almost the same as ‘thank you so much’ in Czech. Use this in an informal setting with your Czech friends or teachers.

7- Teachers like you are not easy to find.

Není snadné najít učitele jako ty.

Some phrases are compliments, which express gratitude by inference. This is one of them. If you’re particularly impressed with your CzechClass101 teacher, this is an excellent phrase to memorize!

8- Thank you for spending time with us.

Děkujeme vám za čas, který jste s námi strávil.

Any host at a gathering with Czech speakers, such as a meeting or a party, should have this under his/her belt! Use it when you’re saying goodbye or busy closing a meeting. It could also be another lovely way to thank your Czech language teacher for her time.

9- Thank you for being patient and helping me improve.

Děkuji za to, že jste se mnou měla trpělivost a pomohla mi se zlepšit.

This phrase is another sure way to melt any formal or informal Czech teacher’s heart! Teaching is not easy, and often a lot of patience is required from the teacher. Thank him/her for it! It’s also a good phrase to use if you work in Czech Republic, and want to thank your trainer or employer. You will go a long way towards making yourself a popular employee – gratitude is the most attractive trait in any person!

10- You’re the best teacher ever!

Jste ten nejlepší učitel!

This is also an enthusiastic way to thank your teacher by means of a compliment. It could just make their day!

11- Thank you for the gift.

Děkuji za dárek.

This is a good phrase to remember when you’re the lucky recipient of a gift. Show your respect and gratitude with these words.

12- I have learned so much thanks to you.

Díky Vám jsem se tolik naučil.

What a wonderful compliment to give a good teacher! It means they have succeeded in their goal, and you’re thankful for it.

2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes

Wherever your destination maybe, manners are a must! And in this respect, Czech Republic is no different.

1- Děkuji.
In Czech, the most simple way of saying “Thank you” is: Děkuji. Děkuji is a verb, and the dictionary form is děkovat which in English will be translated as “to thank.” So literally translated, the word děkuji means “(I) thank.”

2- Díky
Another simple and common way of saying “Thank you” is the word Díky. It is a bit similar to the English “thanks.”

3- Moc děkuji
There will be occasions when you will want to express your gratitude in a more polite and appreciable manner. When that happens, you should use the expression Moc děkuji. The first word moc means “a lot” or “much,” so the English equivalent for Moc děkuji is “Thank (you) a lot” but the word order is opposite. You can also say Děkuji moc and the meaning will stay the same.

4- Velmi vám děkuji
To show deeper gratitude, especially to a specific person, you can say Velmi vám děkuji which in English will be translated as “Thank you very much.” The word Velmi literally means “very” and vám is translated as “(to) you.”

5- Děkuju
In the Czech Republic, you will probably also hear the word Děkuju many times every day. Děkuju has basically the same meaning as děkuji. Děkuju is officially not a correct expression, but it is a kind of accent change. And anyway, people use děkuju very often, especially in daily casual conversation.

6- Díky moc
Here is another expression for showing gratitude using the word díky just by replacing děkuji in the expression děkuji moc. And we get: Díky moc. It means something like “thanks a lot.” Here the position of the word moc is also not strictly fixed. You can say either díky moc or moc díky.

Cultural Insights

Quick tip 1
The most common way to say “Thank you” is děkuji. Use děkuji in any situation, whether formal, informal, special or common, Czechs will appreciate your efforts to speak their language. Also, never worry about the person’s age or profession. Keep in mind that this word can be used anywhere, anytime and with anyone. You say děkuji when the waiter brings you the food, when somebody does a favor for you, and when you receive a compliment.

Quick tip 2
You will be surprised to see how much the word díky is used in Czech. People use díky freely in daily conversation. You can say it when talking with your friends or other people in a casual way, but you should avoid using díky in a business conversation or in a very formal situation. If you are not sure which expression to use, just say děkuji, and you will never make a mistake.

Quick tip 3
Use Moc děkuji and Velmi vám děkuji when you feel very pleased and thankful. Adding moc and velmi vám will make the politeness level a bit higher, and will show how impressed you are.

On the run to Czech Republic? Wait! You can’t go without some basic language phrases under your belt! Especially if you’re heading to meet your prospective employer! Either in person or online, knowing how to say ‘Thank you’ in the Czech language will only improve their impression of you! CzechClass101 saves you time with this short lesson that nevertheless packs a punch. Learn to say ‘Thank you’ in Czech in no time!

3. Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You

Perhaps you think it’s unimportant that you don’t know what ‘Thank you’ is in Czech, or that it’s too difficult a language to learn. Yet, as a traveler or visitor, you will be surprised at how far you can go using a little bit of Czech in Czech Republic!

Click Here to Listen to the Free Audio Lesson!

At CzechClass101, we offer you a few ways of saying ‘Thank you’ in Czech that you have no excuse not knowing, as they’re so simple and easy to learn. The lesson is geared to aid your ‘survival’ in formal and informal situations in Czech Republic, so don’t wait! You will never have to google ‘How do you say thanks in Czech’ again…!

4. ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages

For the global traveler in a hurry, here are 31 ways to say ‘Thank you’! These are the first words you need to learn in any foreign language – it is sure to smooth your way with native speakers by showing your gratitude for services rendered, and your respect for their culture! Learn and know how to correctly say ‘Thank you’ in 31 different languages in this short video.

5. Why would CzechClass101 be the perfect choice to learn Czech?

However, you need not stop at ‘Thank you’ in Czech – why not learn to speak the language?! You have absolutely nothing to lose. Research has shown that learning a new language increases intelligence and combats brain-aging. Also, the ability to communicate with native speakers in their own language is an instant way to make friends and win respect! Or imagine you know how to write ‘Thank you’ to that special Czech friend after a date…he/she will be so impressed!

CzechClass101 Has Special Lessons, Tools and Resources to Teach You How to Say Thank You and Other Key Phrases

With more than a decade of experience behind us, we have taught thousands of satisfied users to speak foreign languages. How do we do this? First, we take the pain out of learning! At CzechClass101, students are assisted as they master vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation through state-of-the-art and fun online learning methods. A library replete with learning resources allows for you to learn at your own pace and in your own space! Resources include thousands of video and audio recordings, downloadable PDF lessons and plenty of learning apps for your mobile devices. Each month, we add benefits with FREE bonuses and gifts to improve your experience.

We accommodate all levels and types of learners, from Absolute Beginner to Advanced, and CzechClass101 is free for anyone to sign up. However, you can choose to fast track your fluency with lesson customization and increased interactive learning and practicing. Upgrade to Premium, or Premium PLUS to enhance your experience and greatly expedite your learning. With this type of assistance, and pleasurable effort on your part, you will speak Czech in a very short period of time!

Click Here to Visit CzechClass101!

Best of all is that you’re never alone! We believe that practice is the holy grail of learning any new language, and we gear our courses to ensure lots of it. Enroll with us, and you gain immediate access to our lively forum where we meet and greet, and discuss your burning questions. Our certified teachers are friendly and helpful, and you are very likely to practice your first ‘Thanks!’ in Czech on him/her, AND mean it! Hurry up, and sign up now – you will thank us for it.

Hey Listeners!

So you’ve decided to study Czech, now what?

Chances are you’re looking to become fluent and conversational as fast as possible, right? Well then, look no further! This is the list for you!

Without further ado, here are the top 5 shortcuts to learning Czech!

Click Here To Start Learning Czech Right Now!

1. Create A Study Schedule And Set Some Goals:
This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many unorganized language learners there are in the world! Creating a schedule allows you to manage your time wisely, enabling you to free up time to study consistently. Goals are also a key component of learning Czech. These give you motivation and something to strive for.

2. Make It Fun:
You may roll your eyes at this one, but it’s true! If you learn how to make your study time enjoyable, chances are you’ll be more inclined to study! Try changing it up every now and then with something new. Watch a TV show in Czech or listen to some Czech music! The sky is the limit!

3. Find A Language Partner:
This is one surefire way to improve your conversational skills. Having a language partner allows you to practice your target language in a conversational manner. This will help you gain fluency even faster!

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4. Use Word Lists To Build Up A Solid Vocabulary:
This is a great way to build up your fluency, one word at a time. At CzechClass101, you can use one of our many word lists. Choose whichever topic you want to study and go!

5. Make Mistakes:
Lastly, don’t be afraid to make mistakes! In fact, make a lot of them! Nothing helps you improve more than correcting your own errors. If you catch yourself saying something wrong, you’re likely to remember it the next time around. So just remember, everyone makes mistakes! Learn from them!

Get On the Fast-Track To Speaking Czech Now! Click Here!

Again, there is no magical, overnight way to learn Czech. However, doing a few or all of these will help you out substantially. And remember, if you’re really interested in getting on the fast-track to fluency, sign up for a FREE lifetime account at CzechClass101.com now!