Filler words. The elusive umbrella term for all sorts of mysterious sounds, phrases, and individual words that no textbook in the world could prepare you for.

It feels like politicians all over the world love to indulge in this kind of endeavor, but regular mortals do so with equal vigor…and less class.

Nevertheless, you should get familiar with Czech filler words even if your personal goal doesn’t involve diving into the pool of Czech politics. Regular peeps love them as well, and you might sometimes feel that they’re a part of every single Czech sentence. Or that you’re in the famous show The Office (I’ve never heard so many “okays” in such a short span of time).

My personal motto is: Instead of using this verbal “cotton fluff,” just pause and smile for a second.

Ready? 

In this article, I’ll walk you through the most common Czech filler words and give you some advice to help you navigate through the confusing valley of Czech conversation fillers. So, basically… We can begin, like…now?

Ummm…

Table of Contents

1. What are filler words and why do we use them?
2. Czech Fluff That Will Buy You Some Time When You’re Speechless
3. Pros and Cons of Using Filler Words: Look for the Silver Lining
4. CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech Fast

1. What are filler words and why do we use them?

➢ A filler word can be described as a word without meaning that is used to slow down, pause, or hesitate.
➢ Fillers have very little lexical value.

You know, all those “um, uh, er, ah, like, okay, right, and you knows” that buy you some time when you’re clueless or weren’t really paying attention when Grandma was telling you about the latest (nerve-wrecking) twist in her favorite soap opera and shrieked, “What would you do if you were in Esmeralda’s shoes?” And now she’s looking at you expectantly, waiting for you to chime in.

With filler words, you can buy more time to think about what to say. Choose wisely. Sometimes, it’s better to pause for a second or to say that you don’t understand. (Not sure how to do it? We’ve got you covered: how to say “I don’t understand,” in Czech.)

What would your answer be?

Ummm… Right?

➢ Czech filler words play a strategic syntactic role. Their function is (sometimes) to focus the listener’s attention on what’s to follow.
➢ They can also function as a pause vowel (“ummm”) or a holophrasis, which is a single-word phrase that expresses a complete thought (such as oukej – “okay”).

Beware: Pause vowels and some of the Czech conversation fillers are perceived as a sign of nervousness. You should be cautious and avoid them if you want to appear confident at a job interview, for example.

If you find yourself using filler words way too often, it might be a good idea to work on your vocabulary and practice Czech conversational phrases. (Check out this list.) If you struggle with real-life conversations, you’ll find some useful tips here.

2. Czech Fluff That Will Buy You Some Time When You’re Speechless

In the Czech language, fillers are often used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. 

Let’s look at the most common ones.

1.Tak / Takže – “So”

This cute little word is pronounced like no English word and just like the Norwegian “takk” – “thank you.” It’s one of the most commonly used Czech fillers, having countless meanings and functions.

➢ While tak is used almost exclusively at the beginning of a sentence, takže usually goes last and indicates an open ending of a statement peppered with uncertainty.

Example:
Q: Kdy se budete brát? – “When will you get married?”
A1: Tak… říkali jsme si za 7 let nebo tak… – “So, we were thinking in 7 years or so…”
A2: Říkali jsme si za 7 let, takže… – “We were thinking in 7 years, so…”

Not all filler words have a negative impact on the convo.

2. No – “Well”

This might be the uncrowned king of all Czech filler words. It’s pronounced almost like the English “no,” which tends to drive native English speakers crazy. Remember, no indicates hesitation; the Czech word for “no” (ne) sounds completely different.

Example:
Q: Neříkala náhodou, že už to neudělá? – “Didn’t she say she wouldn’t do that again?”
A: No, asi si to rozmyslela, takže… – “Well, I guess she changed her mind, so…”

3. Prostě – “Just” / “Simply”

The meaning of the Czech “just” actually leans toward that of the English filler “like,” and as such, it’s used in similar contexts/situations. It either opens or closes the statement.

Example:
Q: Proč jsi mi to neřekl? – “Why didn’t you tell me?”
A: Prostě… Nechtěl jsem, abys to věděla. – “I just…didn’t want you to know.”

4. Jako – “Like”

There’s nothing like a bowl of “like” during small talk, am I right? The Czech jako (“like”) is often used at the very beginning of the sentence as an (angry) opener.

Example:
Jako… Je mi to úplně jedno, víš? – “Like, whatever, you know?”
Jako, co jsi čekala? – “Like, what did you expect?”

5. Vlastně – “Actually”

This one is every politician’s/teacher’s/student’s favorite. It’s a little less casual and it’s often used in tandem with takže (“so”) as takže vlastně. This is an especially powerful combo when: “It’s on the tip of my tongue, just a sec, please, I really need to pass this exam.”

➢ When you’re at wit’s end and you’ve already said everything you know about the topic BUT you want to make it look like there’s so much more knowledge in you, give yourself a moment to channel it by saying takže vlastně.

Example:
Q: “If Albert Einstein drove his black BMW into town on Monday and then stayed for half a dozen blue moons, what flavor was the ice-cream he ate the night he got back?
“A: Vlastně… Musím si rozmyslet, jak to říct jednoduše. – “Actually, I need to think about how to put it simply.”

You know, I actually wanted to marry your brother.

6. Víš – “You know”

This is everyone’s and their mom’s favorite cross-cultural gem, widely loved by all drama queens and people who love attention and/or want to seem like they’re really trying hard to explain things to you in an assertive yet understanding manner.

Also, it’s a great buffer for not-so-pleasant news announcements. It’s way more elegant than “ummmm.”

Example:

Q: “Can I have the diamond earrings you borrowed a year ago back?”

A: Víš, prodala jsem je. Potřebovala jsem je na kabelku Chanel. – “You know, I sold them. I needed the money to buy a Chanel purse.”

7. Vole / Ty vole – “You bull”

Please, do not use this Czech filler in formal/professional or otherwise respectable settings.

• This very common, temperamental word can be used in situations where a native English speaker would utter “oh my god,” “sh*t,” or worse, as well as the aforementioned angry jako (“like”) or in place of a joyous shriek. Also, it indicates surprise or shock in some situations.
• It’s used as an interjection.

As you can see, it’s a pretty versatile champ.

Ty vole!

Example:

Ty vole, ty šaty stojí majlant! – “Oh my gosh, the dress costs a fortune!”

Ty vole, to se mi nepovedlo. – “Darn, I messed up.”

Ty vole, já jsem jí to říkala stokrát a ona mě neposlechla! – “Like, I told her like 100 times, and she wouldn’t listen!”

Q: Jaké bylo to rande? – “How was the date?”

A: Ty vole. Hrůza. – “Oh my god. Disastrous.”

8. Hele – “Look”

This is a very commonly used sentence opener that works just like its English counterpart. It’s kind of similar to the English “hey,” as well.

Example:

Q: Proč mi lžeš? – “Why are you lying to me?”

A: Hele, já jsem ti nikdy nic nesliboval, takže… – “Look, I never promised you anything, so…”

Hele, to bude v pohodě. – “Hey, it’s gonna be alright.”

9. V podstatě – “Basically”

This is another “smart” Czech filler word that might help you think about what you want to say without coming across as rude.

Example:

Q: Mohl bys mi to vysvětlit? – “Could you explain it to me?”

A: V podstatě o nic nejde. – “Basically, it’s not a big deal.”

10. Teda – “Then” / “Thus” / “Therefore”

Teda can be used as an interjection at the beginning of a sentence anytime you’d say something like “oh my gosh” in English. Many people use it as the English “like” and say it anywhere, anytime, first thing in the morning, last thing before bed.

Example:

Teda mami, ta večeře je vynikající! – “Oh my gosh, mom, the dinner is delicious!”

3. Pros and Cons of Using Filler Words: Look for the Silver Lining

You know, a healthy amount of fillers is like a tiny dab of perfume on your wrist. 

Like a pinch of cayenne in your signature soup recipe. 

Like the way you carry yourself around your town so confidently that all lost tourists know you’re a local and that you most definitely can help them find their way back to the hotel.

However, they can make you look ignorant, too anxious, or off-puttingly into yourself.

My advice: If you want to use the filler word solely to buy more time, don’t use it at all. Pause for a few seconds. Just stop and think silently without any “uuuhs” or “erms” that could deter your speech. That’s how professional speakers roll, too! If your filler word abuse stems from your lack of comprehension (you have no idea what the Czech person is saying), maybe you should boost your listening skills!

Instead of drowning your thoughts in filler words, pause for a few seconds.

Now… The pros and cons of using Czech filler words. 

Pros:

• They’re game changers. People don’t really notice them, but using fillers makes you sound authentic, like you’re really comfortable speaking the language and actually speak it all the time. You know what I mean?

• Using fillers in a foreign language is almost like swearing or dreaming in a foreign language—it’s a sign that speaking (and more importantly, thinking) in that language is becoming second nature. 

• They help the conversation flow smoothly without awkward silence.

Cons:

• You might sound too hesitant.

• Filler word overuse might make you seem self-conscious and less confident than you actually are.

4. CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech Fast

That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new!

If you’re taking your Czech studies seriously, you might grab a Czech grammar book or learn online (the latter of which is way more convenient). Seriously, learning a new skill has never been easier. Just grab your phone and get to work!

CzechClass101.com will make learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech the better way—with us, you’ll make progress faster than you could imagine. You’ll utilize your time and effort to their full potential, and enjoy the process.

What will you find here? 

• English-to-Czech translation and pronunciation tips/tricks
• 1-on-1 tutoring
• 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 if this article helped you. Oh, and which filler words are you most guilty of using in your native language?

Falling in love is always good news, whether it’s with a person, a language, a new activity, or a car.

I recently started learning a new language and I was very surprised when I finished a lesson called The Most Important Norwegian Phrases, yet still didn’t know how to say “Hey, handsome,” or “Your place or mine?” That’s one of the reasons I’m excited to be writing this article. Love is awesome in any language, plus you’ll likely meet interesting people while traveling or moving to another country. It’s a good idea to cover all the bases!

Things like flirting or saying “I love you,” in Czech might be tricky for you as a foreigner, but I’m here to help! Expressing love is just as delightful as feeling it, so I’ll be sure to clue you in on everything you need to make the most of your moment. 

Remember: In Czech, the verb “to love” isn’t as commonly used as it is in English, and people might be taken aback by your passionate love proclamation.

Generally speaking, Czechs aren’t the most lovey-dovey, cutesy nation in the world. Saying “I love you” is considered special, rare, and meant only for the right people and situations. The difference between “like” and “love” is as vast as the Grand Canyon.

So, how should you express your love in the Czech language or ask someone out? 

Let’s look at Czech love phrases.

Table of Contents

1. It All Starts with a Pick-up Line
2. Serious Stuff: Taking Your Relationship to the Next Level
3. Endearment Terms
4. Czech Love Quotes
5. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. It All Starts with a Pick-up Line

I distinctly remember that fateful summer night in 1999. While camping with my class, we found out there was a group of German boys staying at the campsite. We were 14 or 15 and eager to get to know each other.

Mind you, I went to a “good” school, and we had all been learning German and English since we were eight. Most of us were able to talk about our summer plans, introduce ourselves and our family, and apologize for not doing our homework in these languages. Yet, that night, something mind-blowing happened.

During an encounter with the boys, who looked so much more manly and interesting than our classmates (six insecure boys overwhelmed by a group of 25 young women with ambition), we realized our knowledge of German and English was horrifyingly insufficient.

The best I could do that night might well be one of the most interesting things I’ve ever said: “Your hand is like a baby’s…popo.” Popo means “butt.” I was trying to tell him that his hands were very smooth. Young love conquers even the toughest of language barriers though, and he kissed me anyway. Had my German been better, he might have actually talked to me and we could be married today. Who knows.

TLDR: Learn Czech pick-up lines, and don’t risk missing out on getting to know someone special!

Now, let’s get to business!

A- How to Start a Conversation in a Non-creepy Way

Ke mně, nebo k tobě? (“Your place or mine?”)

Let’s say you’re sitting in a café, plowing through work emails or reading a book…and the most beautiful creature enters the room. It doesn’t really matter where you are, the point is—you’re intrigued. What do you do?

Introducing yourself (preferably in Czech) seems like the most logical first step, right? In this article, you’ll find the necessary vocab and phrases for doing so. If you’re still struggling or short on time, memorize these lines.

After that, you’re ready to bond:

Czech (M/F)	English
Chodíš sem často?	“Do you come here often?”
Dáš si drink?	“Would you like a drink?”
Zatancujeme si?	“Would you like to dance?”
Líbí se ti tady?	“Do you like it here?”
Bavíš se?	“Are you having fun?”
Jsi tu sám/sama?	“Are you alone here?” / “Did you come alone?”
Nenudíš se trochu?	“Aren’t you a bit bored?”
Můžu se k tobě přidat?	“Can I join you?”
Nemůžu z tebe spustit oči.	“I can’t take my eyes off of you.”

One of these should work in any setting or situation, except for business meetings, doctors’ offices, and funeral homes. 

Hodně štěstí! (“Good luck!”)

Note for men: Remember that Czech women aren’t as assertive/aggressive as you might expect, and it’s very likely that you’ll have to approach her, not the other way around.

B- Compliments

Alright. Everyone loves them, most of us don’t know how to accept them properly, and they work like a charm. Just don’t overdo it. 

Czech (M/F)	English
Jsi moc hezký/hezká.	“You’re very pretty.”
Jsi krásný/krásná.	“You’re beautiful.”
Moc se mi líbíš.	“I like you a lot.”
Jsi moc zajímavý/zajímavá.	“You’re very interesting.”

And so on. Get creative and spontaneous. If you need inspiration, check out our list of compliments here and make sure you read our article on compliments as well. You might also find this list of 15 love phrases helpful.

C- When You Really Like Them and Want to See Them Again

Okay. You now know their name, you really like them, and a bunch of hyperactive butterflies are fluttering in your stomach. You might even suspect that never seeing this person again would make you think, “Man, what could have happened had I asked them out?” for the rest of your life. Remember Robert Redford in Indecent Proposal, and his story about a girl on a train? Don’t be like Robert. Ask them out.

Here’s what to say if you’d like to slide into their DM and/or explore the depths of their soul:

Czech (M/F)	English
Můžu tě pozvat na večeři?	“Can I invite you to dinner?”
Nezajdeme někdy na drink?	“How about grabbing a drink someday?”
Dáš mi na sebe číslo?	“Can I have your phone number?”
Můžu ti zavolat?	“Can I call you?”
Zavolej mi. / Napiš mi.	“Call me.” / “Text me.”
Jsi single?	“Are you single?”
Jsi ženatý/vdaná?	“Are you married?”
Chodíš s někým?	“Are you dating anyone?”
Mám přítele/přítelkyni.	“I have a boyfriend/girlfriend.”
Šel/šla bys se mnou na rande?	“Would you go out with me?”
Moc rád/ráda bych tě znovu viděl/viděla.	“I’d like to see you again.”
Můžeme se někdy sejít?	“Can we meet up someday?”
Nemůžu se dočkat, až tě znovu uvidím.	“I can’t wait to see you again.”

By the way, are you ready for a date in a restaurant? You might want to check out this list of lessons and learn how to order, ask for the bill, and impress your date with your slick language skills.

If you’re going to the movies, then study this list of movie-related Czech vocab beforehand. Also, make sure you know the necessary Czech vocab for making plans.

D- When You Want to Get Straight to the Point

Sometimes, you just know what you want when you see it, and there’s no point in sugarcoating it.

Czech (M/F)	English
Čau krasavče/krásko.	“Hey handsome/beautiful.”
Nechceš jít na vzduch?	“Do you want to get some fresh air?”
Chci s tebou být sám/sama.	“I want to be alone with you.”
Můžu tě doprovodit domů?	“Can I take you home?”
Doprovodíš mě domů?	“Would you walk me/take me home?”
Chci tě.	“I want you.”
Můžu tě políbit?	“Can I kiss you?”
Přitahuješ mě.	“I am attracted to you.”
Jdeme ke mně, nebo k tobě?	“Your place or mine?”

When You’re Not Feeling It (And Just Want to Get Out)

Okay, what if everything goes smoothly, but the date is underwhelming and you know you don’t want to take it any further?

Sometimes it just doesn’t work out, and sometimes it doesn’t work out so badly that you need to leave immediately.

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

Vypadni. (“Get out.”)

When it’s time to face the music:

Czech	English
Nefungovalo by to.	“It wouldn’t work.”
Hledám něco jiného.	“I am looking for something else.”
Nejsi můj typ.	“You’re not my type.”
Nemám zájem.	“I’m not interested.”
Nehodíme se k sobě.	“We’re not a good match.”

2. Serious Stuff: Taking Your Relationship to the Next Level

Alright. Let’s say you’ve gotten to know each other better, you’ve grown close, and your affection is much deeper than the initial (and mind-blowingly blissful) sexual fascination. You’re in love.

It’s time to say those elusive, magical words.

Do You Like Them or Love Them?

In Czech, we don’t use the word “love” very often, and we certainly don’t shout “luv ya” over the shoulder when leaving for work or at the end of every single phone call. And it’s totally normal (yes, this is the norm) to never hear it from your parents, grandparents, or kids.

And this doesn’t apply only to relationships.

In Czech, you don’t say: Miluju tvoje šaty. (“I love your dress.”) You say: Líbí se mi tvoje šaty. (“I like your dress.”)

When expressing affection, we commonly use these words instead of milovat (“to love”).

1. Líbit se (“to like”)
2. Mít rád (“to be fond of”)

• The Czech phrase Miluju tě (“I love you”) is only used in romantic relationships and it’s not something you throw around like confetti. 

Now, let’s look at some Czech love phrases:

Czech (F/M)	English
Miluju tě.	“I love you.”
Mám tě rád/ráda.	“I am fond of you.”
Zbožňuju tě.	“I adore you.”
Nemůžu bez tebe žít.	“I can’t live without you.”
Chci si tě vzít.	“I want to marry you.”
Vezmeš si mě?	“Will you marry me?”
Chci s tebou strávit zbytek života.	“I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Jsi láska mého života.	“You’re the love of my life.”
Jsem do tebe blázen.	“I’m crazy about you.”

Novomanželé. (“Newlyweds”.)

3. Endearment Terms

Czech is a fun and very flexible language that allows for the creation of cute words.

We use zdrobněliny (diminutive forms of a person’s formal name) and various pet names that might sound surprisingly obscene to the untrained ear.

• The most common ones are zlato, miláčku, and lásko.

We also love cukrbliky (“batting one’s eyelashes in a cute, flirty way”). Cukr means “sugar” and bliky means “blinks.”

I’ve included a list of Czech endearment terms in the 5th case—declined and ready to use.

Czech	English
Prdelko	“Little butt”
Lásko	“Love”
Kočičko	“Kitty”
Zlato	“Baby”
Broučku	“Little bug”
Zlatíčko	“Sweetheart”
Miláčku	“Darling”
Drahoušku	“Darling”

Jsi moje prdelka. (“You’re my little butt.”)

4. Czech Love Quotes

Alright friends, it’s time for a healthy amount of pathos! Here are two of the most common Czech love quotes/proverbs that capture the Czech nature perfectly.

Láska prochází žaludkem.	“Love goes through your stomach.”
This is similar to the English phrase, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

Snesl bych ti modré z nebe.	“I would bring you the blue from the sky.”
This is like saying, “I would do anything for you.”

We’re tough cookies who like food and are capable of big things when we’re in love. See for yourself!

Also, if you’re feeling super-romantic, you’re going to fall in love with this list of Czech quotes about love.

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

That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new!

If you’re taking your Czech studies seriously, you could grab a Czech grammar book or learn online (the latter of which is way more convenient). Seriously, learning a new skill has never been easier. Just grab your phone and get to work!

CzechClass101.com makes learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech the better way—with us, you’ll 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 love phrases in Czech was your favorite!

Saying NO is important in many situations:

No, I don’t eat mussels.
No, I can’t help you.
No, I won’t marry you.

It’s equally important in Czech, of course. Czech grammar is quite simple and straightforward, and negatives are no exception.

If Czech negation were a guy/girl, you’d get slightly bored of them in the middle of your first date, and later you would describe them to your friend as simple, predictable, linear, and straightforward.

It will take you 15 seconds to master this topic, so go ahead and make plans for tonight. I’m not going to keep you for long.

Let’s learn about negation in the Czech language!

Just…no.

Table of Contents

1. How to Make a Statement Negative in Czech
2. Giving a Negative Answer
3. Czech Negation Words and Phrases
4. Double and Triple Negatives in Czech
5. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. How to Make a Statement Negative in Czech

I’ve already hinted at what Czech negation is like, and I promise it’s definitely one of the easiest bits of Czech grammar.

So how do you make a negative statement in Czech?

➢ Add the prefix NE- to a verb

Let’s look at some examples so that you know I’m not making this up:

Statement	Negative Statement
Zítra jdu do školy. – “I’m going to school tomorrow.”	Zítra nejdu do školy. – “I’m not going to school tomorrow.”
Máš ráda ovoce. – “I like fruit.”	Nemáš ráda ovoce. – “I do not like fruit.”
Jsem nemocná. – “I am sick.”	Nejsem nemocná. – “I am not sick.”
Chce si číst. – “He/She wants to read.”	Nehce si číst. – “He/She doesn’t want to read.”
Oni se učí česky. – “They are learning Czech.”	Oni se neučí česky. – “They are not learning Czech.”

If you want to master Czech negation, you need to learn how to spell and conjugate Czech verbs properly. This list of the 50 most commonly used Czech verbs is a great start. If you’re short on time, pave your way to Czech basics with this list of 25 Czech verbs.

The Verb být (“to be”) in Negative Form

Být (“to be”) is the only exception in Czech negation, but 

• only in the third person singular.

Let’s look at the conjugation:

Person	Singular	Negative Singular
1st	jsem – “am”	nejsem – “am not”
2nd	jsi – “are”	nejsi – “are not”
3rd	je – “is”	není – “is not”

Person	Plural	Negative Plural
1st	jsme – “are”	nejsme – “are not”
2nd	jste – “are”	nejste – “are not”
3rd	jsou – “are”	nejsou – “are not”

Apart from this little thing, it’s easy-peasy!

That was easy!

2. Giving a Negative Answer

As you can tell, negation in Czech is just as simple and straightforward as it gets—kind of like ordering your favorite meal at the restaurant where you’ve been a regular since 5th grade.

1. Create a negative form of the respective verb.
2. Put together a sentence according to the Czech word order rules.

And since one table is worth a million words…

Question	Negative Answer
Mluvíš česky? – “Do you speak Czech?”Nemluvíš česky? – “Do you not speak Czech?”	Ne, nemluvím Česky. – “No, I don’t speak Czech.”
Žije tvoje přítelkyně v Praze? – “Does your girlfriend live in Prague?” Nežije tvoje přítelkyně v Praze? – “Doesn’t your girlfriend live in Prague?”	Ne, moje přítelkyně nežije v Praze. – “No, my girlfriend doesn’t live in Prague.”
Chcete si už objednat? – “Would you like to order?” Nechcete si už objednat? – “Would you not like to order?”	Ne, nechceme si objednat. – “No, we are not ready to order.”
Máme dost vody? – “Do we have enough water?” Nemáme dost vody? – “Do we not have enough water?”	Ne, nemáme dost vody. – “No, we don’t have enough water.”
Je tu wi-fi zdarma? – “Is the wifi free here?” Není tu wi-fi zdarma? – “Isn’t the wifi free here?”	Ne, wi-fi tu není zdarma. – “No, the wifi isn’t free.”

There’s a slight difference between the negative and regular questions, though.

➢ When asking a negative question (very common in spoken Czech), you might be implying, assuming, making sure, or already know the answer.

For example: 

Nežije tvoje přítelkyně v Praze? – “Doesn’t your girlfriend live in Prague?”

This question could be followed by something like: “I thought I was seeing her in the park every weekend. I guess it’s not her.”

But if you genuinely have no idea where his girl lives, you would ask: 

Žije tvoje přítelkyně v Praze? – “Does your girlfriend live in Prague?” 

P.S.: If you’re lost, just shake your head.

Czech negation is very simple.

When you need to be polite…

Saying no is quite simple. However, in most situations (such as at work, while talking to a friend, etc.), you might want to choose your words carefully so that you don’t come across as a heartless and crude monster with no manners.

Also, these are the phrases you should use when you feel like you have to/should say yes, but you want to set boundaries or suggest a different solution.

Let’s say someone you barely know asks you to do their work:

• Je mi líto, ale nejde to. – “I am sorry, but it’s not possible/can’t be done.”

• Omlouvám se, ale ne. – “I am sorry, but no.” (This one sounds quite funny in English, but it’s actually one of the most common negative answers in Czech. I mean, besides: Už ti nenaliju, jsi na plech. – I won’t get you another drink, you’re hammered.”)

Maybe you would love to help, but you’re late on your projects:

• Promiň, mám moc práce, ale vím, kdo by ti mohl pomoct. – “I am sorry, I am busy, but I know who could help you.”

When someone invites you someplace, but you want to stay home with your cat and drink tea…

• Nezlob se, mám jiný program. – “I am sorry, I have other plans.”

When you don’t want to break their heart:

• Dneska nemůžu, můžeme jít jindy? – “I can’t today, can we go another time?”

When the person is really cute or the plans sound awesome and you genuinely want to do it:

• To bych moc rád(a), ale dneska se mi to nehodí. Mám čas příští týden. – “I would love to, but I can’t today. I am free next week.”

When you just don’t know…

• Já nevím, promiň. – “Sorry, I don’t know.”

When you want to be direct:

• Nemůžu. – “I can’t.”
• Nechci. – “I don’t want to.”
• Ne, díky. – “No, thanks.”
• Ani ne, díky. – “Not really, thanks.”

More on this topic here. Have fun!

Nechci! – I don’t want to.

3. Czech Negation Words and Phrases

Here are a few more words and phrases you can use to make a sentence negative in Czech. 

• ne – “no”

• nikdy – “never” 
  • Nikdy sem nechodí. – “He never comes here.”

• nikdo – “nobody” / “anyone” 
  • Nikdo je nemá rád. – “Nobody likes them.”

• nikde – “nowhere” / “anywhere” 
  • Nikde jinde to nenajdeme. – “We won’t find it anywhere else.”

• zádný/žádná/žádné (m/f/n) – “none” / “no” / “any” / “neither” 
  • Na stole nebyla žádná knížka. – “There wasn’t any book on the table.”

• ani jeden – “not even a one” or “none of these” / “neither” 
  • Ani jeden z jejích bratrů nemá černé vlasy. – “None of her brothers has black hair.”

• ani – “nor” / “not” 
  • Nikdo si nepamatuje moje narozeniny, dokonce ani moje máma. – “Nobody remembers my birthday, not even my mom.”

• skoro vůbec – “barely” / “hardly” 
  • Konečně jsme spolu a ty skoro vůbec nemluvíš! – “We’re finally together and you’re barely speaking!”

• už ne – “no longer” / “not anymore” 
  • Už nemá dost energie. – “He no longer has enough energy.” 
  • Q: Ty ji nechceš? A: Už ne. – Q: “Don’t you want her?” A: “Not anymore.”

• vůbec – “at all” / “whatsoever” 
  • Nemám vůbec hlad. – “I’m not hungry at all.”

In case you’re in the mood for more negativity, check out our list of the top 21 words for negative emotions.

4. Double and Triple Negatives in Czech

You’ve probably noticed that the Czech language is pretty playful in nature, which means there’s always an extra spark even in the simplest of matters.

In the context of Czech negation, it’s double (and even triple) negatives.

Here’s the most important info about the difference between negation in English and Czech:

➢ It’s almost a rule to have a double or triple negative in Czech, although sentences with only one negative are not uncommon.

If you remember elementary school math, and you’re tempted to apply the “negative + negative = positive” rule here, just don’t.

Let’s look at examples of two or more Czech negatives resulting in a negative:

Czech	English
Už nikdy tam nepůjdeš!	“You will never not go there again.” / “You won’t ever go there again.”
Nemám vůbec nic.	“I don’t have nothing at all.” / “I don’t have anything at all.”
Už nemá hlad.	“She isn’t hungry anymore.”
Dneska jsme nikam nešli.	“We didn’t go nowhere today.” / “We didn’t go anywhere today.”
Vůbec nic o tom neví.	“He doesn’t know nothing at all about it.” / “He doesn’t know anything about it.”
Ani jeden žák tu knihu nečetl.	“Not even one student didn’t read the book.” / “Not one student read the book.”
Nikdo tu není.	“There isn’t nobody in here.” / “There is nobody in here.”
Nemám rád cestování, nikdy jsem nikde nebyl.	“I don’t like traveling, I have never been nowhere.” / “I don’t like traveling, I have never been anywhere.”
V práci skoro vůbec nic nedělá.	“He doesn’t do barely anything at work.” / “He does barely anything at work.”
Nic nechci.	“I don’t want nothing.” / “I don’t want anything.”

Double and triple negatives result in a negative in the Czech language.

5. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new. You should now be ready to knock Czech negation out of the park!

I’m glad you chose Czech, and I hope you know that, in this wonderful era of advanced technology, learning languages is easy, effective, and can be done anywhere (= way less boring).

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 if this article helped you. Let’s get in touch!

Everybody gets a little tense when it comes to tenses. However, I have GREAT news for you. If you’re a native English speaker (or a native speaker of any Germanic language), you’ll find Czech tenses super-easy to learn and understand.

The (otherwise complicated) Czech language uses only three tenses: past, present, and future. That’s it.

You still have to be aware of grammatical gender, declension, and conjugation of course, but applying the tenses correctly is actually a breeze.

This is going to be short and sweet. Let’s learn about Czech verb tenses!

Table of Contents

1. The Present Tense in Czech
2. The Past Tense in Czech
3. The Future Tense in Czech
4. Verb Conjugation and Auxiliary Verbs
5. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. The Present Tense in Czech

The rules for using the present tense in Czech are very simple.

Is it happening right now? Does it happen regularly? Then use the present tense.

➢ Přítomný čas (“present tense”) is used to describe ongoing actions.
➢ Grammatical gender, declension, and conjugation rules apply when using all tenses.
➢ The ending of the verb changes for every gender, person, and case.
➢ Minulý čas (“past tense”) is used to denote past actions without a time reference—actions that happened in the past and might happen in the future.

Before you decide whether it’s correct to use the present tense, you’ll need to figure out which conjugation type the verb falls under. 

You can simply memorize all the possible endings. I promise that, eventually, you’ll not only remember but also be able to “feel” what’s correct (I suggest you read a lot in Czech). In case your vocabulary needs a boost, check out our list of the 50 most commonly used verbs.

Verb endings:

Person	Singular	Plural
1st (já / my) – “I” / “we”	-u / -i / -m	-eme / -íme / -áme
2nd (ty / vy) – “you” / “you”	-eš / -íš / -áš	-ete / -íte / -áte
3rd (on, ona, ono/oni) – “he, she, it/they”	-e / -í / -á	-ejí / -ějí / -í / -ou / -ají

Let’s look at some examples:

English Tense	English	Czech
Present Simple	“I brush my teeth twice a day.” “Do you sew your own clothes?” “I don’t sew my own clothes.” “He doesn’t know about it.”	Čistím si zuby dvakrát denně. Šiješ si svoje vlastní šaty? Nešiju si svoje vlastní šaty. Neví o tom.
Present Perfect	“We have been to Italy several times.” “I have seen it before.” (feminine)	Několikrát jsme byli v Itálii.Už jsem to viděla. Exception: We need to use the past tense here, as explained above.
Present Continuous	“You are sitting in my chair.” “We aren’t doing anything right now.” “We are reading an article.”	Sedíš na mojí židli. My právě teď nic neděláme. Čteme je článek.
Present Perfect Continuous	“They have been living here since last year.” “I have been reading the book for months now.” “We have always been doing it this way.”	Bydlí tu od loňského roku. Já tu knihu čtu už celé měsíce. Vždycky to takhle děláme.

When to use přítomný čas in Czech (summary)

You use the přítomný čas when describing:

1. Habitual or routine actions
2. General (timeless) facts
3. Actions that are happening right now
4. Actions that started in the past and continue into the present (and may continue into the future)

Holky se smějí. – “The girls are laughing.”

2. The Past Tense in Czech

➢ The past tense in Czech is formed with the past participle in the proper gender form combined with an auxiliary verb, which indicates the person and number of the verb’s subject with a past form of the main verb.
➢ It replaces every past tense in English.
➢ The most common ending is -l + -a/-o/-i/-y (feminine, neuter, and plural).
➢ There is no tense shifting in reported speech.

Examples:

English Tense	English	Czech
Past Simple	“He cooked dinner last night.” “We arrived two days ago.” “It didn’t happen like that!”	Včera večer uvařil večeři. Přijeli jsme před dvěma dny. Takhle se to nestalo!
Past Continuous	“We were watching TV when it happened.” “She was driving when he called her.” “Her animals looked healthy and happy.”	Dívali jsme se na televizi, když se to stalo. Řídila, když jí zavolal. Její zvířata vypadala šťastně a zdravě.
Past Perfect	“I didn’t watch the movie; I had seen it last week.” (feminine) “The girls were hungry because they hadn’t eaten all day.”	Nedívala jsem se na film, viděla jsem ho minulý týden. Holky měly hlad, protože celý den nic nejedly.
Reported Speech	“He said he loved her.” “She texted me that the report was ready.”	Řekl, že ji miluje. Napsala mi, že je ta zpráva hotová. Past simple + present simple

When to use minulý čas in Czech (summary)

You use minulý čas when describing:

1. Actions that are finished
2. Actions and situations finished in the past
3. Finished actions that started in the past

This tense is also used in combination with the present simple in reported speech (řekl, že to udělá).

Někdo snědl kus dortu! – “Someone ate a piece of cake!”

3. The Future Tense in Czech

The future tense in Czech is probably the trickiest one, but if you’re able to navigate through the maze of the 12 tenses in English (let’s not even mention French and its 17 tenses), this will be a piece of cake for you.

There are a few possible ways to form this Czech-language tense: 

1. You can change the verb by modifying the stem and adding a prefix.
2. For some verbs of motion, the future tense can be formed by adding po-/pů- to the present form of the verb.
3. For imperfective verbs, we use být (“to be”) in the future tense, correct gender and person + the infinitive.

➢ It is possible to use the present simple or continuous when referring to scheduled actions and plans.

Examples:

English Tense	English	Czech
Present Simple	“It’s my birthday tomorrow.” “We have a class on Thursday.”	Zítra mám narozeniny. Ve čtvrtek máme hodinu.
Present Continuous	“I’m swimming tomorrow morning.” “They’re throwing a party next month.”	Zítra ráno jdu plavat. Příští měsíc pořádají večírek.
Will	“He will pick you up at six.” “I will show you how to do it.” “I will carry you, you can’t walk.”	Vyzvedne tě v šest. Ukážu ti, jak se to dělá. Ponesu tě, nemůžeš chodit.
Going to	“It’s going to rain, the clouds are really dark.” “I’m going to go, it’s late.”	Bude pršet, mraky jsou opravdu tmavé. Půjdu, je pozdě.

When to use budoucí čas in Czech (summary)

1. When expressing beliefs about the future
2. When we want or are willing to do something
3. Offers and promises
4. When we’re dead-set on doing something—we’re going to do it
5. Predictions based on evidence

Budou se brát. – “They will be getting married.”

4. Verb Conjugation and Auxiliary Verbs 

The past and future tenses in Czech are formed using verbs that provide additional conjugations for other verbs, which is their only role in the sentence. They’re called pomocná slovesa, or “helping verbs.”

➢ In Czech, only the verb být (“to be”) is used as an auxiliary verb to form the past and future tenses.

Být – To Be – To Exist

This short and simple word, embellished by a special character called čárka, plays a very important role in the Czech language.

Let’s look at the many uses of být:

1.	To be	Ona je krásná.	“She is beautiful.”
2.	To exist	V tom pokoji byla dvě okna.	“There were two windows in that room.”
3.	Auxiliary used to form the past tense with verbs in the past participle form	Šla jsem domů.	“I went home.”
4.	Auxiliary used to form the future tense with verbs in the infinitive	Budu ti číst.	“I will read to you.”
5.	Auxiliary used to form the conditional mood with verbs in the past participle form	Nekupoval bych to.	“I wouldn’t buy it.”
6.	Auxiliary used to form the passive voice with verbs in the past participle	Byla překvapená.	“She was surprised.”
7.	Auxiliary used to form the conditional forms of verbs with past and passive participles	Kdybych věděla, že jsi tu, počkala bych v autě.	“Had I known you were here, I would have waited in the car.”

It’s important that you learn all of the forms for this word (a.k.a. conjugation). You pretty much wouldn’t be able to form any tense in Czech without it. I hope I didn’t scare you.

Present Conjugation

Person	Singular/Plural – Czech	Singular/Plural – English
1st (já / my) – “I” / “we”	jsem/jsme	am/are
2nd (ty / vy) – “you” / “you”	jsi/jste	are/are
3rd (on, ona, ono/oni) – “he, she, it/they”	je/jsou	is/are

Past Participle

➢ When referring to a singular subject, you need to know the grammatical gender of the subject.

	Masculine Animate	Masculine Inanimate	Feminine	Neuter
Singular	byl	byl	byla	bylo
Plural	byli	byly	byly	byla

Future Tense

➢ In the future tense, být works like the English future auxiliary verb “will.”

	Masculine Animate	Masculine Inanimate	Feminine	Neuter
Singular	bude	bude	bude	bude
Plural	budou	budou	budou	budou

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

Conditional

➢ When forming the conditional, you’ll use the verb být the same way as “would” is used in English.

	1st Person	2nd Person	3rd person
Singular	bych	bys	by
Plural	bychom	byste	by

Start now!

5. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this article on Czech verb tenses and learned something new!

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

CzechClass101.com makes 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 if this article helped you, and share your favorite learning tips. Let’s get in touch!

Learning a new language is kind of like losing or gaining weight: we want to see results ASAP. Even better—we want to see results now. Yesterday was too late.

That, my dear friend, won’t happen. Not even if you pull three all-nighters in a row in an attempt to learn 1000 new words in three days. Not even if you refuse to speak other languages and expose yourself to an ungodly amount of Czech TV and YouTube videos.

So how long does it take to learn Czech?

Let me put it this way: It depends on what your goal is.

Duh, obvi, right?

Do you want to be able to order the right food on the menu or ask about specific ingredients? (Very important if you have food allergies or an intolerance…or if you really, REALLY can’t stand mushrooms, and spotting them on your plate would ruin your whole trip to Prague.)

Do you just need to get by and understand some basic, everyday phrases? Is your biggest fear using the wrong tense or saying “Goodnight” at ten in the morning?

Are you actually taking this VERY seriously and want to become fluent? Sky’s the limit!

Finally, are there any tips and tricks on how to learn Czech faster?

That (and more) is the topic of this article!

Table of Contents

1. Beginner Level
2. Intermediate Level
3. Advanced Level
4. Do You Want to Learn Czech Fast? Start Here.
5. Learn Czech Faster: Practical Tips and Tricks
6. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

Beginner Level

I know I’m going to sound super-annoying, but…there’s no straight answer to this (very frequently) asked question.

Think about it this way: How long did it take you to learn your mother tongue? You probably weren’t flaunting it within a couple of weeks, right? I’ve got great news for you, though: It’s not going to take years to learn Czech. And you can make the process fun by using the right methods and resources.

Read on.

The right learning method will speed up your progress.

Beginner Level: What Exactly Does That Mean?

• You can ask a few basic questions, such as what time it is or where the restroom is located. 
• You know how to greet people appropriately.
• You can introduce yourself (your name, age, job, etc.).
• You know how to use tenses. (Past, present, and future—see? This is MUCH easier than in English.)
• Your vocabulary is limited, but you’re able to participate in conversations.
• You typically make quite a lot of mistakes (and that’s okay, take them as an opportunity to learn and grow).
• By international standards, this level is called A1 or A2.

How Many Hours Does it Take to Achieve a Beginner Level in Czech?

Generally speaking, you’re going to spend around 480 hours playing with flashcards, studying grammar, and memorizing vocabulary.

If you have the time and can treat yourself to full-time study, you will learn Czech in about 12 weeks.

Use different learning techniques and don’t underestimate the power of Netflix and YouTube!

Intermediate Level

You should reach the intermediate level in about 720 hours or 24 weeks. However, if you’re not a complete beginner, you’ll probably make progress much faster. It all depends on your dedication. 

As a B1-B2 Czech speaker:

• You understand the main topics of a conversation, given the vocabulary and grammar aren’t overly complicated or specific (and that you’re familiar with the topic).
• Daily interactions in Czech are a breeze. You order food and engage in conversations about the weather, your family, hobbies, or work with ease.
• You’re aware that it probably wouldn’t be the best idea to start writing your first novel in Czech, but you can compose an email just fine, even if it’s a work thing that has to sound professional.

Advanced Level 

This level will take around 44 weeks or 1100 hours to achieve. Whoa! This is C1-C2, guys!

At this level:

• You’re pretty much fluent. You’re confident and use the language freely, without major errors.
• Your vocabulary and grammar skills are strong.
• You have complete control over the language.

Diligence is the mother of success!

Do You Want to Learn Czech Fast? Start Here.

How long it takes to learn Czech depends on a number of factors, such as your learning methods and your dedication. 

First of all, you should consider how much time you can allocate to studying Czech. Don’t push yourself too hard, and set realistic goals. Huge expectations might lead to disappointment. Remember: Slow and steady wins the race, and sometimes it’s better to relax instead of pushing harder.

Studying at the same time every day will help you make it a habit.

➢ Set realistic expectations. One hour a day is plenty.

What’s your motivation? Are you learning the language just for fun or do you have an actual goal that you want to reach? You know, motivation actually dries out, no matter how strong it is at first. Habits last forever.

➢ Make studying Czech a habit.

Set a reminder on your phone if needed. Train your language learning muscles. It’s all about your commitment, not your motivation.

➢ What’s your first language? Do you speak any other Slavic languages?

English and Czech have literally nothing in common. Czech is a phonetic language—it’s pronounced the way it’s written. English is not. Also, Czech rules for word order are very loose and rely on context, voice, and declension. That brings us to…

➢ Do not compare English and Czech.

I’ve witnessed this many times, and I guess it’s pretty understandable, but also useless. When you’re learning Czech grammar or trying to pronounce a new word, forget that English even exists. Learn like little kids do—without bias or expectations.

➢ What’s your preferred way of learning?

Are you highly competitive or do you just enjoy company? Do you prefer to study early in the morning or at night? Your learning method will play an important role in your progress. Choose your favorite one, stick to it, and mix it up from time to time.

It would be a good idea to attend a class at least once a week (Zoom classes work too!), and use a free online resource daily—this could be an app or an online class. And no, you don’t have to travel all the way to the Czech Republic to learn the language. You can learn Czech online effectively and fast.

Are you a visual, auditory, or linguistic learner? The right learning method will help you make progress faster.

Learn Czech Faster: Practical Tips and Tricks

Tips for visual learners:

• You’re a visual learner if you doodle while studying, you recall pictures and diagrams easily, and you often close your eyes and “visualize” information rather than trying to remember it.

• Definitely use vocabulary flashcards and put pictures on them. I swear this works like magic. Trust me, you don’t have to be a graphic designer with a degree in Fine Arts to put together a decent-looking flashcard using an online tool. Use colors, fonts, and pics that work for you, spike your imagination, and are pleasing to look at (for you).

• Pairing words with moving images or gestures works great, too. I highly recommend watching educational shows for kids – you’ll benefit from the colorful schemes and lots of pictures, as well as the simple vocabulary.

Tips for auditory learners:

• If you like to repeat what you’ve just read or pick up new words from songs or podcasts without even trying, there’s a good chance you’re an auditory learner.

• You’ll benefit from audio lessons and podcasts the most. Check out this comprehensive list of audio lessons for beginners and see if they work for you (they should).

• Don’t be afraid to talk to native speakers and participate in conversations as much as you can.

Tips for linguistic learners:

• If you like to read, easily remember information you’ve seen on paper/screen, often take detailed notes, and perhaps like to write essays and other assignments, you might be a linguistic learner.

• Read comic books in Czech. The vocabulary will be pretty easy and you’ll get your word fix as well.

• Switch on the subtitles while watching Netflix or YouTube videos in Czech. Trust me, this makes a world of a difference.

Tips for everyone:

• Google Play and Apple Store will shower you with a variety of apps. Don’t underestimate their power. Even the laziest learners might get bored on the train or while waiting in a deserted café for it to stop raining. Plus, they’re fun, and some of them will work on your phone AND Kindle!

• Take online Czech classes. They’re great for busy people! You can study in your bed and they never dry up. You can learn Czech fast and free with CzechClass101. It’s a gorgeous playground full of extensive vocabulary lists, lists of Czech phrases, audio and video lessons with transcripts, and flashcards—we even have a YouTube channel. If you want to study offline, no problem. You can download our lessons and use them on a plane or in the middle of the woods. Look at this online lesson for beginners; it has all you need to start learning Czech—audio, transcript, and vocabulary—and the tenses and grammar are explained in detail!

• Watch Czech TV shows or YouTube channels, preferably with subtitles on, so that you can work on your spelling.

• Get yourself a nice Czech girlfriend or boyfriend. Okay, “just” a friend (or a pen pal). This could help you improve your written Czech and writing skills in general.

How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new!

If you’re taking your Czech studies seriously, you might 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 in the comments if this article helped you, and share your favorite learning tips. Let’s get in touch!

Ahhh, proverbs…those charming pieces of wisdom that add a nice ring (or a pitch of pathos) to any speech or article, and make you ultimately irritated in certain situations. Like right after you failed your adventurous challenge. 

However, they’re also comforting. Knowing that people in the past have gone through the same stuff we’re dealing with now is encouraging. And that’s exactly how we should see proverbs: as little “hellos” from our ancestors, who created them as reflections of who we are and how we see the world, life, love, success…you name it.

This article about Czech proverbs and sayings will give you insight into not only the Czech language, but also the culture and mindset behind it. You might be surprised at how much proverbs vary from one country or culture to another. 

Have you ever read or heard a Czech proverb? No? That’s okay…žádný učený z nebe nespadl (“no expert has ever fallen from the skies”). I hope that you’re a little confused and very curious now (and no, I did not get a stroke just now). I’m just giving you a little example. 

In this article, I’ll explain the most common Czech proverbs in English. Let’s dive right into it!

Lépe pozdě než nikdy. / “Better late than never.”

Table of Contents

1. Czech Proverbs About Money
2. Motivational Czech Proverbs
3. Czech Proverbs About Time
4. Czech Proverbs About Attitude
5. Czech Proverbs About Life
6. Cool Czech Proverbs in English That Even Many Natives Don’t Understand
7. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Czech Proverbs About Money

Believe it or not, there are plenty of Czech sayings out there on the topic of money. Here are just a few… 

Odvážnému štěstí přeje.

• “Luck favors the brave ones.” / “Fortune sides with him who dares.” 

This one is pretty straightforward, right?

Fun fact #1: This quote is actually from Virgil (the author of the Aeneid), but my nation seems to like it a lot.

Fun fact #2: Czechs aren’t the most courageous people in the world. 

During the communist era (I’m going to repeat this a lot, bear with me), which ended “only” thirty years ago, it was much safer to keep quiet and remain unseen. Today’s kids are a whole different story, though: adventurous, ambitious, wordly.

Bez práce nejsou koláče. 

• “Without work, there are no kolaches.”

No pain, no gain, guys. This one pairs great with…

Pečení holubi nelítají do pusy. 

• “Baked pigeons don’t fly into your mouth.”

The Czech believe that if you want to achieve something, you have to hustle and work extra-hard. Every success has to be hard-earned. There have to be blood stains all over you. 

Making money doing what you love? Pffft. 

Making two dimes a week as a miner working twenty-hour shifts? Well done, buddy!

Czechs love their food, so don’t be surprised when you see them come up often in proverbs. Speaking of, what’s your favorite Czech food? And do you know how to order in a Czech restaurant?

Čas jsou peníze. 

• “Time is money.”

The meaning of this one is pretty obvious: Don’t wait around if you could be making money instead.

Oh, just don’t talk about money in the Czech Republic. No figures. People might look at you funny if you ask them about their income, mortgage, debt, child support…just kidding. 

However, there are some basic money-related Czech phrases that you’ll need for your everyday interactions. Check them out: 

★ Money-Related Expressions
★ Money

Zadarmo ani kuře nehrabe. 

• “Chickens don’t dig for free.” 

Knowing your worth and value sure is important. But this Czech proverb is more about…not doing stuff just out of the goodness of your heart.

Kdo šetří, má za tři. 

• “Who keeps saving has more than three people combined.”

Okay, guys. I do agree it’s important to save some bucks for a rainy day, but saving can get out of hand too! Don’t forget that your happiness and well-being are way more important, so don’t deny yourself the opportunity to use your own money on stuff that makes you happy!

This proverb doesn’t apply to money exclusively, and it comes from the old dark times when people ate artificial “honey” and didn’t know when the local store would restock on toilet paper, so…they stocked up on it, and saved it. (True story.)

Sometimes, money CAN buy happiness.

2. Motivational Czech Proverbs

We could all use some motivation now and then, whether to lift our spirits…or to lift our bums off the sofa. Here are a few of the best Czech proverbs to do just that! 

Co můžeš udělat dnes, neodkládej na zítřek. 

• “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”

If you want to do something, do it right away. Like… The last piece of cake in your fridge might as well be eaten tonight, don’t you think?

Malé ryby taky ryby. 

• “Even small fish are fish.”

Here we go again: the communist era (you can learn more about the Czech history after WWII here). Here’s what I genuinely enjoy about my people—we can appreciate the little things in life. Even small victories count, you know?

Opakování matka moudrosti. 

• “Repetition is the mother of wisdom.”

A.k.a. “Repetition is the mother of all learning.” If you want to create new neural paths, repeat the thing you want to learn until it becomes second nature.

S poctivostí nejdál dojdeš. 

• “Honesty is the best policy.”

Being truthful is a virtue. Just don’t overdo it, please. 

Last weekend, my grandma was being very honest and shrieked: “You look pregnant!”

I’m not pregnant.

Naděje umírá poslední. 

• “Hope dies last.”

…for hope to even possibly die is for there to be nothing else left.

3. Czech Proverbs About Time

Time affects literally every aspect of our lives, so it should come as no surprise that there are a number of proverbs on the topic…

Nač stahovat kalhoty, když brod je ještě daleko? 

• “Why put your pants down while the ford is still far away?”

As in: Everything in due time. Also, the proverb’s delicately hinting that you’re going to “use the bathroom” someplace safe near the ford. 

By the way, before your trip to CZ, make sure you know how to ask where the nearest bathroom is—not a lot of people speak English!

Co se v mládí naučíš, ve stáří jako když najdeš. 

• “What you have learned young you’ll find useful in the old.”

My grandma was probably taught to be extremely honest. Don’t be like grandma, and focus instead on learning skills that don’t traumatize other people, please.

Ráno moudřejší večera. 

• “The morning is wiser than the evening.”

You know how sometimes you can’t sleep because your mind is racing, you get anxious, and everything seems so difficult and hopeless…and then in the morning you feel much better even though nothing has changed?

Or! Have you ever made a decision too fast and regretted it later?

These are great examples of what this proverb is referring to.

Don’t rush yourself. Sleep on it (literally or figuratively). Give yourself time to think things through. You’ll be wiser in the morning.

Ranní ptáče dál doskáče. 

• “The early bird will hop further (gets the worm).”

No wonder all the billionaires and CEOs get up at four a.m., right?

It’s totally okay to sleep in, but if you get a head-start, you’ll get more done!

Starého psa novým kouskům nenaučíš. 

• “You can’t teach an old dog to perform new tricks.”

My friend recently said this to me with a frustrated sigh and then took a sip of her wine.

Meaning: People who have been doing something a certain way for a very long time, most likely won’t change their routine just because you want to get married and move in together. Oh, the second part is totally just an example.

Trpělivost růže přináší. 

• “Patience brings roses.”

And maybe, if you’re patient enough, he’ll finally produce a ring. Eventually. If you’re patient enough.

Okay, seriously. This proverb carries a message about “everything in due time.” So don’t try to rush things. Trust it will happen, and it’s yours.

4. Czech Proverbs About Attitude

They say that attitude is everything. But what exactly does that mean? 

Zlost je špatný rádce. / Mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato. 

• “Anger is a bad advisor.” / “Speaking is silver, silence is gold.”

These two proverbs urge us to be careful about what we say in anger, because people can’t unsee or unhear things. Next time you’re tempted to scream your lungs out or say something nasty, take a deep breath first.

Dobrá rada nad zlato. 

• “Good advice is more valuable than gold.”

IMO, sometimes good advice even YIELDS gold.

Kdo jinému jámu kopá, sám do ní padá. 

• “He who digs a hole for someone will fall in it himself.”

Karma’s a b*tch! Be nice and nice things will come to you. Dig holes and you’ll end up with both legs broken.

Darovanému koni na zuby nekoukej. 

• “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

Accept gifts graciously, and don’t question their value. I mean…who doesn’t like free stuff, right?

→ Attitude and personality often go hand-in-hand. If you would like to learn how to describe your personality in Czech, see our list of adjectives and go through this lesson! 

Darovanému koni na zuby nehleď.

5. Czech Proverbs About Life

We all want to live the best life possible, right? But it’s not always that easy. Here are some Czech proverbs that might help you, though! 

Nehas, co tě nepálí. 

• “Don’t fight a fire that’s not burning you.”

Mind your business. Did you know that Czechs are known for not giving an F? That’s why we often seem disinterested, cold, or rude (even though we’re dying to engage on the inside).

Sytý hladovému nevěří. 

• “The sated/full doesn’t believe the hungry.”

If I told you that Czech is totally easy, and that if you’d started studying it a couple weeks ago, you should be fluent by now…would you believe me?

And if you told me that Czech is so hard, almost impossible to learn…would I believe you?

Now who’s the sated one?

Dvakrát měř, jednou řež. 

• “Measure twice, cut once.” 

The meaning of this one is obvious. Be careful and do all the preparations carefully. (Sometimes it’s called procrastination.)

Co zaseješ, to sklidíš. 

• “You reap what you sow.”

Ever heard about karma?

Pes, který štěká, nekouše. 

• “A dog that barks doesn’t bite.” / “Someone who makes threats all the time seldom carries out the threats.”

Except for the angry, tiny dogs—those always bite!

The actual meaning of this proverb is: Even if something seems intimidating/scary/too much/too loud, don’t get put off or scared. It’s likely just a facade.

Kdo uteče, vyhraje. 

• “He who runs away, wins.”

Sometimes, it’s wiser to give up and walk away from a situation if you think you can’t win.

Kdo uteče, vyhraje.

6. Cool Czech Proverbs in English That Even Many Natives Don’t Understand

…but really, who understands all the proverbs in their language? 

Jednou za Uherský rok. 

• “Once in a Hungarian moon.”

This is equivalent to “once in a blue moon” or “very rarely.” Nobody knows what Hungary has to do with it.

Házet flintu do žita. 

• “Throwing your rifle in the rye.” 

To throw in the towel, especially after a long fight that seemed to be going nowhere.

Má máslo na hlavě. 

• “He has butter on his head.”

This refers to when someone is hiding a lot of secrets (very obvious things) that everybody knows about (a.k.a. “has skeletons in his closet”).

Why butter? Who knows! We like butter. Butter is life. Butter is the Czech cream cheese and peanut butter in one.

V noci je každá kočka černá. 

• “Every cat is black at night.”

When you can’t see things clearly, everything might seem the same to you.

Nedráždi hada bosou nohou. 

• “Don’t pat a snake with bare feet.”

A.k.a. “walking into the lion’s den.” It’s a fun phrase, considering there are basically no venomous snakes in the country.

Don’t pat a snake with bare feet!

7. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new! Which of these Czech proverbs can you most relate to? 

If you’re taking your Czech studies seriously, you basically have two options: grab a Czech grammar book or learn online (the latter of which is way more convenient).

CzechClass101.com makes 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 if this article helped you. Let’s get in touch!

Czenglish. Have you ever heard this term? It’s been a hot topic lately, mostly due to the vigorous power of the internet and social media. Nowadays, everybody loves YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and…influencers!

Although you won’t find a lot of similarities between Czech and English (with the exception of words derived from Latin), English is seeping into the Czech language more and more. 

By the way, the phenomenon of English words used in Czech is not as new as it might seem! I was watching a Czech comedy from 1938 a couple of days ago, and one of the first scenes is a perfect example of Czenglish used in real life: Já changuju subject? Ty changuješ subject! (“I am changing the subject? You are changing the subject!”). We like using English words. We adopt them, lovingly decline and conjugate them, adjust the pronunciation to our liking, and make them our own.

Yup, it’s very convenient to speak more languages because (besides other, more prominent and useful advantages) it gives you the option to pick your favorite words and use them as you please! I am guilty of using English words in Czech convos, and it makes my grandma very confused at times!

There are also words that you probably consider English…which are actually Czech!

Let’s get into it! In this article, we’ll look at Czech words you’ve been using without realizing it, Czenglish, and Czech words of English origin.

I’ll make sure I never make this mistake again.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Czenglish
2. Czenglish Examples
3. Loanwords vs. Czenglish: List of English Words in the Czech Language
4. Foreign Brands, Titles, and Names in Czech
5. Czech Words in English: Did You Know?
6. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

Introduction to Czenglish

The term ‘Czenglish’ was first introduced in 1989 by Don Sparling, a Canadian professor at the Masaryk University in Brno (1977-2009), who’s also the author of English or Czenglish?

So, what is the definition of Czenglish?

➢ Czenglish is a version of the English language spoken by Czech learners of English. It is heavily influenced by Czech vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, or syntax.

Czenglish mistakes might include a wide variety of “abominations,” such as:

Incorrect pronunciation

For example:

• /θ/ is often pronounced as [s], [t], or [f].
  • “Thing” in Czech sounds more like “sink,” “tink,” or “fink.”
• /ð/ is often pronounced as [d].
  • “They” is pronounced “dey.”
• /r/ has the typical rolling rumble to it.

Voiced consonants pronounced as unvoiced

Voiced consonants (B, D, G, J, L, M, N, Ng, R, Sz, Th as in “they,” V, W, Y, and Z) are made by vibrating the vocal cords. Unvoiced consonants…yes, you guessed it! Your vocal cords can take a break while pronouncing these: Ch, F, K, P, S, Sh, T, and Th (as in “thing”).

Czech natives, however, often pronounce them incorrectly. Which is no biK deal, but it sounds funny. I’m sure you’ve hearT a lot of Dose. Am I rrrright?

Omission of articles

It’s no wonder Czechs make this mistake, as there are no articles in the Czech language. Most Czech natives find them…redundant. Why bother, when it’s just a few letters (or even a single one)? Another thing you might encounter while talking to Czechs is the use of “some” in place of an indefinite article.

Literal translations

This is a big one. And given the stark difference between the Czech and English word order, there’s a good chance you’ll get lost in translation quite often.

Czenglish Examples

This part should be easy to write since I’m the “uncrowned queen of Czenglish” and sometimes it’s hard for my mouth to keep up with my mind, so…here it goes.

• “Basic school”
  
  Got it? Basic school is the literal translation of základní škola (“elementary school”). I’ve heard this one way too many times to ever forget it. Základní means “basic” in Czech.

• “She said me that my English is great!” 
  
  Řekla mi, že moje angličtina je skvělá!
  
  While in English, you might say “She said to me that my English is great,” omitting prepositions is very common in word-for-word translations. It can lead to some very funny situations…

• “I am watching on TV.” 
  
  Dívám se na televizi.
  
  Generally speaking, the Czech language uses prepositions where English doesn’t, and vice-versa. Na means “on.”

• “Riding on bike” 
  
  Jet na kole.
  
  This is a perfect example of preposition errors in literal translations.

• “I can English.” 
  
  Umím anglicky.
  
  Mluvit means “to speak.” In Czech, we don’t say: Umím mluvit anglicky.

• A: “Hey, I don’t like it.” / B: “Me too.” 
  
  A: “Hele, nelíbí se mi to.” / B: “Mně taky.”
  
  Shrug. That’s how Czech works, folks!

• Using the word “please” instead of “ask”
  
  Oh my gosh, this mistake can actually be pretty embarrassing because “to please” has a very different meaning in English, and it’s similar to the Czech potěšit (“to make happy”). Not cute.
  
  Poprosit (“to ask”) is derived from the word prosím (“please”), and for the average Czech, it totally makes sense to “please you to do something.”
  
  To give you an example, the sentence Poprosil mě, abych něco řekl (“He asked me to say something”) would be incorrectly translated as “He pleased me to say something” (Potěšil mě, abych něco řekl).

I suppose you’ll want to avoid such mistakes in Czech! That’s why you should check out our list of 100 Core Czech Words and Key Czech Phrases!

Some Czenglish words sound adorable.

Loanwords vs. Czenglish: List of English Words in the Czech Language

Loanwords are “borrowed” from English without significant changes and tend to be easily understood by native English speakers.  

This phenomenon has grown in popularity due to YouTube and social media, and we often use social media-related terms without changing them. However, we apply declension and conjugation in order to make them work in a Czech sentence.

We do use heavily altered (or even pure Czech) words when talking about technology, though. Check them out here.

Young Czechs use a lot of English words, mostly due to social media and influencers.

Here are some commonly used English words in Czech:

• Blog / blogging / blogovat (“to blog”) 
  • the noun is declined as masculine inanimate
• Lobbing 
  • masculine inanimate
• Barman (“bartender”)
  • masculine animate
  • This one only works in masculine, though. We like to be super-specific with grammatical gender, so the feminine version is barmanka.
• Blok (“block”), blokovat (“to block”)
  • masculine inanimate
• Sendvič (“sandwich”)
  • masculine animate
• Galon (“gallon”)
  • masculine inanimate
• Klub (“club” as in “facility”)
  • masculine inanimate
• Svetr (“sweater” or “jumper”)
  • masculine inanimate
• Followers / followeři 
  • masculine animate
• Views 
  • not declined
• Stories (as in “Insta stories”) 
  • not declined
• Intro 
  • neuter
• Trailer (as in a movie trailer)
  • masculine inanimate
• Internet 
  • masculine inanimate
• Web (pronounced with a “v”) 
  • masculine inanimate
• Chat (when referring to an online conversation) 
  • masculine inanimate
• Email 
  • masculine inanimate
• Smartphone 
  • masculine inanimate
• Spoiler 
  • masculine inanimate
• Korporát (“corporate”)
• Brainstorming 
  • masculine inanimate
• Mainstream 
  • masculine inanimate
• Steak 
  • masculine inanimate
• Filet (“fillet”)
  • masculine inanimate
• Cheesecake 
  • masculine inanimate
• Cupcake 
  • masculine inanimate
• Cookie 
  • neuter
• Brownie 
  • neuter
• Manager 
  • masculine animate
• Management / Marketing 
  • masculine inanimate
• Business 
  • masculine inanimate

Please note:

➢ All loanwords, even those that remain unchanged, are pronounced the Czenglish way and you might not recognize them when you hear them…

Just sayin’.

You might have noticed that a lot of these borrowed words are office- or work-related. But you’ll still need to know some Czech vocabulary to talk about your workplace! 

Foreign Brands, Titles, and Names in Czech

There is one thing that technically doesn’t belong to Czenglish, but I get asked about it A LOT.

Angela MerkelOVÁ
Sigourney WeaverOVÁ
Anna BoleynOVÁ

In Czech and other Slavic languages, the suffix -ová is added to the last names of all females. Back in the day, it literally meant “belonging to…,” and somehow, it never went away. Are you wincing now?

Lately, more women choose to go by their husband’s last name without the -ová, which means they have to literally lie to the authorities when applying for their new documents. You have to confirm that you’re either going to move abroad or have married a foreigner in order to be allowed to choose your own name. I’m not kidding.

There’s one advantage to this whole “belonging to” thing: it makes it clear whether a person is male or female immediately.

Now back to Czenglish!

Do we translate foreign titles? Yup. Some of them. Any rules? No.

Look:

• Star Wars – Hvězdné války (literal translation, same meaning)
• Pretty Woman – Pretty woman 
• Misson: Impossible – Mission: Impossible
• Inception – Počátek (literal translation is “beginning,” but vnuknutí [meaning “suggestion”] would be more accurate)

However, titles are created based on specific instructions from Hollywood headquarters before the creators have seen the actual movie, which definitely makes the job harder.

Hvězdné války – Yoda.

P.S.: We also omit the ‘90210’ from Beverly Hills, 90210 and pronounce Nike as Nik.

By the way, if you’re going to the movies in the Czech Republic, check out our specialized movie vocab list first!

Czech Words in English: Did You Know?

There are words you probably consider English, but…

Bohemisms or Czechisms are words derived from the Czech language, and many of them originate in Latin. Let’s look at a couple of English words from Czech you’ve heard at least once before:

Robot

This word was first coined by the Czech playwright, novelist, and journalist Karel Čapek (1880-1938), who introduced it in his 1920 sci-fi play, R.U.R., or Rossum’s Universal Robots. It’s derived from the old Slavonic word robota, which literally means “forced labor.”

Čapek first named these creatures laboři, but didn’t really like it. At the suggestion of his brother, artist and author Josef Čapek, he later opted for roboti (“robots”).

Robot or labor?

In case you’re interested: The play is pretty awesome, and there’s an English version as well. It’s pretty ironic that R.U.R. was his least favorite work. 

By the way, Čapek was close friends with the first Czechoslovak president, a passionate democrat (although he wasn’t directly involved in politics), and strictly against totalitarian regimes. Some of his works were considered “subversive,” and as such, were hated by the rising Nazi party. He died of the flu in December 1938.

Polka

This popular folk dance (and the word used to describe it) originated in the mid-nineteenth century. It’s drawn from the word půlka (“half”), and refers to the short half-steps and rhythm of the dance.

The word became widely popular in the major European languages in the early 1840s.

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

That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new! Did any of the words we listed surprise you? 

If you’re taking your Czech learning 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!

Are you learning Czech, planning to visit the Czech Republic, starting a business here, or even settling down in this cute, Central European country? Great! I’m sure you want to know more than just the basic info (like what the currency is and whether it’s okay to look a stranger in the eye…). 

Learning about Czech culture is essential if you want to really understand not just the language, but also how things work here.

And let me tell you, just about everything is different here than in the U.S. or Western and Eastern Europe.

As you explore Czech culture and customs, you’ll find that they share a lot in common with those of Austria or Germany. These two countries have greatly influenced the attitudes, traditions, and cuisine of the Czech Republic—and no wonder! The Czech Republic was part of the Austria-Hungary Empire for centuries and only became autonomous in 1918. Not so long ago, right? Another aspect to consider is its geographical position in the heart of Europe, which has fostered influences from surrounding countries. 

One thing that might surprise you is that while we speak a Slavic language, our political, economic, and social structures have shifted toward Western European trends.

Do you feel ready to continue exploring this unique culture? Then read on! 

In this lesson, you’ll learn about Czech values, religions, family and work life, traditions, food, and art.If this seems like a bit much, you might want to start with this quick overview of the Czech culture and language.

Table of Contents

1. Values and Beliefs
2. Philosophies and Religions
3. Family and Work Life
4. Art and Architecture
5. Cuisine and Food
6. Traditional Holidays
7. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Values and Beliefs

A key component in understanding Czech culture is knowing what values Czechs hold important, and why.

To start, here’s the typical Czech attitude and approach to life: 

➢ Careful planning in business and personal life, and a strong need for a sense of security. 

Even though things have changed since the Communist era, most people still value security. It’s safe to say that Czechs aren’t risk-takers.

For example, Czechs are unlikely to support a business idea if the outcome is uncertain, and mottos like “Think Big” are frowned upon here. 

➢ Czech people value a forward-thinking, logical, efficient, and practical approach.

Another thing you need to know before you make false assumptions about the Czech nature is this: Czechs are very private people…until they get to know you. We often seem formal and reserved and it’s considered impolite to ask “a newcomer” too many questions.

➢ Don’t be surprised if your new Czech colleagues seem a bit aloof. Invite them out for a beer or a glass of wine, and you’ll see how quickly things change!

Even after you’ve developed a personal relationship (first name basis or after your first hangover), Czechs do open up a bit, but we are never overly emotional. There will be no hugs, no beaming, and certainly no ‘I love yous.’

When it comes to problem-solving and jarred situations, Czechs tend to be extremely non-confrontational. This isn’t because we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. We simply don’t want to get involved. Even in more extreme situations that would be impossible not to notice, we might turn a blind eye. 

Which leads us to: 

➢ We can get super passive aggressive. Let’s call it an indirect approach, shall we?

If you’re very new to the Czech culture, make sure to check out these useful Czech phrases and greetings. You know what they say: You might be awesome, but if you don’t make a good first impression, nothing else matters.

Everything in life has to be carefully planned.

2. Philosophies and Religions

Christianity is the dominant religion in the Czech Republic…but we are one of the least religious societies in Europe. Yep. We love Christmas and St. Nicholas Day (more on that later), but to most Czechs, they’re just lovely traditions without any spiritual meaning.

Let’s look at some dry facts:

➢ In 1910, Roman Catholicism was the professed religion of 96.5% of the Czech people.
➢ In 2011, the population’s proportion of Roman Catholic Church members decreased from 26.8% to 10.4%.

The decline began right after World War I and the breakup of the Austria-Hungary Empire, partly due to a mass movement that promoted anti-Austrian and anticlerical sentiments.

The communist regime (1948-1989) quickly dissolved the rest of the religion in the Czech Republic. The government (to which religion of any kind became undesirable) confiscated most of the Church’s property.

The philosophy behind this? If our Russian comrades didn’t need God, why should our working class? 

3. Family and Work Life

In the Czech Republic, family is the center of our social structure.

When it comes to relationships and dynamics, the Czech family culture gets a bit more complicated. Obligation to the family is the most important priority, but this only applies to the closest family members—children, parents, and sometimes siblings. Family gatherings and Sunday lunches are quite common, but they’re usually pretty small and private.

Family first.

If you’re new to the Czech work environment, refrain from using someone’s first name or an informal greeting. These are signs of friendship and it is considered rude to use informal language with colleagues unless the other party has indicated it’s okay. This bridge to informal communication should be offered by the woman, the older person, or the person of higher status.

➢ When it comes to business and closing deals, don’t expect things to move forward swiftly.

The Czech business culture facilitates a slower pace of getting things done, especially when strangers or foreigners are involved. It will probably take more than just one meeting for your Czech business associates to become familiar with you. Czechs generally don’t trust strangers and they’re slightly scared of new things. If you want to succeed, you should practice meditation if patience isn’t one of your strongest virtues.

Also: 

➢ Czechs are too polite (and afraid of a direct approach or confrontation) to tell you “no” right away. You might often hear “we will see” and “it’s complicated” and “perhaps.” These statements typically indicate a negative answer.

If you’re getting ready for a business meeting in the Czech Republic, you might find these basic conversational phrases useful. They make a great basis for any kind of meeting or conversation in Czech.

4. Art and Architecture

The Czech Republic is famous worldwide for its outstanding handmade Bohemian glass and crystal—each piece mouth-blown and manually decorated. 

If you’re a fan of art, you might be familiar with the name Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939). He was one of the best Czech painters and decorative artists, and in his time, he was pretty much a celebrity. Companies hired him to draw advertisements for them and he collected very nice sums for his labor.

Mucha is best known for his series of 20 large canvases named The Slav Epic. By the way, large means large. 26 by 20 feet on average. This pompous work of art depicts the history of Czechs and other Slavic peoples. 

There is a strong Czech tradition in the graphic arts. Czechs love caricature, and it was even more popular during hard times…for example, before World War II. Josef Čapek (who was an older brother of the writer Karel Čapek, who happens to be the guy who invented the word “robot”) is remembered for a series of drawings entitled The Dictator’s Boots. This was from the time when Adolf Hitler’s star was rising higher. 

Czech graphic art is usually based on popular, narrative art.

Since the nineteenth century, Czech painters and graphic artists have followed European movements, but Realism generally prevails. 

Czech art traditions feature a mix of German and Slavic influences, though our architecture is strikingly influenced by Italy. Our capital, Prague, is a beautiful gem with breathtaking Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

If you’re more into modern architecture, you won’t be disappointed. The clean and sharp Functionalist style became very popular in the 1920s and there are numerous villas, apartment buildings and interiors, factories, office blocks, and even cafés all over the country displaying this style.

5. Cuisine and Food

You can probably guess that the table manners in the Czech Republic are Continental: the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right. Unlike Americans, we don’t typically put the knife down while eating and we keep the fork in our left hand throughout the entire meal.

Have you been invited to a family lunch? There are a few rules to follow:

1. The oldest or honored guest is generally served first.

2. You will be offered second helpings. You should refuse and wait for the hostess to insist.

3. Compliment the meal while eating. Ask for the recipe even though you know you’ll never make the meal at home.

4. When you’ve finished, lay your knife and fork across the right side of your plate.

The typical Czech meal consists of soup as a starter and a meat-heavy entrée. 

The Czech diet contains lots of pork, beef, poultry, and organ meats such as liver and kidneys. The most typical side dishes are dumplings, cabbage, or potatoes. You’ll probably feel very full after a meal, even though the portion sizes are nowhere near the average American ones.

Deep-fried breaded carp is a popular Christmas Eve dinner.

→ Are you going out to eat? Check out this lesson on speaking Czech at a restaurant.

6. Traditional Holidays

There are seven public (bank) holidays in the Czech Republic: 

• New Year’s Day (January 1) – This is also the Day of Recovery of the Independent Czech State, which took place in 1993.
• Liberation Day (May 8)
• Day of Slavonic Apostles Cyril and Methodius (July 5)
• Jan Hus Day (July 6)
• Day of Czech Statehood / St. Wenceslas Day (September 28)
• Independence Day (October 28) – It has nothing in common with the American Fourth of July; it’s the anniversary of the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia in 1918.
• Day of Students’ Fight for Freedom and Democracy (November 17)

On top of that, there are three Christmas days, and Easter Monday.

Even though most Czechs are atheist, they celebrate Christian holidays including Easter and Christmas. These holidays were recognized even during the Communist era. 

Our main Christmas holiday is Christmas Eve, when families decorate their Christmas trees while watching TV and eating Christmas cookies. The dinner traditionally consists of fish (preferably carp), or pork or chicken schnitzel, with potato salad.

Like I mentioned earlier, Czechs are very family-oriented and private. This means it’s not common to invite friends over during Christmas.

→ Curious to learn more on this topic? Then check out our lesson Video Culture Class: Czech Holidays!

Czech Christmas cookies are quite elaborate and are usually made two to three weeks ahead.

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

We hope you enjoyed this lesson on Czech traditions and culture. Did you learn anything new? How does Czech culture compare to that in your country? We look forward to hearing from you! 

If you’re taking your Czech studies seriously, you have two solid options: grab a Czech grammar book or learn online. We think the latter is much more convenient, don’t you? 

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 translations 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!

I’m going to be honest with you, guys. Czech food is heavy. Most meals are based on pork, creamy sauces, and dumplings (no, they’re not similar to Asian dumplings). Growing up, I would always marvel at the gorgeous, colorful platters of food that I saw on American TV. Compared to that, our diet was a lot grayer, ordinary-looking, and “bready.” 

Of course, times have changed. But the traditional Czech cuisine hasn’t. 

I personally don’t know anyone who would say no to Mom’s Sunday roast with fluffy dumplings and sweet and sour cabbage, followed by home-baked pastries with sweet, lemony curd cheese filling.

One thing I need to mention: the portion sizes. I vividly remember my first morning in NYC. I ordered two scrambled eggs with bacon and a side of fruit. I was served a gigantic plate that held a mountain of eggs, countless slices of THICK-cut bacon (that tasted slightly sweet), plus a bowl of fruit that would last through me and my mom’s entire movie night. I actually overheard people complaining about our tiny portions!

That won’t happen in the Czech Republic.

The smaller portions are a good thing, guys! You get to taste a little bit of everything and still have room for dessert! 

Are you a foodie who loves trying different cuisines? Are you planning a trip to the Czech Republic and wondering what foods you should try? Or do you just want to know more about the Czech culture in general? Read on!

Table of Contents

1. Must-Try Dishes in Czech Restaurants
2. Unique Czech Food
3. Food-Related Vocab
4. Let’s Cook Something!
5. How CzechClass101.com Can Help You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Must-Try Dishes in Czech Restaurants

I’m going to disappoint all the vegans and vegetarians out there: Traditional Czech food is delicious, but also meat-heavy. Your only meatless option when eating out in a typical restaurant will be some kind of cheese (probably deep-fried or marinated).

Back in the day, the only “vegetarian option” on the menu would often be either deep-fried cheese (more on that later) or something you would probably choose for dessert: sweet dumpling with fruit, pastries with warm vanilla sauce, or even vdolky, which is the Czech take on Berliners (donuts without a hole).

However, if you do enjoy meat, you won’t be disappointed.

First things first, make sure you know how to order food in a Czech restaurant. 

A- Řízek s Bramborovým Salátem (Schnitzel with Potato Salad)

Try a juicy, breaded schnitzel (pork is the most common type, but most places offer veal too) served with potato salad. By the way, this is also a favorite classic Czech food for Christmas dinners.

When my American boyfriend first saw a regular-sized Czech schnitzel, he couldn’t believe his eyes. It was so big it intimidated his brave, American heart.

The potato salad contains a lot of vegetables, often pickled or marinated. My favorite part? The mayo. 

Are you on a diet, working on your summer body, or getting ready for an important event? No problem. Here’s a tip from my grandma:

Get a chicken schnitzel. Chicken is diet food. The potato SALAD is a salad. You’re good.

Schnitzel is a favorite weekend lunch and Christmas dinner!

B- Vepřo-Knedlo-Zelo (Pork Roast with Cabbage and Dumplings)

This is THE ultimate Czech Sunday lunch. The cabbage might be red or white, sweet, slightly on the sour side, or even pickled.

Have you been invited to a family lunch? You’ll be asked how many dumplings you want. If you say three, you’ll get five. You’ve been warned.

Vepřo-knedlo-zelo is the ultimate Sunday lunch.

C- Svíčková Omáčka s Knedlíkem (Roast Beef with Creamy Vegetable Sauce and Dumplings)

This Czech dish is incredibly elaborate and it smells super-delicious thanks to the vegetables…too bad it’s nearly impossible to make it look presentable on the plate.

It’s often served for special occasions and it’s actually the traditional wedding lunch meal (along with beef broth with vegetables and liver dumplings; yup, Czech cuisine boasts many kinds of dumplings).

To make the sauce perfect, you first need to marinate a perfect sirloin with root veggies and some spices for a couple of days. Then you roast it in the oven, mix the vegetables in a blender, and add an ungodly amount of heavy cream and some flour to make the sauce thicker.

The dumplings have to be homemade, of course, so if you’re making this meal for Sunday lunch, you should get up at around 4:30 a.m. Yum.

A note from my grandma: The sauce has to be the perfect color. Not too brown, not too light. If you get served a brown svíčková in a restaurant, leave. 

Thanks, grandma.

Believe it or not, svíčková omáčka is the traditional wedding food!

D- Guláš (Goulash)

This stew, usually made from beef, pork, or venison with onions and spices, is trickier than it looks. You have to cook it for hours and hope the meat doesn’t turn into a piece of rubber. Unlike the Hungarian version, the Czech guláš contains no vegetables and makes up for the lack of fiber with loads of protein.

It’s served with dumplings or bread and a handful of thinly sliced onion.

E- Smažák (Deep Fried Breaded Cheese)

Okay, guys, I had no idea how weird this dish was, until I started dating a foreigner. 

I’m a millennial and this thing was the ultimate “fancy” meal I would always order in a restaurant (which means I had it like five times during my childhood). Now it’s more of a street food.

If you love gooey melted cheese, you’re going to love this dish too. The most typical combo is smažák with french fries and mayo. Enjoy!

F- Tatarák (Steak Tartare)

This is even weirder than breaded deep-fried cheese. It’s raw beef. First-class, perfectly fresh raw beef, finely ground or cut, and mixed with salt, egg yolks, and spices of your choice.

If you order it in a restaurant (it’s a widely popular and well-loved bar food), it will come un-mixed so that you can make it the way you like it. It’s served with fried bread and fresh garlic cloves. Rub the garlic on the hot, greasy bread to make a perfect topinka (“toast” fried in a pan), top it with tatarák, and bite in!

Have you tried any of these popular Czech dishes? If so, what’s your favorite Czech food so far?

2. Unique Czech Food

There are some traditional Czech dishes and foods that you can only find in our beautiful Central European country. They’re all carb-laden, stick to your ribs, and will help you gain ten pounds in a week.

A- Knedlíky (Dumplings)

The French have baguettes, and we have knedlíky. 

This popular side dish is made of flour, yeast, and tiny cubes of bread. Some versions contain mashed potatoes, bigger pieces of bread, and parsley—there are even sweet dumplings stuffed with fruit, and drizzled with butter and ground gingerbread! They’re either steamed or cooked. The most popular knedlíky are the standard bread dumplings, sliced on plates of guláš or omáčka.

B- Creamy Sauces

Czechs LOVE creamy sauces.

Last weekend, I was eating lunch with my mom. We were having a big salad with all sorts of “exotic” ingredients in it: avocado, tofu, chickpea pasta… I asked her what our lunch would have been in the 80s. Her response: Probably a sauce with some meat and potatoes, maybe dumplings. So, yes, people actually used to eat this way all the time.

C- Koprová Omáčka (Creamy Dill Sauce), Rajská (Creamy Tomato Sauce)…

Pretty much any ingredient can be turned into a creamy sauce. 

Slightly tangy koprovka (“dill sauce”) is often served with hard-boiled eggs and rajská (“tomato sauce”) is poured over a mountain of elbow macaroni (which is called kolínka, or “little knees,” in Czech) and served with a modest slice of boiled beef. There’s even a horseradish sauce served with uzené (“smoked pork”).

Yup, the obesity rate is pretty high in this country.

D- Hovězí Vývar s Játrovými Knedlíčky (Beef Broth with Liver Dumplings)

This hearty soup is usually served as a starter for special occasions, Sunday family lunches, and weddings. The broth is slow-cooked and must be perfectly clear. The noodles and little dumplings should be homemade.

E- Pečená Husa s Bramborovým Knedlíkem (Roast Goose with Potato Dumplings and Cabbage)

This is a typical Czech holiday food, normally prepared at the beginning of November for St. Martin’s Day and served with St. Martin’s “young” wine. But some families prepare it for Christmas or other fancy occasions.

F- Deep-Fried Breaded Mushrooms

Mushrooms are not everyone’s favorite, but we still eat them. A lot. In soups, in our creamy houbová omáčka (“mushroom sauce”)…and we deep-fry them, just like cheese.

It’s a great (although not super-healthy or low-cal) vegetarian option, too!

G- Chlebíčky

These cute open-faced sandwiches are a staple in Czech cuisine. They’re a typical party/Christmas/New Year’s Eve snack and feature a variety of toppings: eggs, ham, deli meats, pickles, and pickled vegetables. They can be really basic or very fancy.

H- Vánočka and Mazanec (Sweet Christmas Bread and Sweet Easter Bread)

These two babies somewhat resemble challah bread, but the dough is much richer, containing a lot of butter, lard (makes the pastry very moist and almost melty), and fresh yolks.

After letting the dough rise for a few hours, you braid it elaborately only to watch it collapse or develop cracks in the oven (if you’re not careful).

It’s delicious, fragrant, and tastes amazing plain or with butter (or honey, preserves, Nutella…).

Vánočka and mazanec are eaten all year-round because we love them so much!

As you can tell, Czech cuisine isn’t for everyone. Make sure you can eat it before you order.

3. Food-Related Vocab

Now that you’re good and hungry, let’s look at some Czech food vocabulary and a few phrases to use in the restaurant.

Czech	English
Maso	“Meat”
Vepřové maso	“Pork”
Hovězí maso	“Beef”
Kuře	“Chicken”
Zvěřina	“Venison”
Vegetariánské	“Vegetarian”
Veganské	“Vegan”
Polévka	“Soup”
Předkrm	“Starter”
Hlavní jídlo	“Entrée”
Dezert	“Dessert”
Těstoviny	“Pasta”
Houby	“Mushrooms”
Zelenina	“Vegetables”
Ovoce	“Fruits”
Palačinky	“Crepes”
Lívance	“Pancakes”
Omáčka	“Sauce”
Brambory	“Potatoes”
Hranolky	“French fries”
Příloha	“Side dish”
Košík pečiva	“Basket of bread”
Sýr	“Cheese”
Máte vegetariánské/veganské jídlo?	“Do you serve any vegetarian/vegan dishes?”
Dám si…	“I’ll have…”
Bez přílohy.	“No side dish.”
Co doporučujete?	“What do you recommend?”
Zaplatíme.	“We’ll have the check.”
Můžeme dostat víc ubrousků prosím?	“Can we have more napkins, please?”

4. Let’s Cook Something!

I don’t want to overwhelm you with Czech food recipes that would take hours to make. How about…some savory chleba ve vajíčku (“fried bread soaked in eggs”) that my friend Lindsey described as “quite disgusting, but surprisingly tasty.”

You’re gonna need:

• A few slices of bread, preferably sourdough
• Half a cup of milk
• One egg per each slice of bread
• Oil or lard
• A pinch of salt
• Toppings of your choice (mustard, ketchup, deli meats, cheese, finely sliced onion, pickles…)

Now:

• Beat the eggs with milk and salt.
• Soak the bread in it for a few minutes.
• Cook.
• Top with a ton of fun stuff.
• Get your napkins ready.
• Eat!

This was one of my favorite dinners when I was a kid. I promise you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

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

If you’re taking your Czech learning 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 in the comments if this article made your mouth water. Oh, and what’s your favorite Czech food?

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
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