Since we live in this awesome era of technological miracles, we get to enjoy all sorts of smart, advanced, and helpful marvels on a daily basis. Which device do you use the most? I’m guessing it would be your phone.

While most people prefer texting or video calls, knowing how to make a proper phone call is a crucial skill. You probably won’t text your doc to make an appointment, the police probably won’t be up for a Zoom session, and sometimes you don’t have time to wait for your buddy’s reply—you need to speak to them pronto.

Learning Czech phone call phrases, then, is a logical next step in your language learning journey. 

But…taking or making a phone call in a foreign language might be a little stressful. 

At the beginning of my career (when I thought it would be a good idea to be someone’s assistant instead of working on my own thing), I had to make phone calls in English on a daily basis. Back then, people actually used their phones to call a cab, book a hotel, or even discuss work stuff. (Can you believe that? Could have been an email.) 

I was nervous and it often didn’t go well because not seeing the other person makes it a little more difficult to understand what they’re saying. Plus, I had to deal with (often very heavy) accents, and one time I even asked a French guy if we could speak English. There was a long pause on the other end of the line, followed by: “I AM speaking English.”

You don’t need to worry about this, though. I’m guessing you’ll be speaking mostly with native speakers and your embarrassment hazard will be much lower. Thanks to this article, your telephone conversations in Czech will be a breeze.

There are a few rules you should follow and a few phrases to remember. Nothing complicated. You’ll be done in 20 minutes. Let’s learn these Czech phone call phrases together.

Phones are one of the most important devices in our modern lives.

Table of Contents

1. Basic Phone Call Vocabulary
2. Answering the Phone: Greetings in Czech
3. How to Introduce Yourself Over the Phone in Czech
4. Czech Phone Call Phrases: I Just Called to Say…
5. May I Speak to…
6. Please Hold
7. Not Available? Leave a Message!
8. Didn’t Catch That? (Asking for Clarification)
9. Ending a Phone Call in Czech
10. How it Goes in Real Life: A Telephone Conversation in Czech
11. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Basic Phone Call Vocabulary

I figured we should start at the beginning. Here are the most common words that you might find useful.

English	Czech
Phone call	Telefonovat
To make a call / To call	Zavolat
To answer a phone	Přijmout hovor (“To accept a phone call”)
To dial	Vytočit
Phone number	Telefonní číslo / Telefon
Would you give me your phone number?	Dáš mi na sebe telefon?
To call back	Zavolat zpátky
To hang up	Zavěsit
Ringtone	Vyzváněcí tón
A text	Esemeska / SMS / Zpráva (“Message”)

Zavěsit – “To hang up”

2. Answering the Phone: Greetings in Czech 

Alright, I know that a lot of us don’t like talking on the phone. And (honestly) how many times have you waited for your phone to STOP ringing so that you could go back to scrolling/gaming/shopping?

I’m guilty of this too.

Answering your phone in a foreign language might seem scary…but it’s not.

Simply say:

• Haló? or Prosím? (“Hello?” or “Please?”)
• Prosím is definitely more common, and yes, it’s a very versatile word. Haló is a lot more old-timey.
• Ano? (“Yes?”) is also an option.

Remember that Czech greetings are more specific than those in English—you’ll need to use a different one when speaking to your friend versus speaking to your boss. You can find more greetings in Czech here. In case you struggle with saying hello in real life, check out this article.

3. How to Introduce Yourself Over the Phone in Czech

English	Czech
This is [name] from [company].	Tady [name] z [company] / volám z [company].
This is [name].	Tady [name].
Good day, this is [name].	Dobrý den, tady [name].

Vytočit číslo – “To dial a number”

4. Czech Phone Call Phrases: I Just Called to Say…

I assume most of your calls will be related to appointments and reservations. 

If you need to make a doctor’s appointment, make sure you know the appropriate vocab. You’ll find more useful Czech phrases here. 

In case you’re in perfect health but hungry, Czech out this lesson about making dinner reservations in Czech.

English	Czech
I’m calling to ask about…	Volám, abych se zeptal/a na…
I’d like to speak with someone about…	Chci s někým mluvit o…
I want to ask about…	Chci se zeptat na…
I want to confirm…	Chci potvrdit…
I want to make a reservation.	Chci udělat rezervaci…
I want to make an appointment.	Chci se objednat.
I’d like to make a check-up appointment.	Chtěla bych se objednat na prohlídku.
I had a missed call from this number.	Mám od vás zmeškaný hovor.
Who is this?	Kdo je to?
Who is calling?	Kdo volá?

5. May I Speak to…

Now that you’re actually speaking to a real native Czech speaker, you need to let them help you.

Who are you calling?

English	Czech
May I speak to [name]?	Můžu mluvit s [name]?
I want to speak to [name].	Chci mluvit s [name].
I’d like to speak to [name].	Rád/a bych mluvil/a s [name].
I’m calling for [name].	Volám [name].
Is [name] there?	Je tam [name]?
I am calling because of…	Volám kvůli…

6. Please Hold

You might find yourself in a situation where a short wait will be necessary, which will likely happen in a professional setting or if you need to check your schedule while making an appointment. 

English	Czech
I’ll put you on hold for a second.	Počkejte okamžik, prosím.
Just a moment, let me check.	Moment, zjistím to.
Let me put you through to his/her office.	Přepojím vás do jeho/její kanceláře.
Stay on the line, please.	Nezavěšujte, prosím.
Wait a moment, please.	Prosím počkejte.
I’ll check my schedule.	Podívám se do diáře.

Kdo volá? – “Who is this?”

7. Not Available? Leave a Message!

In case the person you’re calling is not available at the moment, you might consider leaving a message.

These are the most common formal Czech telephone phrases for doing so:

English	Czech
Please let him know that…	Vyřiďte mu/jí prosím, že…
Can I leave a message?	Můžu nechat vzkaz?
Can he/she call me back at [phone number]?	Mohl/a by mi zavolat zpátky na číslo [phone number]?
Could you tell him/her that…	Mohl/a byste mu/jí vyřídit, že…

8. Didn’t Catch That? (Asking for Clarification)

This can (and likely will) happen during a phone call in Czech. Whether it be due to a poor connection or the other person’s accent, you’ll be able to muddle through with these phrases:

English	Czech
Sorry, could you say that again?	Můžete to zopakovat, prosím?
I’m sorry, but I’m having a hard time hearing you. I think there’s a bad connection.	Pardon, neslyším vás. Asi je špatný signál.
Could you spell your name for me, please?	Můžete mi vyhláskovat vaše jméno, prosím?
So…	Takže…
Just to double check…	Pro ověření…

9. Ending a Phone Call in Czech

Congratulations, you’ve made a phone call and finally booked a table, made a dentist’s appointment, or reached out to an old friend… Now it’s time to end the call.

English	Czech
Can I do anything else for you?	Můžu pro vás ještě něco udělat?
You’ve been very helpful. Thank you.	Moc jste mi pomohl/a. Děkuju.
See you at ___ on ___.	Uvidíme se v…
Have a great day.	Hezký den.
Will that be all?	Bude to všechno?
Until later! (as in, “See you later” / “Talk to you later”) [informal]	Zatím!
Until we meet again [informal]	Nashledanou / Nashle
Bye	Ahoj / Čau / Měj se (literally: “have a good one”)

10. How it Goes in Real Life: A Telephone Conversation in Czech

That’s just about it, but before you go, here are two sample phone calls in Czech. 

An Informal Phone Conversation in Czech

Let’s say you want to meet up with your friend for brunch. You (person A) call them (person B) to figure out the details.

• Notice the greetings and the use of informal speech.

A: Ahoj, chci se zeptat, jestli nechceš v sobotu zajít na brunch. 
(“Hi, I wanted to ask if you’d like to do brunch this weekend.”)

B: To by bylo super. V kolik?
(“Sounds awesome. What time?”)

A: V 10?
(“10 a.m.?”)

B: Dobře, budu se těšit.
(“Okay, looking forward to it.”)

A: Dobře, uvidíme se v sobotu v 10. Měj se.
(“Okay, see you on Saturday. Have a good one.”)

B: Ty taky, čau.
(“You too. Bye.”)

A Formal Phone Conversation in Czech

Great, your friend agreed and now you need to make a reservation at your favorite restaurant.

• You’re going to use formal speech and formal greetings.

A: Dobrý den, tady XY. Chci udělat rezervaci na 10 hodin, tuto sobotu.
(“Hello, I’d like to book a table for this Saturday, 10 a.m.”)

B: Dobrý den, kolik vás bude, prosím?
(“Good day, how many guests, please?”)

A: Dva.
(“Two.”)

B: Vaše jméno prosím?
(“Your name, please?”)

A: Angelina Jolie.

B: Děkuji. Máte rezervaci na sobotu 10:00 pro dva lidi. Bude to všechno?
(“Thank you, your table for two will be ready on Saturday, 10 a.m.”)

A: Ano, děkuju.
(“Yes, thank you.”)

B: Budeme se těšit. Nashledanou.
(“We’re looking forward to your visit.”)

A: Nashledanou.
(“Bye.”)

Budu se těšit. – “Looking forward to seeing you.”

11. 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! In case this wasn’t enough for you, check out our basic phone conversation phrases vocab list.

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!

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. Do you feel ready to tackle your first Czech phone call?

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!

Let me ask you a question: When and why did you first think about learning Czech? 

Are you planning to move here, do you want to get a job in Czechia, did you fall in love with a Czech (fun fact: I bet you know at least one Czech beauty—Czech women are considered very pretty, and Czech guys…well, they’re nice!), or are you trying to decide which Slavic language would be the most fun to learn?

Even if none of the above is your case, we’re going to discuss why you should learn Czech (at least the basics) if you want to spend more than a day here. Not everyone in Czechia speaks English, and locals highly appreciate friendly foreigners with cute accents. Besides, it would be nice to be able to order a beer after a long day of exploring the wonders of Prague, Brno, Český Krumlov, and other cool places, right?

Learning Czech is easier than you would think. Once you master the basics, the rest is a breeze.

In this article, I’m going to list the biggest reasons why you should learn Czech…starting now!

P.S.: I really wish the title could be 13 Reasons Why, but we’ve already covered Netflix/HBO & Chill in another article (also written by moi).

Table of Contents

1. Czechia is a Tiny but Shiny Central-European Gem
2. It will make learning other European and Slavic languages much easier.
3. It will help you get a job or start a business.
4. Not a lot of people in the Czech Republic speak English… Sorry.
5. Czechia is a cool place to visit.
6. Timetables and announcements…
7. Czech people will appreciate it.
8. …you will make friends easily.
9. Your future in-laws will love you for it…
10. It’s a cool and “interesting” language to learn.
11. Understanding Czenglish will be easier for you…
12. Once you’re past the tough beginning, your progress will be fast.
13. Czech is pretty easy to learn.
14. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Czechia is a Tiny but Shiny Central-European Gem

A- About Us

➢ Czech is the official language of Czechia, spoken by almost 96% of the population. It’s the mother tongue of about 12 million people, most of whom live in Czechia with approximately one million native Czech speakers living abroad. 

➢ Czech belongs to the West Slavic group of languages. It’s very similar to the Slovak language; these two languages are mutually intelligible and you probably wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. Most Czechs and Slovaks understand both languages in their written and spoken form. 

➢ The similarities are comparable to those of British English vs. American English (yes, I am aware it’s still English, but you know what I mean). Czech and Slovak do have different (although very similar) grammar, spelling, and pronunciation. In other words: The words might sound pretty much the same, but the spelling is completely different.

➢ It’s no surprise that Czech is also similar to other Slavic languages, such as: Bulgarian, Croatian, Polish, and Russian. If you already speak/study one of these, learning Czech will be a piece of cake.

B- The Basics

➢ The modern Czech language uses the Latin alphabet with diacritics (a.k.a. special characters) that alter their pronunciation. It’s a phonetic language, meaning that everything is pronounced exactly the way it’s written (i.e. UNLIKE English or French, JUST LIKE Spanish, Italian, Latin, et cetera/a tak dále).

➢ Czech consists of 26 Latin letters (the same as English), plus letters with special diacritic accents. There are three types of those accents: the acute accent čárka (length mark) for indicating the length of vowels, háček (hook) for changing the sound, and lastly kroužek (circle) indicating long pronunciation of the letter (u – ů). Altogether, the alphabet includes 42 characters. 

➢ Once you learn the pronunciation of the whole alphabet, you’ll be able to read and pronounce any Czech word. There will be no surprises. (“Kansas-Arkansas, see-sea, to-too-two,” I’m looking at you!)

2. It will make learning other European and Slavic languages much easier.

➢ With advanced knowledge of Czech, you’ll be able to understand some spoken and written Slovak and Polish, as well as spoken Russian.

➢ You’ll be able to pronounce Italian/Spanish/Latin (big and smart) words correctly.

3. It will help you get a job or start a business.

Speaking the Czech language might bring you new business opportunities in Central Europe as well as new opportunities in other countries. 

Oh, I’m happy where I am, I don’t need more opportunities…said no one, ever. 

➢ The Czech industrial base is well-developed and there are tons of possibilities in the automotive industry, industrial machinery industry, mining, electronics, glass manufacturing, and beer production.

➢ Recently, high-tech industries have been on the rise and business opportunities are arising, particularly in the areas of aerospace, nanotechnology, and life science. If you’re an engineer, you might want to grab a Czech textbook or sign up for an online Czech class ASAP. According to some, Czechia is the ideal place for launching a new industrial revolution.

4. Not a lot of people in the Czech Republic speak English… Sorry, Karen.

In summer 2018, I spent a week with my American boyfriend’s family in a lovely little town in Tuscany. It was an incredibly picturesque place with a couple of restaurants, one little café, an incredibly blue sky…and a few thousand very Italian Italians who spoke only Italian. We were the only tourists there.

Yet, one of the family members was perplexed by this simple and natural occurrence, and stated: “They should speak at least SOME English.” 

No, they shouldn’t.

Not cool. 

Don’t be like them. 

Please, never expect that everyone speaks or should speak your language, especially if you’re visiting their home country.

Learn some basic Czech phrases and vocab, and look into the pronunciation. Trust me, you’re going to need it.

You’ll fall in love with Prague even if traveling isn’t really your jam.

5. Czechia is a cool place to visit.

➢ Medieval architecture
➢ Modern architecture
➢ Great beer
➢ Cheap 5* hotels
➢ Prague is one of the most beautiful and magical places you’ll ever see
➢ Brno is cool

Need I say more?

Actually…

6. Timetables and announcements…

 …of changes or delays are usually in Czech only. Unless you have a trusted native by your side, do your homework.

7. Czech people will appreciate it.

Trust me. You want them to like you. You want them to be on your side, because these hard-shelled people with hearts of gold will love you for your effort and for showing respect.

Which also means more doors will be open for you. Which leads to more-helpful officers, kinder staff in hotels, and so on. And also…

I wouldn’t call us patriots, but most Czechs will definitely appreciate your effort.

8. …you will make friends easily.

Or, you know, in case you’re dating a Czech, you’ll be able to tell if they’re whispering sweet nothings or deathly spells into your ear.

We all know how hard it is to truly connect if there’s a language barrier, and meeting a Czech who speaks English freely and fluently would be a small miracle.

Why not meet them halfway?

Learn how to introduce yourself in Czech, and here’s another article that breaks down the basic Czech grammar rules. You could also learn a few adjectives to describe your personality and words for talking about what you do.

Take it slow and enjoy the process—it will pay off!

9. Your future in-laws will love you for it…

…or hate you a little less. (I can’t even remember how many times I’ve heard: “Oh please, can’t you just find someone from around here?” I can’t, grandma, sorry not sorry.)

This is important. 

If you want to impress your girlfriend’s/boyfriend’s relatives (especially grandparents) and avoid unnecessary tension, learn at least a few basic phrases. 

10. It’s a cool and “interesting” language to learn.

Still scratching your head about why to learn Czech, especially when there are other (more popular) languages out there? 

In a world full of “I’m learning French/Spanish/German,” be an “I’m learning Czech.”

I’m not saying you should ditch other languages, I’m simply suggesting you take a break from the classics and explore new possibilities.

Czech is a unique language, and doing a unique thing is always a good idea.

11. Understanding Czenglish will be easier for you…

…which will lead to smoother communication.

➢ Czenglish =  English spoken by Czechs that is heavily influenced by Czech vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, or syntax.

Basic knowledge of Czech word order and pronunciation will make it easier for you to figure out what your partner is trying to say.

12. Once you’re past the tough beginning, your progress will be fast.

➢ Czech grammar is very straightforward and gets easier as you work your way up to a higher level. Once you remember the patterns of word endings and cases, you’re fine. No surprises!

13. Czech is pretty easy to learn. 

It takes around 12 weeks to reach the beginner level, which means you’ll be able to introduce yourself, know the basic grammar (tenses, basic vocabulary), and just get by. If you’re aiming higher, prepare to do about twice the work to reach the intermediate level (24 weeks).

1. The vocabulary is simpler than that of English. It is, in fact, a subset of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Most of them are linked in easy-to-remember or logical ways.
2. The feared declension (a.k.a. cases) isn’t as scary as it seems. You just need to memorize the endings of every noun/adjective and mind the gender. The stem remains unchanged (mostly).
3. There are NO articles.
4. There are only three tenses: past, present, future. Done.

Learning a new language is always a good idea, and not just for the practical reasons. It will also create a new routine and bring a new sense of accomplishment into your daily life. You’ll improve your memory, feed your brain and soul, boost your confidence, and gain perspective. You’ll feel great about yourself! And that’s the only thing that really matters.

Czech is way easier to learn than most people (who know such a language exists) think.

14. 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 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!

Wondering how to learn Czech online like a pro? 

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!

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 if you feel inspired to start (or continue) learning Czech now!

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?

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

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

You can certainly do all of those things. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Table of Contents

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

1. Basic Czech Grammar: General Rules

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

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

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

Word Order

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

General word order:

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

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

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

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

Null-Subject Sentences

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

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

Take these two sentences for example: 

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

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

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

Learning a new language is fun!

Genders

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

• Feminine
• Masculine
• Neuter

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

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

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

To make things even more exciting:

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

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

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

Speaking of which…

2. Cases: Noun and Adjective Declension

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

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

1. Nominative (basic)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Vocative (for addressing or calling people)

• Davide, počkej! (“David, wait!”)

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

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

7. Instrumental (“by” / “with”)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. Hi, …!

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

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

Reading is a great way to improve your language skills.

Is it really important to remember all that stuff?

It is, because…

Czech Genders and Declension

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

That’s when the paradigms come into play.

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

3. Czech Verb Conjugation and Tenses

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

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

Present tense verb endings:

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

Past tense:

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

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

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

Future tense:

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

• Budu vařit. (“I’ll cook.”)

In perfective verbs, the present form expresses the future.

• Uvařím. (“I’m going to cook.”)

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

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

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

Remember:

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

4. Formal and Informal Voice

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

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

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

➢ Another difference: Greetings.

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

Informal greetings:

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

Formal greetings:

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

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

5. Numbers

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

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

Now it gets easier!

For tens, you add -náct:

11. Jedenáct
12. Dvanáct
13. Třináct

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

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

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

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

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

Czech numbers are much easier than those in other languages.

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

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

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

What can you find here?

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

Sign up now, it’s free!

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