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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

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

1. Quotes About Success

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

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

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

1. Bez práce nejsou koláče.

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

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

2. Dvakrát měř, jednou řež.

In English: “Measure twice, cut once.”

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

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

3. Co se lehce nabude, snadno se pozbude.

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

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

2. Quotes About Life

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

4. Mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato.

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

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

Mluviti stříbro, mlčeti zlato.

5. Nehas, co tě nepálí.

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

In other words, mind your own business.

Shrug.

6. Malé ryby taky ryby.

In English: “Even small fish are fish.”

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

Here’s a little example: 

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

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

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

3. Quotes About Time

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

7. Pozdě, ale přece.

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

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

Just show up. 

8. Ráno moudřejší večera.

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

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

Maybe the Czech Republic is your spirit country!

4. Quotes About Love

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

9. Láska prochází žaludkem.

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

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

Láska prochází žaludkem!

10. Snesl bych ti modré z nebe.

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

Sounds poetic, right?

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

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

– Karel Čapek, Czech author (1890-1938)

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

5. Quotes About Family

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

12. Krev není voda.

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

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

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

13. Bližší košile nežli kabát.

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

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

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

14. Host do domu, hůl do ruky.

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

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

6. Quotes About Friendship

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

15. Lépe mít sto přátel, než jednoho nepřítele.

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

You can never have too many friends.

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

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

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

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

7. Quotes About Food

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

17. Hlad je nejlepší kuchař.

In English: “Hunger is the best cook.” 

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

18. Sytý hladovému nevěří.

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

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

19. Jez do polosyta, pij do polopita.

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

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

8. Quotes About Health

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

20. Veselá mysl je půl zdraví.

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

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

21. Prostě-li žiješ, sta let dožiješ.

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

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

22. Strach je nemoc špatného svědomí.

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

– Karel Čapek, Czech author

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

9. A Quote About Language Learning

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

23. Kolik řečí umíš, tolikrát jsi člověkem.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What can you find here?

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

Sign up now—it’s free!

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

We all know life isn’t just work; relationships matter and love conquers all.

However, your career is one of the most important parts of your life (and it also takes up a big chunk of your time on Earth). 

That’s why it’s beneficial to find a career that fulfills you and makes you feel accomplished…or at least pays well and doesn’t kill you on the inside. And, of course, you might want or need to start a career in another country.

If you want to get a job or start your own business in the Czech Republic (yay!), you should work on learning some common Czech business phrases and vocabulary. Every successful entrepreneur will tell you that your language gives away a lot about your personality and approach, and by choosing the right words, you will open more prospects. Doing this in a foreign language may be a little more challenging, but also more fun. Trust me. Been there, done that.

Multilingualism benefits your business/professional skills, and makes you look more invested, motivated, and appealing to your business partners. And can you guess what one of the pillars of strong business/work relationships is? Speaking the local language! It bridges cultural gaps and supports interpersonal relationships. 

In other words: Knowing at least a little business Czech will make you look more attractive and less culturally distant to your future boss or business partners. 

Get your game face on. I’ll walk you through some Czech business phrases that will help you boost or start your career in our lovely Central European country. I’ve also included some vocab and tips for email or phone communication, as well as phrases you’ll need to arrange your Czech business travels.

Table of Contents

1. How to Nail a Job Interview
2. How to Make Friends at Work
3. How to Sound Smart in a Meeting
4. How to Handle Business Calls and Emails
5. How to Have a Successful Business Trip
6. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. How to Nail a Job Interview

First things first: First impressions are more important than we like to admit. Start with the basics and make sure you know how to introduce yourself in Czech appropriately.

Learning how to say “Hello, my name is…” in Czech will take just a few moments. But in context of the bigger picture, it will change the way your potential boss sees you: as an invested, proactive individual who is willing to work on his/her skills, truly wants to be a part of the team, and is ready to learn new things on the go.

A- The Right Start

Remember that you should be formal and polite. Don’t get too personal, and keep things “clean” and professional (unless your potential employer or business partner shows up wearing ripped jeans and offers you a beer).

What could be your opening lines?

• Dobrý den, já jsem Ironman. Mám tu pracovní pohovor s paní Gosling.
  “Good day, my name is Ironman. I have a job interview with Mrs. Gosling here.”

• Dobrý den, jdu za paní Gosling. 
  “Good day, I am here to see Mrs. Gosling.”

Check out our quick guide on Czech greetings. It’s crucial that you be prepared, so that you don’t have to think about your language skills too much, and can focus on the interview.

B- Greetings & Goodbyes

Here are the essentials you need to remember to get by:

➢ Dobrý den. (“Good day.”) – formal, can be used throughout the day
➢ Dobré ráno. (“Good morning.”)
➢ Rád/ráda vás poznávám. (“Nice to meet you.”)
➢ Nashledanou. (“Goodbye.”)
➢ Těšilo mě. (“It was a pleasure to meet you.”)
➢ Ozveme se. (“We’ll keep in touch.”)

This guide on how to say hello in Czech will come in handy, too!

➢ When in doubt, stick with Dobrý den and Nashledanou.

C- Ty or Vy? (A.K.A. Using Formal Speech)

The Czech language has two distinct pronouns for “you”: vy (formal) and ty (casual). 

When in doubt, always opt for the formal version vy, especially in business or work settings. However, if someone offers you tykání, which is the use of the informal voice, you can follow suit.

Sometimes tykání is referred to as a first-name basis, but this isn’t entirely correct. In Czech, you can call a person by their first name and still use the formal voice.

➢ Formal voice: Second person plural, even when you’re talking to a single person.

Rule of thumb:

• When in doubt: Vy.
• Your friends, work friends, family, or children: Ty.
• Anyone else (even if they’re your age): Vy.

It’s very likely that people in creative (more relaxed) environments will offer tykání right away. Just follow the lead!

D- During the Interview

You’ll be asked about your education, accomplishments, strengths, weaknesses, goals, and visions.

Here are some of the words you’ll likely use during your interview (masculine / feminine):

• Pilný / Pilná (“Diligent”)
• Kreativní (“Creative”)
• Ambiciózní (“Ambitious”)
• Nadšený / Nadšená (“Enthusiastic”)
• Spolehlivý / Spolehlivá (“Reliable”)
• Pohodový / Pohodová (“Easy-going”)

You might want to check out this list of adjectives to prepare for your self-introduction in Czech. Write down a few lines about who you are and what you can offer the company.

This list of workplace-related vocabulary will help you put together and recognize some (pretty obvious) questions and answers. Below, you’ll find a list of useful business Czech phrases that you’ll either use or hear from your interviewer:

You:

• Rád bych se zeptal… / Ráda bych se zeptala… (“I would like to ask…”)
• Na podobné pozici jsem pracoval/pracovala tři roky. (“I had a similar job for three years.”)
• V tomto oboru mám mnoho zkušeností. (“I have vast experience in this area.”)
• Nevadí mi práce přesčas. (“I don’t mind working overtime.”)
• Jaký je plat? (“How much is the salary?”)
• Je možný home-office? (“Can I work from home?”)
• Jaká je pracovní doba? (“What are the working hours?”)
• Děkuji za váš čas. (“Thank you for your time.”)
• Chcete se mě na něco zeptat? (“Do you want to ask me any questions?”)

Interviewer:

• Jaký máte titul? (“What degrees do you have?”)
• Jaké máte vzdělání? (“What is your educational background?”)
• Kde jste pracoval/pracovala předtím? (“Where did you work before?”)
• Na jaké pozici jste pracoval/pracovala? (“What was your role?”)

E- Skills

If you have it, flaunt it!

• Mluvím anglicky, německy a česky. (“I speak English, German, and Czech.”)
• Mluvím plynule španělsky. (“I am fluent in Spanish.”)
• Jsem začátečník. (“I am a beginner.”)
• Vystudoval/vystudovala jsem… (“I have a degree in…”)
• Inženýr (Master’s degree in engineering or economics)
• Magistr (Master’s degree in social studies or art)

(Feel free to learn more about the education structure in the Czech Republic.)

If you need more time to think of an answer:

• Můžete to zopakovat? (“Could you repeat that, please?”)
• Pardon, neslyšel/neslyšela jsem vás. (“Sorry, I didn’t hear that.”)
• Pardon, nerozumím. (“Sorry, I don’t understand.”)

2. How to Make Friends at Work

First of all, bring three batches of homemade triple chocolate cookies…just joking.

Vítej! (“Welcome!”)

Making friends at work is important. In fact, studies show that people who have a “best friend” at work are seven times as likely to be engaged in their job! They also have “higher levels of productivity, retention, and job satisfaction than those who don’t.”

Icebreakers

First of all, you need to introduce yourself, right?

We have a great article for ya!

TLDR?

Okay, here’s a snapshot.

• Smile
• Jmenuju se… (“My name is….”)
• Těší mě. (“Nice to meet you.”)

After that, you can get a little more touchy-feely:

• Jsem tu nový/nová. (“I am new here.”)
• Moc se mi tu líbí. (“I like it here a lot.”)
• Chodíte někdy na skleničku? (“Do you go out for drinks?”)
• Jak dlouho tu pracuješ? (“How long have you been working here?”)
• Líbí se ti tu? (“Do you like it here?”)
• Pomůžeš mi, prosím? (“Can you help me, please?”)
• Děkuji za pomoc! (“Thank you for your help!”)

Want more? See our list of more self-introduction lines!

3. How to Sound Smart in a Meeting

Yeah, most meetings could have just been emails, but if you do have to see your coworkers or boss or business partners face-to-face, you’re going to want to show off.

No slacking allowed, get ready. 

Schůzka s kolegy (“Meeting with coworkers”)

Whom you’re meeting with (masculine / feminine):

• Kolega / Kolegyně (“Colleague,” “Coworker”)
• Obchodní partner / partnerka (“Business partner”)
• Investor / Investorka (“Investor”)
• Šéf / Šéfka (“Boss”)
• Nadřízený / Nadřízená (“Supervisor”)

Speak up:

• Podle mého názoru… (“In my opinion…”)
• Já si myslím… (“I think…”)
• Dobrá práce. (“Good work.”)
• Skvělá práce! (“Excellent work!”)
• Pojďme to probrat. (“Let’s talk about it.”)

This is the ultimate business talk guide. Listen to the vocabulary, practice your pronunciation, and impress with your smooth Czech for business.

4. How to Handle Business Calls and Emails

I have always perceived business calls and emails as a foolproof way to “read” the people on the other end.

Work emails with typos, grammar mistakes (!!!), or sketchy vocab are off-putting and unprofessional.

You really need to pay attention to your spelling and make sure everything is perfect (thank god for online translators—use them!).

The structure should be like this:

1. Dobrý den, paní Grangerová. (“Good day, Mrs. Granger.”)
2. Píšu vám kvůli tématu, o kterém jsme spolu mluvili. (“I am writing to you in regards to the topics we talked about.”)
3. The body of the email.
4. Pokud budete potřebovat další pomoc, neváhejte se na mě obrátit. (“If you need any additional assistance, please contact me.”)
5. Děkuji předem. (“Thank you in advance.”)
6. S pozdravem, (“Regards,”)
7. Your name.

Other stuff:

• Děkuji za odpověď. (“Thank you for your reply.”)
• Mohl/mohla byste mi prosím poslat… (“Would you please send me…”)
• Můžete mi doporučit…? (“Could you recommend…?”)
• Pečlivě jsme zvážili váš návrh a… (“We carefully considered your proposal and…”)

Easy peasy.

Of course, you don’t need to be super-official like that when you’re asking your coworkers where you’re going for lunch.

As for calls, well… Do people still do that?

Okay, in case you do need to make a phone call:

When answering the phone, people usually say Prosím (“Please”) or say their name right away, which might catch you off-guard.

Dal/dala bych si salámovou, prosím. (“I’d like pepperoni pizza, please.”)

During the call, you might find these lines useful:

• Dobrý den, to je design studio Pilot? (“Hello, is it Pilot design studio?”)
• To je paní Thurman? (“Is it Mrs. Thurman?”)
• Chci mluvit s paní Thurman, prosím. (“I’d like to talk to Mrs. Thurman, please.”)
• Prosím přepojte mě do účtárny. (“Please connect me to the finance department.”)

If you’re on the other side of the phone:

• Nezavěšujte. (“Hold the line.”)
• Předám… (“I will put you through to…”)
• Chcete nechat vzkaz? (“Would you like to leave a message?”)
• Můžete zavolat později? (“Could you call back later?”)
• Děkuji, nashledanou. (“Thank you, goodbye.”)

Here’s a list of more super-useful phrases for your next phone call.

5. How to Have a Successful Business Trip

Yay or nay? Do you like to travel for work?

Anyway!

Unless you have an assistant, you’ll probably need to book a hotel and tickets, share an itinerary with your coworkers or business partners, get a cab, check in to a hotel…lots of talking to be done! 

Here are some useful phrases to help you out on your business trip to the Czech Republic

• Jede z letiště do města autobus? (“Is there a bus from the airport to the city?”)
• Mám rezervaci. (“I have a reservation.”)
• Máte nějaké volné pokoje? (“Do you have any vacancies tonight?”)
• Berete kreditní karty? (“Do you take credit card?”)
• Je Wi-Fi zdarma? (“Is the Wi-Fi free?”)
• Mohl bych dostat účet? (“Could I have the check?”)
• Přistaneme v 17:00. (“We land at five p.m.”)
• Odlétáme v 7:00. (“We take off at seven a.m.”)
• Vyzvedněte mě na letišti, prosím. (“Pick me up at the airport, please.”)

Plus:

• Děkuji za pohostinnost. (“Thank you for your hospitality.”)
• Děkuji za váš čas. (“Thank you for your time.”)
• Budu tam včas. (“I will be there on time.”)
• Můj let má zpoždění. (“My flight is delayed.”)

This list of vocabulary will help you prepare for almost any travel situation!

Šťastnou cestu! (“Safe travels!”)

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

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. Are there any more phrases you need to learn? Let’s get in touch!

What’s the number-one thing that will make learning Czech entertaining, help you boost your vocabulary, keep you company, and always be there for you? YouTube! When you learn Czech, YouTube videos in or about the language will be immensely helpful to you.

Here’s a little background story to show you the power of YouTube: 

When I first discovered this marvelous world of videos (back in 2007 or so), I decided I had to speak English well enough to understand what was going on in makeup tutorials (this was WAY before influencers were a real thing, guys!).

Lo and behold, here I am. Don’t underestimate the power of social media and technology. Thanks to specialized channels, you can learn to speak Czech with YouTube.

If you’re busy, juggling work/love/whatever, or just, you know, living your life, you want to be efficient. Do you have time to sit down for an hour and repeat new vocabulary?

Probably not.

Here enters YouTube.

YouTube videos are great background noise, and I promise, even if you don’t think you’re paying much attention, you do register what you’re hearing. You’d be surprised how big of a difference a mere fifteen minutes a day will make. Besides, it’s fun. Just put on a video, cook dinner, do your nails, clean the bathroom…and learn Czech with YouTube!

I highly recommend that you put your game face on at least a couple times a week and watch a pro educational video on the CzechClass101 YouTube channel. These girls know how to explain the quirks of Czech grammar, their pronunciation is angelic, and they make learning Czech so much easier for you!

Now, let me show you the best YouTube channels for learning the Czech language.

Table of Contents

1. Kovy
2. Dewii
3. Radiožurnál
4. DVTV
5. Bonton Kids
6. TadyGavin
7. Dream Prague
8. Veselé učení nejen pro děti/Fun Learning Not Just for Kids
9. Jitka Nováčková
10. CzechClass101
11. How to Make the Most of YouTube Videos
12. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Kovy

Category: Entertainment, current affairs, traveling, vlogs, parodies

Level: Advanced

Features: Contemporary vocabulary, good pronunciation, great for younger audiences

Kovy is the latest phenomenon, and everybody and their mom loves him. This is the right content for you if you’re in the mood for something light-hearted. The vocab is pretty advanced, but we’re working on getting out of our comfort zone, right? 

How To Survive in NYC with $1/day is a great example of his work.

2. Dewii

Category: Zero waste, veganism, minimalism, yoga, routines, best of (product recommendation), vlogs

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Features: Contemporary vocabulary, good pronunciation, great for younger audiences, contemporary topics

Compared to Kovy’s channel, Dewii’s is less “trendy” and “funny,” and more slow-paced—maybe even “grown-up.” It’s all about zero waste, climate change, vegan food, and minimalism. She’s a lovely, bubbly girl, and her Czech isn’t overly complicated (vocabulary-wise).

Also, her vegan recipes are delicious and easy to make! 

Her channel is a great combo of education and lifestyle. 

3. Radiožurnál

Category: News, interviews, current affairs

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Features: Great for vocabulary building, slow-paced, professional pronunciation

This Czech YouTube channel features interviews and podcasts. It’s great for building (and challenging) your vocabulary, as the speech is slow-paced and precise with professional pronunciation. Yay! You’ll learn about the latest affairs, Czech culture, and sports, all while sharpening your language skills.

Short on time? If you download their app, you can listen to radio plays from various contemporary or classical authors (Maupassant, etc.) on the go!

Watch and learn.

4. DVTV

Category: News, interviews 

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Features: Great for vocabulary building, slow-paced, professional pronunciation, educational (science, politics, culture), some interviews are in English with Czech subtitles

DVTV is my personal favorite, and you’ll love it if you want to learn more than just the Czech language. DVTV is a streaming news channel that specializes in interviews with recognized professionals in various fields. They have won numerous awards and their content is truly interesting, slightly edgy, and informative.

Are you interested in health? Gastronomy? Politics? I promise you won’t be bored, especially if you appreciate professional journalism.

Some of their interviews are in English with Czech subtitles.

Listen and learn wherever you are.

5. Bonton Kids

Category: Cartoons for kids 

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Features: Great for vocabulary building, very simple and easy to understand

Everybody loves cartoons, and believe it or not, they can actually help you learn Czech. I don’t have much to say about this channel, except: Enjoy!

Cartoons are perfect for lazy weekend mornings or… say… days when you can’t leave the house for various reasons.

Besides, who doesn’t feel like a little kid sometimes?

There are movies and cartoons on this channel, so you’ll never get bored watching. This is a great option if you’re looking for relatively easy Czech YouTube channels to pass the time.

“Cartoon” – Kreslená pohádka.

6. TadyGavin

Category: An American who is learning Czech 

Level: Beginner – Intermediate

Features: Great for building vocabulary, beginner-friendly, great learning tips

Gavin is an American who’s been studying Czech since 2016. His videos are cute and super-informative. He knows all about the struggles and joys you’re likely experiencing yourself, and can help you navigate through the labyrinth of Czech language grammar. To start, check out his video How to Learn Czech, Hacks and Resources or watch him eat Czech candy for the first time.

7. Dream Prague

Category: An American living in the Czech Republic

Level: Beginner – Intermediate

Features: In Czech with English subtitles / English with Czech subtitles

Jen is an American girl who has been living in Prague for eight years. She has one of the best Czech YouTube channels for learning fun facts, surprising Czech stuff, and general fun. If you’re interested in how Americans see the Czech culture and traditions, or want to learn more about the country, you’re going to love her channel. Check out her 5 Fun Facts about Czech Culture (that are also illegal).

Already want more? Find out why she moved to Prague and things you didn’t know were Czech!

8. Veselé učení nejen pro děti/Fun Learning Not Just for Kids

Category: Educational channel for children

Level: Beginner

Features: Basic vocabulary, professional pronunciation, basics, well-explained, graphic

Guys, seriously. I know this sounds ridiculous, but when you’re learning another language, you want everything to be very simple, well-explained, and graphic. Guess what these videos are? Very simple, well-explained, and graphic. This alphabet video is a great example of how the videos are structured. 

Sure, you might need a shot of tequila after watching a couple of those, but I promise it’ll be worth it!

“Headphones” – Sluchátka.

9. Jitka Nováčková

Category: Lifestyle, vlogs, makeup, viral challenges

Level: Beginner – Intermediate

Features: Simple vocabulary

Jitka is a gorgeous Czech model who married a Danish soccer player. Her videos and vlogs cover life in Denmark, traveling, life in another country, and some fun beauty-related stuff. 

The content is great for broadening your vocab, it’s fun to look at, and it’s not overly complicated. Check out her backstage vlogs, challenges, and beauty tips

10. CzechClass101

Category: Education

Level: All

Features: Vocabulary, grammar, podcasts, listening exercises

Last, but not least: CzechClass101 is every Czech student’s dream and the best place to learn the Czech language on YouTube. Learn basic and not-so-basic vocabulary, discover info about Czech holidays, work on your listening skills (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and reading skills (absolute beginner, beginner, intermediate).

For those of you who are always busy, there are Czech in 3 Minutes videos that will help you learn the basics: numbers in Czech, how to introduce yourself, apologies, and much more.

Why is it awesome?

1. Our videos are made by professionals, so the structure and content is highly effective and helpful for all learners.
2. It’s available 24/7.
3. It’s free.
4. You can listen and learn from anywhere.
5. You can pause and rewind anytime without interrupting other students in your class.
6. You can focus on strengthening or polishing a specific skill (like reading or listening).

What’s not to love?

11. How to Make the Most of YouTube Videos

Okay, now we’ve introduced you to some of the best Czech YouTubers and other Czech language channels. But this new knowledge won’t do you much good unless you know how to make the most of your watching time. Here are our tips:

• Pay attention to whatever you’re watching. 
• Write down words you’ve just learned or have trouble remembering.
• Focus on vocabulary. Set a goal and stick to it. Fifteen new words a day is totally realistic and will bring you to almost 5500 words in just one year! That means going from absolute beginner to intermediate in just twelve months.
• Find a topic you like—makeup, traveling, cooking, or even try to pick up a new hobby—whatever strikes your fancy! The more interested you are, the faster and easier you’ll learn.
• Comment and interact with other followers.
• Be consistent. Remember: What you treat like a hobby, stays a hobby.
• Set milestones. How does going from absolute beginner to intermediate in one year sound? And you know what? It’s totally doable!

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

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

What can you find here?

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

Sign up now, it’s free!

One last thing: Let us know in the comments if this article helped you. Also feel free to let us know what your favorite Czech YouTube channels are, and how you use them to learn Czech faster. Let’s get in touch!

You know, there are certain situations in life where it’s acceptable to just grab your stuff and leave without announcing your departure to the entire room. However, most of the time, it’s nice to be polite and exchange pleasantries! 

Besides, I’m sure that you want to make a good impression. You want people to remember you. You want to have friends and an awesome career, fall in love, and live in a house with a red roof…and how would you achieve that without the persuasive influence of your social graces? 

Saying goodbye in Czech is today’s topic. By the end of this article, you’ll be ready to say bye in Czech to your boss, a cashier in your favorite supermarket, someone you just met, someone you definitely want to see again, someone you never want to speak to again…the list goes on. Ready?

But.

First things first: Go check out our list of ten lines you need to know for introducing yourself and make sure you know all of these cute pleasantries. You’ll soon have all the language skills necessary to make people fall in love with you and earn a special place in their memories. (Want your Czech goodbye to be really memorable? Adding a little emotion never hurts, if that’s your thing.) Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE!(Logged-In Member Only)

Table of Contents

1. The Most Common Ways to Say Bye in Czech
2. Formal Czech Words for Goodbye – When Words Aren’t Enough
3. See You!
4. At the Airport or Train Station: Farewell!
5. Pleasantries (a.k.a How to be Sweet and Caring)
6. Professional Settings
7. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. The Most Common Ways to Say Bye in Czech

Unlike in English, you won’t get by using just one word for goodbye in Czech. Sorry. In this beautiful Slavic language, we use formal (second person plural) and informal (second person singular) speech.

The good news is that you don’t need to sit there and memorize dozens of new Czech words. These two will suffice:

• Formal: Na shledanou. (“Bye,” meaning “See you again.”)
• Informal (a.k.a being on first-name terms): Čau. (“Bye.” – Yes, it’s pretty much the Italian ciao.)

If you remember these two words, you’re going to be okay in any situation.

However…you don’t do basic, do you? Let’s explore a little more.

Also:

➢ Čau is a hello and a goodbye in Czech. You’re welcome.
➢ Tak čau (“So, bye”) is a very common form. Don’t be surprised if you hear this.

Čau!

2. Formal Czech Words for Goodbye – When Words Aren’t Enough

Let’s say you’ve just met your significant other’s parents for the first time. It’s a sensitive situation that could be a little awkward. Plus, not only do you need to say stuff, but you also need to do stuff. On top of that: cultural differences.

Now, I’m gonna tell you my own story, because keeping things real makes writing a whole lot easier.

My American boyfriend’s parents are in their 70s. I was about to celebrate my first Thanksgiving ever with them, but they had never really interacted with a foreigner before and his mom was worried she wouldn’t understand my English (I’m pretty sure she did wish that were true by the end of the weekend). 

I don’t really care what people think about me, but sheesh! This lady birthed my beloved boy; I want her to like me! So, being my usual organized self, I got ready. I asked my boyfriend what to do, what to say, and how to act during the first and final minutes (I managed to be naturally charming in-between), and it worked!

Here’s my advice:

➢ When visiting or living in a foreign country, don’t rely on people being understanding. Learn their customs and be respectful of their culture. Try to be one of them (When in Rome…).
➢ Do not underestimate the power of culture.
➢ A foreign accent is cute, ignorance isn’t.
➢ Don’t invade their personal space.

Remember that you need to use formal speech.

Step 1:

Are you leaving? Say:

• Děkuji za pozvání. Mějte se hezky. Na shledanou. (“Thank you for having me. Be good. Bye.”)

Are they leaving? Say:

• Děkuji za návštěvu. Mějte se hezky. Na shledanou. (“Thank you for visiting. Be good. Bye.”)

Was it your first meeting? Say:

• Masculine: Rád jsem vás poznal. (“Nice meeting you.”) 
• Feminine: Ráda jsem vás poznala. (“Nice meeting you.”)

Do you want to hang out with them again? Say:

• Masculine: Moc rád vás zase uvidím. (“I would love to see you again.”)
• Feminine: Moc ráda vás zase uvidím. (“I would love to see you again.”)

Step 2:

• Shake hands. 

Czech people aren’t huggy. No need for kisses either, unless the other person likes it French. Observe. Let them keep their distance. (Unless it was love at first sight, in which case you should tell them.)

Step 3:

• Leave.

There’s this weird custom (several customs, actually) that I just don’t get. You’re at someone’s place, you feel like it’s time to go, you say “I’m gonna go,” and then they say: “Are you in a rush? Stay a little longer.” You don’t want to make them feel bad, so you’re torn over whether to leave or stay a few more minutes.

It’s an act. They don’t mean it—it’s just a weird cultural thing. Just get up and go, unless you can tell they’re being genuine.

Want to know more about Czech culture? Read on.

Czech culture and American culture have very little in common.

3. See You!

The process of saying bye in Czech is pretty straightforward and linear—you just say čau (“bye”) and go. Still, this phrase is fairly popular as well – you can see some of the variants in the table below!

➢ Uvidíme se…
➢ Literal translation: “We will see each other.”

You might hear some of these phrases occasionally:

Czech	English
Uvidíme se zítra.	“See you tomorrow.”
Uvidíme se večer.	“See you tonight.”
Uvidíme se v práci.	“See you at work.”
Uvidíme se ve škole.	“See you at school.”
Uvidíme se příště.	“See you next time.”
Uvidíme se příště?	“Will we see each other next time?”

All of these phrases are very neutral, and you can use them in both professional and informal settings with your friends.

Uvidíme se zítra! (“See you tomorrow!”)

4. At the Airport or Train Station: Farewell!

Watching people in airports is one of my favorite things to do. There’s something super-powerful in all of the hellos and goodbyes, the hugs, the tears of joy, the drama of parting couples…

What surprises me the most is that the men cry just as much as the women do.

Anyway. 

Here’s how to say goodbye in the Czech language when the parting’s difficult.

Czech	English
Šťastnou cestu.	“Safe travels.” (Literally: “Happy journey.”)
Dávej na sebe pozor.	“Take care.” (Literally: “Take care of yourself.”)
Hodně štěstí.	“Good luck.”

Again, all of these phrases are neutral. You can use them with your eighty-year-old boss and your new friend who’s a hippie and ignores all of the niceties and social rules.

5. Pleasantries (a.k.a How to be Sweet and Caring)

You know, all the little things we say before parting.

Do you need/want to leave before everyone else? Say:

• Musím už jít. (“I gotta go.”)

Are you in a hurry? Say:

• Musím letět. (“I gotta fly.”)
• Musím běžet. (“I gotta run.”)

Wanna sound nice? Say:

• Měj hezký den. (“Have a nice day.”)

Wanna sound nice and casual?

• Měj se! 
  • This is impossible to translate (literally, “have yourself”). It’s a variation of “Have a good one!”

Do you want to see them again? Say:

• Ozvi se. (“Keep in touch.”)
  • You can probably guess that this is not something you’d say in formal settings, hence the informal speech.

Do you THINK you might want to see the person again, but you’re not sure yet? Say:

• Ozvu se. (“I’ll keep in touch.”)

Do you REALLY want to see them again? Say:

• Musíme to někdy zopakovat. (“We must do this again.”)

6. Professional Settings

The corporate world has its own rules, and unless you’re a freelancer, you’ll probably look for a job some day. If that’s the case, you might hear or say one or more of these phrases at your interview:

• Děkuji za váš čas. (“Thank you for your time.”)
• Ozveme se vám. (“We will get in touch.”)
• Budeme v kontaktu. (“We will keep in touch.”)

Ozveme se vám. (“We will get in touch.”)

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

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

What can you find here?

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

Sign up now—it’s free!

One last thing: Let us know in the comments if this article helped you. Is there anything else you want to know about saying bye in Czech, what to do, and how to get prepared? Let’s get in touch, and we’ll do our best to help!

Let’s debunk this myth about Slavic languages being incredibly hard and almost impossible for English-speakers to learn.

Oh, please. 

How hard is it to learn Czech? Not at all. Sure, there’s going to be a lot of new things—things that seemingly make no sense, things you’ll hate, and things that will make your tongue twist. However, Czech isn’t that hard, complicated, or nasty. It’s just different from English.

Learning another language is always an exciting process. Yup, it’s hard at the beginning (beginnings are hard whether you’re learning Czech, training for your first half-marathon, or learning how to produce an edible dinner without setting your kitchen on fire). But once you turn the corner, things get easier and you start to make progress faster.

The trickiest part of Czech is probably a tie between the pronunciation and the declension. But with practice, effort, and determination, it’s nothing you can’t master.

We’ve got your back, buddy! Now. Sit back and let me convince you that Czech is just as easy as any language you already speak.

Table of Contents

1. Things That Will Require Some Effort: Sometimes Life Gets Hard…
2. The Good News: The Easy Aspects of Learning Czech
3. I Can’t Wait to Start Learning Czech! What Should I Do First?
4. Tips!
5. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Things That Will Require Some Effort: Sometimes Life Gets Hard…

…and so does the wonderful Czech language.

Why is Czech hard to learn, and what sucks the most?

A- Declension

There are seven cases in the Czech language:

1. Nominative

2. Genitive

3. Dative

4. Accusative

5. Vocative

6. Locative

7. Instrumental

• That means there’s a whopping fourteen versions of each noun, adjective, pronoun, and numeral (singular + plural).
• You need to know the gender of the word (masculine, feminine, neuter) in order to do the declension.
• Each case changes the ending of the word and the preposition.

Yes, you need to memorize all of them. There’s no shortcut.

No, I’m not kidding.

➢ Thankfully, someone very nice and smart created fourteen paradigms of noun declension. Once you memorize the declension of these paradigms and learn to distinguish between words of different grammatical genders, the rest will be a smooth ride.

Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Pán (“Mister”)	Žena (“Woman”)	Město (“City”)
Hrad (“Castle”)	Růže (“Rose”)	Moře (“Sea”)
Muž (“Man”)	Píseň (“Song”)	Kuře (“Chicken”)
Stroj (“Machine”)	Kost (“Bone”)	Stavení (“Cottage”)
Předseda (“Chairman”)
Soudce (“Judge”)
Jiří (“George”)

➢ Learn the genders: even though “-a” being at the end of a word is a pretty reliable indicator that the word is declined as žena, it can also be declined as předseda, resulting in completely different endings and meanings.

➢ The same goes for adjective declension. These babies are just as easy, and vary depending on the gender of the noun they’re related to.

➢ And…pronouns. Pronoun declension is a teeny bit more complicated because some of them are irregular. Teehee.

Check out this amazing article that will make the declension easy for ya.

Be consistent; study every day.

B- Conjugation

Czech conjugation is the way a verb changes to show number, gender, person, and mood. 

• There are four verb classes (that means four different verb endings).
• There are six persons: já, ty, on/ona/ono, my, vy, oni/ony/ona (“I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they”).
• The verb form usually depends on the number of persons and the gender.

Conjugation is a pretty simple and straightforward process. 

Do you speak German, Spanish, Italian, or Latin? Great! Thanks to similar rules, Czech conjugation will be a piece of cake for you!

Watch for the ending of each word.

-at, -át singular + plural (Example: dát – “to give”)	-ovat, -ít, -ýt singular + plural (Example: kupovat – “to buy”)
1. Dám 2. Dáš 3. Dá 4. Dáme 5. Dáte 6. Dají	1. Kupuji 2. Kupuješ 3. Kupuje 4. Kupujeme 5. Kupujete 6. Kupují
-it, -et, -ět singular + plural (Example: sedět – “to sit”)	-out, -ci singular + plural  (Example: zapomenout – “to forget”)
1. Sedím 2. Sedíš 3. Sedí 4. Sedíme 5. Sedíte 6. Sedí	1. Zapomenu 2. Zapomeneš 3. Zapomene 4. Zapomeneme 5. Zapomenete 6. Zapomenou

Of course, there are a few irregular verbs that you’ll have to memorize and learn how to conjugate from scratch. This lesson is awesome for an avid Czech student! 

There are things you will have to memorize.

C- Formal and Informal Speech

Formal and informal speech… What can I say? I don’t understand this quirk either. It’s pretty useless and frustrating, but oh well.

➢ Formal speech (second person plural, vy) is used in a formal setting, with older people, with people you’ve just met, at work, etc.

➢ Informal speech (second person singular, ty) is used with family and friends, and in informal settings.

Formal:
Jste krásná. (“You are beautiful.”)

Informal:
Jsi krásná. (“You are beautiful.”)

Cute, isn’t it?

D- Pronunciation

Czech is a phonetic language, and as such, it’s pronounced the same way it’s written (just like Latin or Spanish, for example).

But the Czech language has a little surprise for you: additional letters with diacritics (marks above the letter). These can be a háček (“hook”), čárka (“length mark”), or kroužek (“circle”), and they change the pronunciation of the letter.

Make sure you know and practice the pronunciation of each Czech consonant and vowel.

Remember:

➢ Final consonants in the Czech language are fully pronounced, including the letter “h,” which is most often silent in English. 

➢ Voiced consonants (b, v, g, ď, z, ž, h) at the end of the word are silent.

➢ Ch is a single letter in the Czech alphabet, pronounced through the throat (like “mojito,” for example).

➢ The soft consonants ď, ť, ň and di, ti, ni don’t exist in English. To pronounce them correctly, try to put the tip of your tongue further back against your soft palate and pronounce the regular “d,” but much, much softer.

This article will help you deal with some of the hardest Czech words to pronounce, and show you how to correct any mistakes you’re making!

2. The Good News: The Easy Aspects of Learning Czech

1. Czech conjugation is somewhat similar to that of certain Latin-based languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian).

2. Czech vocabulary is made of subsets of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes linked together in easy-to-remember and logical ways. Many Czech words are combos of prefix + root. For example: Při-nést (“to bring”) / od-nést (“to take away”) / za-nést (“to take something somewhere”).

3. Declension changes only the end of the word, most often the last vowel. Other changes follow consistent and straightforward rules.

4. Czech is a phonetic language, pronounced the same way it’s written. This is similar to the pronunciation in Spanish, Italian, and Latin (and totally different from English pronunciation).

5. There are only three tenses in the Czech language: past, present, and future! How awesome is that!

6. Word order is way looser and easier than in English. It’s flexible, allowing you to put emphasis on different parts of the sentence. The typical Czech word order is subject-verb-object. To ask questions, it’s verb-subject-object. For example: Je těžké naučit se česky? (“Is Czech hard to learn?) / Není těžké naučit se česky. (“Czech isn’t hard to learn.”)

You can do this!

Czech is fun and quite easy to learn!

3. I Can’t Wait to Start Learning Czech! What Should I Do First?

First of all, congrats! Yay!

Now let’s get to work.

1. Set a goal for yourself. This could be “I’m going to be able to order food and ask where the park is in two months” or “I’m gonna be fluent in a year.” Up to you. Get slightly out of your comfort zone; your goal should feel challenging, but doable.

2. Short-term goals seem to be very effective as well. How about learning thirty new words a day?

3. Write down your goals. Write them on several post-it notes and put them somewhere on display. This little mind game is super-effective and motivating.

4. Start with vocabulary. Here’s a list of the most commonly used Czech words. Then, move on to grammar.

5. There are about 300,000 root words in Czech. An average native speaker uses 35,000 words on average. As a beginner, you should master around 500 Czech words. To make small-talk, you should know 1,000-3,000 words.

4. Tips! 

The biggest advantage for you as you set out to learn Czech would be if you speak a language that uses similar grammar (German, Latin, Spanish, Greek)… Think cases, formal speech, and other fun things. Czech grammar is hard even for native speakers—it’s hard for me, too! 

How can you make progress faster?

1. Be consistent, and study every day.

2. Watch kids’ TV shows, and move on to regular TV shows when you feel confident.

3. Read books. Reading is amazing for passively building vocabulary and spelling skills.

4. Challenge yourself. Talk to natives as much as possible (or just listen).

5. Study smart: use flashcards on your phone, download an app, or sign up for an online class.

6. Make it fun and learn about the culture. There are many YouTube videos and interesting TV shows.

7. Visualize, listen, practice.

8. Find a buddy. You’ll push and motivate each other!

9. Talk to yourself, out loud and in your head. This is one of my secret tips that I used when I got serious about actually speaking English with real people (without having a heart attack).

10. Learn from your mistakes. There’s no need to be embarrassed or discouraged.

Czech TV shows and podcasts are an excellent way of mastering the language in a pleasant and very effective way.

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

CzechClass101.com will make learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech with us and make progress faster than you can 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’ve been learning Czech for a while already, what’s your secret tip for avoiding mistakes? Did we forget to include anything you want to know about learning Czech fast? We’ll do our best to help!

Mistakes are annoying, and no matter how often you tell yourself that it’s okay to make them, they still suck.

I get it, friend, I’ve been there. I’m a professional translator, and after years of living in a bilingual environment, I still have to pause from time to time and make sure I really want to say “kitchen,” not “chicken.” I ask my American boyfriend for help and clarification all the time. Also, just this morning, I read a Facebook post from Czech Television about a commemorative PLAGUE (instead of “plaque”).

In this article, we’ll be covering typical Czech mistakes that English-speakers make.

The Czech language, like all other languages, has its quirks and surprises that might catch you off-guard or flat out confuse the hell out of you.

Let’s not forget the bright side: You can learn and actually gain perspective from your mistakes. You can use them as a tool to remember certain words or grammar rules, instead of letting them frustrate you and put you off.

Let’s look at the ten most common Czech-English mistakes together.

Table of Contents

1. Common Pronunciation Mistakes for Czech-Learners
2. Vocabulary Mistakes in the Czech Language
3. Word Order Mistakes
4. Grammar Mistakes
5. Gender
6. Word-for-Word Translation
7. Cases
8. Conjugation
9. Prepositions
10. The Biggest Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
11. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Common Pronunciation Mistakes for Czech-Learners

Czech pronunciation might make your tongue twist, and it has nothing in common with English. Remember that Czech is a phonetic language, meaning that the pronunciation highly correlates with the written form. Other phonetic languages with a pronunciation similar to that of Czech include Italian, Spanish, Polish, and Finnish. English is not a phonetic language. 

If your goal is to pronounce Czech correctly, forget about English pronunciation altogether (at least for a bit). Too many mistakes in Czech pronunciation result from trying to incorporate English sounds and rules with those of Czech. 

A- Final consonants

Remember that there are no “silent” letters in the Czech language.

➢ Final consonants in the Czech language are fully pronounced, including the letter “h,” which is most often voiceless in English.
➢ Roll your R’s.
➢ Remember that “ch” is one letter.

For example, the word bůh (“god”) is pronounced without the “puff of air” (aspiration) that’s typical in English pronunciation. It’s a typical Czech mistake, and it’s pretty easy to avoid.

Before you continue, make sure you know how to pronounce consonants in Czech correctly.

B- Sound marks

Sound marks (diacritics) are the marks applied above a letter to create additional sounds other than those in the English alphabet (ž, š, č, ř, ď, ť, ň).

Whilst š, č, ď, ť, and ň can be pronounced quite well by English-speakers (since we can find similar sounds in English), ř and ž tend to be very hard for some people.

➢ All of these special characters can change the meaning of the word. Be aware of them and don’t ignore them.

Just a few examples:

• jed (“poison”) / jeď (“drive”)
• rvát (“to tear”) / řvát (“to scream”)
• citelný (“significant” or “considerable”) / čitelný (“readable”)

Make sure you familiarize yourself with the top ten hardest words to pronounce and practice in front of a mirror. You can find the basics of how to pronounce characters with diacritics in this lesson.

Study Czech vocabulary, watch TV shows, and practice!

2. Vocabulary Mistakes in the Czech Language

Okay, vocabulary mistakes might actually be pretty funny, but I bet you don’t want to get yourself into an awkward situation.

A- Prepositions: sem (“here”) and tady (“here”)

This one is tricky.

Remember: If you’re going somewhere (dynamic), you need to use different adverbs and prepositions than if you are/exist somewhere (static). 

➢ Focus on associating “go” with the dynamic words and “be” with the static words.

Example:

• Jsem v Praze. (“I am in Prague.”) / Jedu do Prahy. (“I’m going to Prague.”)

B- Correct word, wrong meaning: Czech vs. English

The first thing I want to point out is love. Not the emotion (which is beautiful no matter what), but the word.

➢ In the Czech language, we only say Miluju tě (“I love you”) to our children or spouses.

I strongly suggest that you stick with mám tě rád/ráda (“I am fond of you”) or mám rád/ráda (“I like”).

➢ Also, be careful with the word “excited.” The Czech word vzrušený (“excited”) has a sexual meaning. No exceptions.

Say těším se (“I’m looking forward to”) or Mám radost (“I am happy”) instead.

C- Similar Czech Words

Have you ever had cat soup? Gotten a slice of meat with your croissant instead of butter? Gotten a confused look when inviting someone to dinner?

Let’s look at some of the trickiest words: those that sound very similar, but have different meanings.

• kočka (“cat”) / čočka (“lentil”)
• včera (“yesterday”) / večer (“evening”) / večeře (“dinner”)
• máslo (“butter”) / maso (“meat”)
• jít (“to go by foot”) / jet (“to drive or bike”)
• přinést (“to bring by carrying”) / přivézt (“to bring something by a vehicle”) / přivést (“to bring someone somewhere by leading”)

It looks like a lot, but it’s actually pretty easy. Just do your work, study slovíčka (“vocabulary”), and you’ll never be served a cat soup!

Not all words that sound similar have the same meaning!

3. Word Order Mistakes

One of the most common mistakes Czech-learners make has to do with word order, though this isn’t too difficult. The basic Czech sentence structure follows the subject–verb–object sequence (a.k.a who is doing what). For questions, it’s verb–subject–object.

➢ The only rule you should always follow is that the subject ALWAYS precedes the verb.
➢ The most important info goes last (a.k.a save the best for last).

Example:

• Já jdu do kina. (“I’m going to the movies.”)
• Půjdeš se mnou? (“Will you go with me?”)

• Ne, proč? (“No, why?”)
• Proč ne? (“Why not?”)

See? Word order matters. To make things easier for you, we’ve put together this list of the top ten Czech sentence patterns. Memorizing them will help you understand and use the SVO structure.

4. Grammar Mistakes

The Czech language isn’t that difficult, but you should mind a few things:

➢ Czech doesn’t use personal pronouns as much as English does. Use them only for emphasis.

➢ When it comes to formal and informal speech, always—no matter what—make sure you’re using formal when speaking to older people or in professional settings.

➢ I and Y aren’t always pronounced the same and they are not interchangeable.

Here’s an example:

• Supi napadli holuby. (“Vultures attacked pigeons.”) – first case subject + verb + fourth case object
• Supy napadli holubi. (“Pigeons attacked vultures.”) – fourth case object + verb + first case subject

We’ve said it a million times, and I’m gonna repeat it for you once more: declension matters, conjugation matters, and ignoring them will do you no good, friend.

In this article, we explain the basics of Czech grammar.

Czech grammar isn’t any more complicated than English grammar!

5. Gender

In English, you know who’s a male and who’s a female simply from using personal pronouns. But Czech has different methods. 

Verbs, nouns, pronouns, numerals, and adjectives in Czech change form according to the grammatical case, number, and gender applied to them. If you speak Spanish, Italian, or German, great! You have an advantage.

➢ The ending of each verb or adjective is different depending on whether it’s feminine, masculine, or neuter.
➢ Masculine nouns often end with a hard or soft consonant (muž [“man”], hrad [“castle”]).
➢ Feminine nouns often end with an -a (žena [“woman”], dívka [“girl”]).
➢ Neuter nouns often end with an -o (město [“city”], světlo [“light”]).

This article will teach you everything you need to know about the Czech gender game.

6. Word-for-Word Translation

Okay, you probably know that this will never work in any language, and you do your best to respect and follow the Czech grammar and vocabulary specs.

Besides, some of your literal translations might actually be pretty embarrassing.

A- I’m excited.

Never, never use the word vzrušený. Yes, the word “excited” does mean vzrušený, but as I mentioned earlier, it has a sexual connotation in Czech. No exception.

When you’re “excited” about something, simply say:

• To je super. (“That’s awesome.”)
• Nemůžu se dočkat. (“I can’t wait.”) 
• Těším se na… (“I’m looking forward to…”)

B- I’m late. / I’m good. / I’m 35.

In this case, you’ll have to learn your slovíčka (“vocabulary”) and not fall into the WFW trap.

These are the most commonly used phrases that just aren’t the same in Czech:

• “I am late.” (Jsem pozdě.) –> “I am coming late.” / “I am arriving late.” (Mám zpoždění/jdu pozdě.)
• “I’m good, thanks.” (Jsem dobře.) –> “I have myself good, thanks.” (Mám se dobře, díky.)
• “I’m hot.” (Jsem horká.) –> “It is hot to me.” (Je mi horko.)
• “I’m 35.” (Jsem 35.) –> “It is 35 to me.” (Je mi 35.)

Excited or not?

7. Cases

In Czech, every noun and adjective changes its ending based on its position in the sentence and its function or preposition. That means that every noun has fourteen forms (in singular and plural)—fourteen different endings. Unsurprisingly, many common Czech-English mistakes arise in the form of case confusion. 

Every gender has a set of model nouns (paradigms). Each model noun represents all the other nouns within that gender that carry the same type of ending in the nominative. 

There’s no shortcut around this—you will have to learn every model noun, memorize the endings, and learn how to apply them to other nouns in the same group.

Don’t think you’ll get away with just the first case. 

The same goes for…

8. Conjugation

Czech conjugation and declension essentially provide context so that you know who is doing the action, and when.

The rules are pretty straightforward and easy to understand, but there are also exceptions and irregular verbs.

The two verbs you’ll need and use a lot are:

• Mít (“to have”)

And

• Být (“to be”)

Make sure you know how to work with them and use them correctly. Feeling lost? Here’s a list of the fifty most common Czech verbs.

Conjugation and declension actually make things easier and provide context.

9. Prepositions

In this case, most English-speakers have trouble telling apart “motion” and “static.”

These three guys seem to cause the most confusion:

Do (“Into”): describes a motion into closed places

– Jdu do školy. (“I’m going into school.”)
– Dej to do auta. (“Put it into the car.”)

K (“To”): describes a motion to a point or in connection with visiting someone

– Jedeme k babičce. (“We’re driving to grandma.”)
– Došla jsem k jeho domu. (“I walked to his house.”)

Na (“To”): actions and activities

– Jdeme na výlet. (“We’re going to [on] a trip.”)
– Jedeme na dovolenou. (“We’re going to [on] vacation.”)

Make sure you know what noun prepositions are related to.

10. The Biggest Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The biggest mistake to make when learning a new language is to be afraid of making mistakes. Remember, by making mistakes, you’ll likely remember the problem/word/specific situation, and it will help you avoid the same mistake in the future.

Don’t rely on books alone. Put yourself out there and start a convo with Czech natives. Watch movies and TV shows in Czech. Read books or articles on the internet.

Variety is the key! Plus, you won’t get bored.

In this article, we summed up the most common Czech-English mistakes. Watch out for them, and your Czech-learning experience will be easy-peasy! Good luck!

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

CzechClass101.com will make learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech with us and make progress faster than you can 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 how you’ve been able to avoid mistakes in Czech in the past! Is there anything more you want to know about the common Czech sentence mistakes? We’ll do our best to help!

Hello there, friend! How are you today? How has your day been? How long have you been studying Czech? Do you speak other languages? Do you speak English? 

You can probably tell that this article is all about the most common Czech questions and answers. I’m going to teach you some basic questions in Czech that may come up in pretty much any conversation, and how to answer them.

Why is this important? Well, learning these common phrases and questions will create a great base for your vocabulary and make any interaction in Czech a lot easier for you.

There’s more to it, of course. Asking the right question is an awesome way to start a conversation, learn new things, get where you want to be (geographically and spiritually), and learn Czech in a fun and interesting way.

So how do you say questions in Czech? What question words in Czech are the most used?

Let’s get into this.

Table of Contents

1. What is your name?
2. Do you speak Czech/English?
3. Where are you from? + Where do you live?
4. How long have you been studying Czech?
5. Have you been to the Czech Republic?
6. How are you?
7. Do you like Czech food?
8. What are you doing?
9. What’s wrong?
10. How much is it?
11. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. What is your name?

As Czech uses formal and informal speech, there are two ways to ask Czech questions, depending on the situation. Aside from that, it’s easy-peasy.

Questions:

• Jak se jmenuješ? (“How are you named?” = “What is your name?”)
  People your age; informal speech.

• Jak se jmenujete? (“How are you named?” = “What is your name?”)
  People older than you; formal speech (vykání).

Occasionally, you might hear this question as well:

• A ty jsi…? (“And you are…?”)
  Informal speech.

• A vy jste…? (“And you are…?”)
  Formal speech.

Answers:

• Já jsem Petra. (“I am Petra.”)
• Jmenuju se Petra. (“My name is Petra.”)

Both versions are interchangeable.

➢ If you want to introduce yourself like a native, check out this article on introducing yourself in the Czech Republic, and make sure you work on your vocabulary too with these 10 lines you need to introduce yourself in Czech.

Hi, my name is Petra!

2. Do you speak Czech/English?

Again, formal and informal speech differ for this question in Czech.

Questions:

• Mluvíš česky/anglicky? (“Do you speak Czech/English?”)
  Informal speech.

• Mluvíte česky/anglicky? (“Do you speak Czech/English?”)
  Formal speech.

• Umíš česky/anglicky? (“Can you [speak] Czech/English?”)
  Informal speech.

• Umíte česky/anglicky? (“Can you [speak] Czech/English?”)
  Formal speech.

Answers:

• Mluvím česky. (“I speak Czech.”)
• Mluvím anglicky. (“I speak English.”)
• Nemluvím česky. (“I don’t speak Czech.”)
• Nemluvím anglicky. (“I don’t speak English.”)

• Ano, trochu. (“Yes, a little.”)
• Ano, velmi dobře. (“Yes, very well.”)
• Ano, ale ne moc dobře. (“Yes, but not very well.”)
• Ano, docela dobře. (“Yes, quite well.”)
• Bohužel ne. (“Sorry, I don’t.”)

3. Where are you from? + Where do you live?

That’s the place I call home. Where are you from?

Questions:

• Odkud jsi? (“Where are you from?”)
  Informal speech.

• Odkud jste? (“Where are you from?”)
  Formal speech.

• Kde bydlíš? (“Where do you live?”)
  Informal speech.

• Kde bydlíte? (“Where do you live?”)
  Formal speech.

Answers:

• Jsem z České republiky. (“I am from the Czech Republic.”)
• Jsem z Prahy. (“I am from Prague.”)
• Bydlím v USA. (“I live in the U.S.”)
• Žiju v Praze. (“I live in Prague.”)

Dive deeper and read this lesson to get a grip on Czech phrases and questions related to this topic.

Of course, not everyone lives in the U.S. or the Czech Republic. Find your country and learn how to pronounce it in Czech on Wikipedia or our website! 

Getting ready for a convo about geography? This article is a must-read for ya!

4. How long have you been studying Czech?

This is the Czech question you should definitely expect to hear if you’ve gotten this far in the conversation! 

Questions:

• Jak dlouho se učíš česky? (“How long have you been studying Czech?”)
  Informal speech.

• Jak dlouho se učíte česky? (“How long have you been studying Czech?”)
  Formal speech.

• Učíš se česky už dlouho? (“Have you been studying Czech for a long time?”)
  Informal speech.

• Učíte se česky už dlouho? (“Have you been studying Czech for a long time?”)
  Formal speech.

Answers:

• Učím se česky rok. (“I have been studying Czech for a year.”)
• Učím se česky od minulého roku. (“I have been studying Czech since last year.”)
• Ano, učím se česky už dlouho. (“Yes, I have been studying Czech for a long time.”)
• Ne, neučím se česky dlouho. (“No, I haven’t been studying Czech for a long time.”)

5. Have you been to the Czech Republic?

This Czech question may come up during the conversation, especially if you say you’ve been learning the language for a while.

Questions:

• Byl/byla jsi někdy v České republice? (“Have you ever been to the Czech Republic?”)
  Informal speech; [masculine/feminine].

• Byl/byla jste někdy v České republice? (“Have you ever been to the Czech Republic?”)
  Formal speech; masculine/feminine.

• Jedeš do České republiky? (“Are you going to the Czech Republic?”)
  Informal speech.

• Jedete do České republiky? (“Are you going to the Czech Republic?”)
  Formal speech.

Answers:

• Zatím ne. (“Not yet.”)
• Rád/ráda bych se tam brzy podíval/podívala. (“I would like to visit soon.” – masculine/feminine)
• Ano, moc se mi tam líbilo. (“Yes, I liked it very much.”)
• Ano, ale vůbec se mi tam nelíbilo. (“Yes, but I didn’t like it at all.”)

6. How are you?

How have you been?

If you’ve made a new Czech friend, you may want to ask how they’re doing next time you see each other. Here are the most common ways to ask and answer this question in Czech.

Questions:

Informal speech:

• Jak se máš? (“How are you?”)
• Jak se ti vede? (“How are you doing?”)
• Jak se vede? (“How is it going?”)
• Jak se ti daří? (“How are you doing?”)
• Máš se dobře? (“Are you doing well?”)
• Co je nového? (“What’s new?”)

Formal speech:

• Jak se máte? (“How are you?”)
• Jak se vám vede? (“How are you doing?”)
• Jak se vám daří? (“How are you doing?”)
• Máte se dobře? (“Are you doing well?”)

Answers:

• Mám se dobře! (“I’m good!”)
• A vy/ty? (“And you?” – formal/informal)
• Daří se mi dobře, děkuji. (“I’m doing well.”)
• A tobě/vám? (“And you?” – formal/informal)
• Mám hodně práce. (“I am very busy.”)
• Nic se nezměnilo. (“Nothing has changed.”)
• Mám spoustu novinek! (“I have a lot of news!”)

➢ Keep in mind that it’s not common to use “How are you?” as a part of just any greeting, such as at the store or in a restaurant while placing an order. The waiters and sales assistants or cashiers would probably be genuinely surprised if you asked (not in a bad way, though).

7. Do you like Czech food?

Svíčková omáčka (beef with creamy sauce and dumplings) is one of the most popular Czech meals.

Questions:

• Máš rád/ráda české jídlo? (“Do you like Czech food?”)
  Masculine/Feminine; informal speech.

• Máte rád/ráda české jídlo? (“Do you like Czech food?”)
  Masculine/Feminine; formal speech.

• Chutná ti české jídlo? (“Do you like the taste of the Czech food?”)
  Informal speech.

• Chutná vám české jídlo? (“Do you like the taste of the Czech food?”)
  Formal speech.

• Jaké je tvoje nejoblíbenější české jídlo? (“What’s your favorite Czech food?”)
  Informal speech.

• Jaké je vaše nejoblíbenější české jídlo? (“What’s your favorite Czech food?”)

Answers:

• Ano, je velmi dobré. (“Yes, it’s very good.”)
• Ano, chutná skvěle. (“Yes, it tastes great.”)
• Ne, nechutná mi. (“No, I don’t like it.”)
• Ne, nemám. (“No, I don’t.”)
• Nejvíc mi chutná řízek. (“I like schnitzel the most.”)
• Česká kuchyně mi vůbec nechutná. (“I don’t like Czech cuisine at all.”)
• Miluju české jídlo! (“I love Czech food!”)

Have you been invited to lunch or dinner? Czech out this article and make sure you know how to ask for the food you want to eat!

8. What are you doing?

“What are you doing on Wednesday?”

Questions:

Informal speech:

• Co děláš ve středu? (“What are you doing on Wednesday?”)
• Co děláš? (“What are you doing?”)
• Proč to děláš? (“Why are you doing this?”)
• Co právě teď děláš? (“What are you doing right now?”)
• Děláš něco? (“Are you doing anything?”)
• Co budeš dělat? (“What are you going to do about it?”)

Formal speech:

• Co děláte ve středu? (“What are you doing on Wednesday?”)
• Co děláte? (“What are you doing?”)
• Proč to děláte? (“Why are you doing this?”)
• Co právě teď děláte? (“What are you doing right now?”)
• Děláte něco? (“Are you doing anything?”)
• Co budete dělat? (“What are you going to do about it?”)

Answers:

• Na středu mám plány. (“I have plans for Wednesday.”)
• Ve středu mám volno. (“I’m free on Wednesday.”)
• Nedělám nic. (“I’m not doing anything.”)
• Teď něco dělám. (“I’m busy right now.”)
• Nevím, co mám dělat. (“I don’t know what to do.”)
• Nevím, co s tím udělám. (“I don’t know what I’ll do about it.”)

9. What’s wrong?

Not all days are sunny, and you may want to express your concern for someone if they seem down. Here’s how to ask what happened in Czech.

Questions:

• Co se stalo? (“What happened?”)
• Stalo se něco? (“Has anything happened?”)
• Co se děje? (“What is going on?”)
• Jsi v pořádku? (“Are you okay?”)
  Informal speech.

• Jste v pořádku? (“Are you okay?”)
  Formal speech.

• Potřebuješ pomoc? (“Do you need help?”)
  Informal speech.

• Potřebujete pomoc? (“Do you need help?”)
  Formal speech.

Answers:

• Nic se nestalo. (“Nothing happened.”)
• Všechno je v pořádku. (“Everything is alright.”)
• Něco se stalo. (“Something happened.”)
• Potřebuju pomoc. (“I need help.”)
• Nepotřebuju pomoc. (“I don’t need help.”)
• Pomozte mi, prosím. (“Help me, please.”)

• Pomůžu ti. (“I’ll help you.”)
  Informal speech.

• Pomůžu vám. (“I’ll help you.”)
  Formal speech.

10. How much is it?

Which one is on sale?

When you go shopping and there’s no price tag, you’re going to have to ask someone about the price (unless you’re really, really rich or Buddhist).

Questions:

• Kolik to stojí? (“How much is it?”)
• Kolik tohle stojí? (“How much is this?”)
• Kolik stojí tamto? (“How much is that?”)
• Je to ve slevě? (“Is it on sale?”)
• Je to drahé? (“Is it expensive?”)
• Je to levné? (“Is it cheap?”)

Answers:

• Je to moc drahé. (“It’s too expensive.”)
• Je to levné. (“It’s cheap.”)
• Tohle je levnější. (“This is cheaper.”)
• Stojí to 500 korun. (“It’s 500 crowns.”)
• Je to ve slevě. (“It’s on sale.”)
• Není to ve slevě. (“It’s not on sale.”)

We can’t tell you how to handle money, but we can teach you to talk about it in Czech. Find related vocabulary and phrases on CzechClass101.com.

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

CzechClass101.com will make learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech with us and make progress faster than you can 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. Oh, and what’s your secret tip that helped you learn how to ask questions in Czech? Is there anything you want to know about other common questions in Czech? We’ll do our best to help!

Taking a Czech language test or exam is a decision that might change your entire life.

Let’s get a bit touchy-feely and personal, shall we? 

My long story short: “Oh, maybe I want to be a translator or something, what do I do? Okay, apparently I need a certificate…when’s the next exam date? In a few weeks? Cool! Erm… How am I supposed to learn all this stuff in three weeks?” -> Daily panic attacks and lots of crying in the shower (figuratively speaking). -> Passed the exam. -> Works as a freelance translator and writer, currently sitting on a couch thousands of miles away from home, and writing an article on how to pass a Czech language test.

See? It’s doable, even if you don’t have the time (or money) for a specialized prep course.

A language exam is not as bad as it might seem. First of all, it’s just a Czech test. You’re not putting your pet’s life at risk, the world won’t stop spinning, your mom will love you no matter what, and there will be lots of new Marvel movies—no matter the result.

Of course, you want to pass. And maybe your ambitions are even higher. Maybe you want to ROCK! You don’t need a magic pill or superpowers. You just need to study, keep positive, and believe in yourself.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know for smooth sailing: Where to apply, how to prepare for the Czech Language Certificate Exam (CCE), and how to ace your test without losing faith in life.

Nail your CCE with CzechClass101!

Table of Contents

1. Who Should Take it and How to Apply
2. A Closer Look at the Czech Language Certificate Exam
3. Top 10 Tips for Preparing for Your Czech Language Test
4. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Prepare for Your Czech Language Certificate Exam

1. Who Should Take it and How to Apply

The Czech Language Certificate Exam (CCE) was developed by the Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies of Charles University in Prague. If you’re a non-EU citizen applying for a permanent residence, you’re going to have to go through this, friend. Thus, it’s sometimes called the “Czech citizenship test.”

To pass, your communication skills must reach the required B1 language proficiency level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 

You might want to consider getting the certificate even if you’re not after a permanent residence in the Czech Republic. Some employers might want to see proof of your language proficiency, too. Speaking from personal experience, Czech employers love certificates and diplomas the way that businesses in English-speaking countries adore references.

Last but not least: a CCE certificate might also help you with the university application process if you’re looking to study in the Czech Republic.

Not sure if you need to put yourself through this? Check out the Ministry of the Czech Republic website.

A- CCE Test Registration

Yay for modern technology! 

You can register online. Just fill out an application form on the ILPS CU website and submit.

It’s possible to take the CCE exam in the Czech Republic (Prague and Brno), and in more than fifteen other countries around the world. 

➢ You’ll need to enroll at least three weeks before the exam (or by the date set by the foreign examination center if you’re going to take the exam abroad).
➢ You’ll also need to pay the fee two weeks before your exam date.
➢ You can select your exam venue and date in the application form.

For a complete list of countries and fees, check out this section of the official website.

B- Exam Structure

The CCE exam tests your reading comprehension, listening comprehension, and writing skills. The oral part of the exam tests your speaking abilities.

The CCE exam has five parts:

1. Reading Comprehension 
2. Listening Comprehension
3. Grammar/Lexical Text
4. Writing
5. Speaking

You can find more info on the official website.

For the speaking part, you work in pairs. During the tests—you’re on your own, buddy.

C- Levels of Proficiency

The CCE has five levels of Czech proficiency, corresponding with those of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR):

CCE–A1: Beginner. This exam tests your ability to understand and use basic expressions and phrases (you’re able to introduce yourself and interact in the Czech language at a slow pace).

CCE–A2: Lower-intermediate. At this level, you can understand more-complex sentences and frequently used expressions and phrases. You’re also able to communicate and describe things using simple terms.

CCE–B1: Intermediate level. You’re able to communicate, as well as describe events and experiences in Czech.

CCE–B2: Upper-intermediate. You’re a “confident Czech speaker.” You’re able to understand more-complex content related to your field and speak Czech without any huge effort or preparation.

CCE–C1: Advanced. Longer and complex interactions are a piece of cake for you. You’re able to use Czech for social, academic, or professional situations.

➢ The Czech CCE–B2 and CCE–C1 exams are recognized for demonstrating the language skills of individuals applying for employment in the Czech Republic.

➢ At each of the five proficiency levels, the Czech Language Certificate Exam tests candidates’ communicative proficiency with the criteria stated in the CEFR.

D- Results: Did I Pass?

The results for your CCE exam will be posted online within thirty days. The certificate will be mailed to you within seven weeks following your exam.

➢ In order to pass, you need to get a score of at least 60% overall AND at least 60% in each of the five parts.

2. A Closer Look at the Czech Language Certificate Exam

In the following sections, I’ll outline what you can expect to see in each part of this Czech language proficiency test. 

A- Introduction to the Listening Section

Proficiency	Time	Tasks
A1	20-25 minutes	4 tasks in totalMultiple-choiceMatching
A2	20-25 minutes	4 tasks in totalTrue/FalseMultiple-choiceMatching
B1	35-40 minutes	4 tasks in totalMatchingMultiple-choiceTrue/False
B2	40-45 minutes	4 tasks in totalMatchingMultiple-choiceTrue/False
C1	50-55 minutes	4 tasks in totalMatchingMultiple matchingMultiple-choiceTrue/False

➢ The audio is played twice.

Listening is often the most dreaded part of the Czech language test, and listening comprehension is considered the hardest skill to develop.

How can you be sure to pass this part of the test, then?

Practice active listening daily!

Nail It!

Before the Exam:

1. Prepare. People often recommend listening to or watching movies in your target language (with or without subtitles). However, passive listening isn’t enough, and it won’t get you anywhere. You need to LISTEN. Put a movie/podcast/YouTube video on, grab a piece of paper, and focus. Twenty minutes a day will make a huge difference.

2. Start with a topic that you’re interested in. This can be anything you like—watch make-up tutorials on YouTube if that’s your thing; watch fishing videos, cooking shows…you need to be engaged.

3. Start with audio/video that’s quite easy for you to understand. After a few days, move on to another level that’s a little bit above yours—this is very important. In order to make progress, you NEED to challenge yourself, regardless of whether you’re going to take the A1 or C1 Czech test level.

4. Another great option is talking to native speakers (I can’t recommend this enough).

5. Practice listening at slow, moderate, and fast speeds. Try this video for beginners (great for A1 and A2).

6. Write down words, phrases, and idioms you don’t understand and memorize them.

During the Exam:

1. Focus on the big picture and save details for later. Try to get a good grasp of the context and message the first time the audio is played. The second time, figure out the rest.

2. Be alert. Don’t forget that you can’t rewind.

3. Jot down notes. Write down the topic and core points (you can use your exam sheets for this).

B- Introduction to the Reading Section

Proficiency	Time	Tasks
A1	(+ Writing) 60 minutes	6 tasks in total (10-80 words)2 writing tasks (20 and 20-30 words)
A2	45 minutes	4 tasks in total (80-170 words)True/False and multiple-choice
B1	50 minutes	4 tasks in totalTrue/False
B2	50 minutes	4 tasks in totalTrue/FalseMatching
C1	60 minutes	4 tasks in totalTrue/FalseMatchingMultiple matching

Nail It!

Before the Exam:

1. Remember that this isn’t just about reading—it’s about comprehension. Don’t focus on individual words and literal meanings; try to find the core message and emotions.

2. Practice the timing. Your attention likely dwindles (or even disappears) after a certain amount of time. Try to push yourself by adding a couple of minutes every time you read.

3. Work on your vocabulary (I’m gonna say this a lot, for a good reason!). Write down words you don’t know, and memorize them. You can use our Vocab Builder.

4. Read articles, magazines, books, and subtitles. Try our Reading Lesson for Intermediate or Beginner Czech learners. We also have a great Reading Guide for ya.

During the Exam:

1. Read the text first. Focus.

2. After that, read the questions. 

3. If you get lost or confused, summarize what you’ve read so far. Skim through the text and look for the context.

4. For the A1 Czech language test, you should spend no more than 35 minutes on the reading. Then, move on to the writing part (25 minutes).

C- Introduction to the Writing Section

Proficiency	Time	Tasks
A1	Included in the Reading Comprehension part	–
A2	40 minutes	2 tasks
B1	60 minutes	2 tasks
B2	80 minutes	2 tasks
C1	90 minutes	2 tasks

Writing might be tricky for you. Trust me, at the time of my exam, I was a seasoned writer (with a degree in journalism), my English was okay, but the writing task was a pain for me. This is because I wasn’t used to writing by hand, and I didn’t spend enough time practicing.

Learn from my mistakes!

Nail It!

Before the Exam:

1. Practice the timing. This is very important, and I wish I hadn’t slacked on this. Find a topic, hit the Start button or your stopwatch, and get to work.

2. Read! This will help you get accustomed to various sentence structures, and improve your vocabulary and spelling.

3. Learn proper punctuation. The punctuation in Czech and English is very different. You don’t want to lose points on periods and commas, do you?

Start with simple, short pieces. When you feel comfortable enough, move up to more complex texts. We have a great guide on How to Write 1000 Czech Words in 5 Minutes a Day that will help you get started. Check it out:

During the Exam:

1. Read the instructions twice. I know way too many people who failed an exam just because they didn’t read (and follow) the guidelines.

2. Start with an outline.

3. Use as much vocabulary and grammar elements as you can. You want to show off—if you have it, flaunt it. But…

4. …if you get super-nervous, keep your pieces short and coherent.

5. Make sure you have enough time to review your work—five minutes should be enough. This is especially important if you’re taking the Czech B1 exam or higher.

D- Introduction to the Speaking Section

Proficiency	Time	Tasks
A1	5-8 minutes (per person)	2 tasksYour family, hobbies, where you’re fromAsking and giving information about institutions or events
A2	10-13 minutes (per pair)	2 tasksYour family, hobbies, where you’re fromAsking and giving information about institutions or events
B1	15-18 minutes (per pair)	3 tasksIntroduce yourself (2 minutes)The examiner asks questions (general topics, 3-4 minutes) + you’ll describe an imageThe candidates have to communicate and plan an event or trip
B2	18-21 minutes (per pair)	3 tasksIntroduce yourself (3 minutes)The examiner asks questions (general topics, 3-4 minutes) + you’ll describe an imageThe candidates have to communicate and plan an event or trip (3 minutes per candidate)
C1	23-27 minutes (per pair)	3 tasksDialogue on given sayings or quotes (the examiner asks questions, approx. 5 minutes per candidate)5-minute monologue (culture, sports, etc.)The candidates have to communicate and look for a solution to a situation (5-6 minutes per candidate)

This part will be easy and fun if you’re a talker! If you like to keep your mouth shut, practice even harder.

➢ You’ll be working in pairs, asking each other questions.

The topics usually include: 

• Work or school
• Where you learned Czech 
• How long you’ve been studying Czech
• Your hobbies
• Why you decided to study Czech
• How many languages you speak

Possible situations:

• Information about museums/galleries
• You’re at the hospital/restaurant/university/party/trip/etc.

Nail It!

Before the Exam:

1. Practice, practice, talk, talk, talk. Super-important. 

2. Practice the timing. Get an image and describe it. Prepare a short introduction including where you’re from, what you like to do, etc.

3. Practice asking questions.

4. Work on your pronunciation.

5. Check out our neat videos for conversation practice here and here.

During the Exam:

1. Talk. A lot. Do not stop talking—let the examiners stop you.

2. Use as much vocabulary and grammar elements as possible, especially if you’re taking the Czech B1 exam or higher.

3. Top 10 Tips for Preparing for Your Czech Language Test

1. Know your strengths and weaknesses. It doesn’t matter if you’ve spent years in the Czech Republic or just completed your first exercise at CzechClass101.com. Assess your skills and get clear on where you’re at.

2. Bring your strongest skills to the highest possible level. Do not slack off. Make sure you feel super-confident.

3. Work on your weaker points daily. Practice. Get out of your comfort zone, whatever that means for you. Strike up a conversation with a native speaker, learn ten new words a day, try reading magazine articles in Czech… Make progress.

4. Know the structure of the exam like the palm of your hand: the types of questions, topics, timing…gather as much info as you can.

5. Check past exam papers and materials. You need to get used to the format and patterns.

6. Buy textbooks prepared specifically for the exam candidates and use them.

7. Practice the tasks. Set a timer and try talking about specific topics mentioned in the textbooks and study materials. Read. Answer questions. Take a CCE mock test. Do this every single day.

8. Practice the timing and plan ahead. Figure out how much time you have to answer one question. You might need to save some time for a double-check—keep that in mind.

9. Learn from your mistakes. Seeing your most-frequent errors will help you see which skills you need to practice and develop the most.

10. For the sake of your Czech test results, try to get at least a tiny bit above your level of proficiency. Show off. Try to use as much vocabulary (including idioms) as possible. Practice daily! You need to get used to using new words and sentence structures.

Last but not least:

➢ Stay calm. If you get overly anxious, focus on your breathing for a few seconds. Think positive thoughts and don’t let any doubt creep in.

Good luck!

4. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Prepare for Your Czech Language Certificate Exam

In this guide, I did my best to help you understand the structure and requirements of the CCE.

CzechClass101.com is a modern, multi-device platform for Czech language-learners that makes learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. Make sure you check out our video and audio lessons, and don’t forget to use our vocabulary learning tools!

What else can you find on our website?

• 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!

Before you go and create your account, let us know in the comments if you feel more prepared for your test now! Is there anything I haven’t covered that you still want to know?

Have you ever wondered how some people speak like seven languages? Maybe you even have a friend who starts ordering food in the local language within three days of your vacation. 

Yep, people like that exist—and you could be one of them. In this guide, we’ll introduce and explain the most common Czech sentence patterns. Learning Czech has never been this easy!

You probably know that Czech might be a little tricky to learn (All the conjugation and declension! Lawd!) and that sentence patterns in English and Czech have pretty much nothing in common. Let’s make things easy and forget about lengthy grammar explanations. By simply memorizing the most common Czech sentence structures and patterns, you’ll be able to create dozens of sentence combos and make conversation in Czech a million times easier.

Ready, steady, go!

Table of Contents

1. A is B
2. It Is
3. I Want
4. I Need to
5. I Like / I Love
6. Do You Really Love Me?
7. Asking Someone to Do Something
8. May I?
9. Asking for Information
10. Asking About Time
11. Asking About Location or Position
12. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. A is B

Let’s start with the most used, and probably the most useful, Czech sentence structure. With this pattern, you can either say that a noun is also another noun, or describe a noun using an adjective. 

1- Using a Noun

► Noun/Pronoun (Nominative) – Verb (Conjugated) – Noun (Nominative).

Czech Sentence Pattern A is B	English Translation
Ema je moje přítelkyně.	“Ema is my girlfriend.”
Jonathan je můj kolega.	“Jonathan is my colleague.”
Tyhle hodinky byly dárek k narozeninám.	“This watch was a birthday present.”
Tahle dáma je moje babička.	“This lady is my grandma.”
Tohle je moje první novela.	“This is my first novel.”

2- Using an Adjective

► Noun/Pronoun – Verb – Adjective.

Czech Sentence Pattern A is B	English Translation
Jsi nádherná.	“You are gorgeous.” (feminine)
Tvoje máma je moc milá.	“Your mom is really sweet.” (feminine)
Jeho nový byt je obrovský.	“His new apartment is huge.” (masculine)
Náš pes je bílý.	“Our dog is white.” (masculine)
Tenhle úkol je obtížný.	“This task is difficult.” (masculine)

As you can see, it’s quite easy.

Remember: to speak Czech, you also need to work on your vocabulary. Czech out this video with 600 Words Every Czech Beginner Must Know, and then you might also need to review Czech grammar basics.

2. It Is

Sometimes, you don’t need a lot of words to express yourself (thank God!).

Here’s an easy Czech sentence pattern to describe actions or situations:

► Pronoun – Verb (Conjugated) – Adjective.

Czech Sentence Pattern It is / That is	English Translation
To je úžasné!	“That‘s awesome!”
Tohle je nádherné.	“This is wonderful.”
Je to vynikající.	“It’s delicious.”
Je moc brzo.	“It’s too soon.”
Je to vážně zvláštní.	“It’s really peculiar.”

You might also want to step up your Czech adjective game to make sure you’re not repeating the same phrases over and over again. (Although, no judgement, we all have our favorite words…it’s kind of like wearing just thirty percent of your wardrobe, isn’t it?)

Anyway! You might find this list of the fifty most common Czech adjectives very useful.

To je úžasné! (“This is awesome!”)

3. I Want

I want ice cream. I want to be the best version of myself. I want to speak Czech like a native. Let’s try, shall we?

Talking about what we want is fun AND important. Don’t slack off; keep reading, we’re almost there. Here’s how to make Czech sentences for expressing your wants:

► I want – Noun (Accusative)
► I want to – Verb (Infinitive)

There are two ways to describe that you want something.

1. Chci (“I want”) is more straightforward and reflexive.

2. Chtěl/a bych (“I would like to”) is more polite. It’s a modal verb in the past tense, followed by the word bych.

Here is the conjugation table for your convenience (you’re welcome).

Czech Sentence Pattern I want / I would like to	English Translation
Chci lepší práci.	“I want a better job.”
Chci dezert.	“I want a dessert.”
Chci být s tebou.	“I want to be with you.”
Chtěla bych se vdát.	“I would like to get married.”
Chtěl by se naučit česky.	“He would like to learn Czech.”

► Note: The nouns in this pattern are always in the accusative case. 

  4. I Need to

Okay, we really need to cover this one too. You need to be able to tell people what you need. You need to know how to do it. No worries; it’s easy.

In Czech, we usually use the verb potřebovat or muset (“to need” or “must”).

These two modal verbs can be followed by another verb in the infinitive (just in case you need help, here’s a great summary of Czech conjugation), or by a noun in the accusative.

► “I need to/I must” – Verb (Infinitive)
► “I need/I must” – Noun (Accusative)
► “I need” – Personal Pronoun (Accusative)

Czech Sentence Pattern I need / I need to / I must	English Translation
Musím odejít.	“I need to leave.”
Potřebuje se víc učit.	“He needs to study more.”
Musím čůrat.	“I need to pee.”
Potřebuju kafe.	“I need coffee.”
Potřebuju tě.	“I need you!”

Chci zmrzlinu! (“I want ice cream!”) 

5. I Like / I Love

The difference here is pretty obvious, right?

In Czech, we don’t usually use the word “love” too often. The verb milovat (“to love”) seems to be reserved for personal liaisons (or food), and Czechs like to like things. We use the verb mít rád (“like”) when we talk about things, and rád when we talk about activities or situations. Another alternative is to say líbí se mi (“I like”) when you talk about things you like, such as movies or clothes.

Any questions? Okay, let’s get this done. Here are a few ways to form sentences in Czech to express your likes:

► Rád / ráda (“I like to” / “I love to”) – Verb (Infinitive)
► Mám rád / ráda (“I like” / “I love”) – Noun (Accusative)
► Líbí se mi (“I like” / “I love”) – Noun/Pronoun (Accusative)
► Miluju (“I love”) + Noun/Personal Pronoun (Accusative)

Czech Sentence Pattern I like / I love	English Translation
Miluju jídlo.	“I love food.”
Mám ráda moji práci.	“I like my job.”
Miluju tě.	“I love you.”
Ráda běhám.	“I like to run.”
Líbí se mi tyto modré šaty.	“I like this blue dress.”

6. Do You Really Love Me?

When you’re talking about people, you should be careful with your choice of words—you want to avoid awkward situations, right?

► We don’t tell friends we love them. We always stick with mám tě rád/a (“I’m fond of you”).

There might be some exceptions, of course. For example—it’s two a.m. and you’ve had one too many drinks.

To like (appearance/approach)	To love (pretty self-explanatory)	To like (to be fond of)
Líbit se	Milovat	Mít rád
Petr se mi líbí, je moc sexy. “I like Petr, he’s very sexy.”	Miluju ho a chci si ho vzít. “I love him, and I want to marry him.”	Mám ráda Julii, je to moje nejlepší kamarádka. “I like Julie; she’s my best friend.”
Líbí se mi, je hezká. “I like her, she’s cute.”	On miluje svoje rodiče. “He loves his parents.”	Mám ho ráda a vážím si ho. “I am fond of him and I respect him.”

► If you’re curious about the word order in these sentences, we have an entire article about Czech Word Order. Czech it out! 

Miluju tě. (“I love you.”)

7. Asking Someone to Do Something

Please, read these lines carefully. This is important. If you want to ask someone to do something, it’s best to be polite and nice. Did I get your attention?

The key word here is prosím (“please”)—it goes at the very beginning or at the end of the sentence.

► Verb (Imperative) – Prosím.
► Prosím – Verb (Imperative).

Asking someone to do something in Czech	English Translation
Posaďte se, prosím.	“Take a seat, please.”
Prosím, počkejte zde.	“Please, wait here.”
Prosím, vyslechněte mě.	“Please, listen to me.”
Pomozte mi, prosím.	“Help me, please.”
Pojďte za mnou, prosím.	“Follow me, please.”

You might also want to take a look at this list of Czech key phrases.

8. May I?

Asking for permission in Czech is just as simple as it is in English:

► Můžu (“May I”) – Verb – (Noun) + Please?

When asking for permission, we use the verb “can.” We literally ask: “Can I?”

Again, don’t forget to add prosím (“please”) at the beginning or end of the sentence. In this case, it’s not mandatory, but if you want to be really sweet…

Czech Sentence Pattern May I?	English Translation
Můžu si sednout, prosím?	“May I take a seat, please?”
Můžu se vás zeptat?	“Can I ask you a question?”
Můžu dostat sklenici vody, prosím?	“May I have a glass of water, please?”
Můžu ti pomoci?	“Can I help you?”
Můžu se k nim přidat?	“May I join them?”

9. Asking for Information

There’s a good chance you’ll need to ask for information. This list of the Top Fifteen Czech Questions will make your conversations in Czech much easier.

Here’s how to form basic Czech sentences for asking information of someone:

► Co je (“What is”)

Czech Sentence Pattern What is…?	English Translation
Co je tohle?	“What is this?”
Co je to?	“What is it?”
Co je tamto?	“What is that?”

10. Asking About Time

You don’t want to be late, and most of the time, we have our phones on us to keep track of time.

Sometimes, our technology fails us (dead phone battery in the middle of a busy day), and we need to rely on good ol’ human interaction.

Here’s how to ask what time it is in Czech:

► Kdy? (“When?”)
► V kolik hodin? (“At what time?” / “What time?”)

Kolik je hodin? (“What time is it?”)

Czech Sentence Pattern When? / At what time?	English Translation
Kolik je hodin?	“What time is it?”
Jaký je dnes den?	“What day is it?”
Kdy máš narozeniny?	“When is your birthday?”
Kdy máme schůzku?	“What time is the meeting?”
V kolik hodin přijdeš?	“What time will you get back?”

This list of the top twenty-five Czech questions might come in handy as well.

11. Asking About Location or Position

Although we all know how to use Google Maps, you might end up getting lost in a tiny Czech village with no service. What would you do?

Ask for directions in perfect Czech, of course! Here’s how you would start a Czech phrase for this:

► Kde? (“Where?”)

Czech Sentence Pattern Where…?	English Translation
Kde jsou toalety?	“Where is the restroom?”
Kde ses narodil?	“Where were you born?”
Kde je výtah?	“Where is the elevator?”
Kde najdu víc informací?	“Where can I find more information?”

Well, that was easy, right? If you need more information, check out this list of the top ten Czech sentence patterns.

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

CzechClass101.com will make learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun.

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!

But before you go and create your account, let us know in the comments if this article helped you! Is there anything you still don’t quite understand about Czech sentence structure and patterns? We’ll do our best to help you out!

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with languages?

Do you desire to learn or advance in Czech quickly and effectively?

Then you need a Czech tutor.

A common question that first-time language-learners ask is “Where do I begin?” The answer? Guidance.

For native English-speakers who want to learn Asian languages, for example, timelines provided by the U.S. Foreign Service Institute can appear discouraging. However, defeating these odds is not unheard of. If you want to beat the odds yourself, one of the best learning options is a subscription to Premium PLUS from Innovative Language.

As an active Premium PLUS member of JapanesePod101.com and KoreanClass101.com myself, I have an enjoyable experience learning at an accelerated pace with at least thirty minutes of study daily. The following Premium PLUS features contribute to my success:

• Access to thousands of lessons
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Allow me to emphasize on how these Premium PLUS features strengthen my language studies.

Gain Unlimited Access to Audio and Video Lessons!

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• Reading
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Specifically, there are pathways. Pathways are collections of lessons that center on a specific topic. Some Innovative Language sites, like JapanesePod101.com, even have pathways geared toward proficiency tests. For example, the JLPT N3 Master Course pathway.

Because of the abundance of lessons, I’ve found pathways in the lesson library to help me prepare for certain events. Thanks to the “Speaking Perfect Japanese at a Restaurant” pathway, I spoke fully in Japanese while dining in Japan. Additionally, I participated in conversations at language exchange meetups in South Korea after completing the “Top 25 Korean Questions You Need to Know” pathway.

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As someone who’s constantly on-the-go, I heavily benefit from mobile access to lessons. Podcasts and lesson notes are available on the Innovative Language app and/or Podcasts app for iOS.

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Practice Speaking with the Voice Recording Tool!

Pronunciation is an essential ingredient in language-learning. Proper pronunciation prompts clear understanding during conversations with native speakers.

Prior to learning full Korean sentences, my online Korean language tutor assigned the “Hana Hana Hangul” pathway to me. It demonstrated the writing and pronunciation of Hangul, the Korean alphabet. Throughout this pathway, I submitted recordings of my Hangul character pronunciations to my language teacher for review.

I was given a similar task on JapanesePod101.com with the “Ultimate Japanese Pronunciation Guide” pathway. My Japanese language teacher tested my pronunciation of the Japanese characters kana. My completion of the two pathways boosted my confidence in speaking.

Speaking is one of the more challenging components of learning a language. The voice recording tool in particular was a great way for me to improve my speaking skills. Further, because the lesson dialogues are spoken by native speakers, I’m able to practice speaking naturally.

This feature is also available for vocabulary words and sample sentences. Being able to hear these recordings improves my pronunciation skills for languages like Japanese, where intonation can change the meaning of a word entirely. The voice recorder examines my speed and tone. I also follow up by sending a recording to my online language tutor for feedback.

A great way to boost one’s speaking confidence is to shadow native speakers. During the vocabulary reviews, it’s helpful for me to hear the breakdown of each word; doing so makes a word that was originally difficult to even read a breeze to say!

Some lessons create opportunities to speak your own sentences. For example, the “Top 25 Korean Questions You Need to Know” pathway presents opportunities to answer questions personally. This helps you gain the ability to give answers as the unique individual you are.

Example Scenario:

The host asks the following question:

어디에 살고 있습니까?

eodieseo salgo isseumnikka

“Where do you live?”

If you live in Tokyo, you would readily say the following:

도쿄에 살고 있습니다.

Tokyo-e salgo isseumnida.

“I live in Tokyo.”

Increase Your Vocab with Spaced-Repetition Flashcards and More!

Imagine having a conversation with a native speaker and hesitating because you lack a solid vocabulary base.

Premium PLUS offers various features to expand learners’ vocabulary, including Free Gifts of the Month. CzechClass101’s free gifts for April 2020 included an e-book with “400 Everyday Phrases for Beginners,” and the content is updated every month. When I download free resources like this, I find opportunities to use them with co-teachers, friends, or my language tutors.

An effective way to learn vocabulary is with SRS flashcards. SRS is a system designed for learning a new word and reviewing it in varying time intervals.

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With the SRS flashcards, you can change the settings to your liking. The settings range from different card types to number of new cards per deck. Personally, I give myself vocabulary tests by changing the settings.

After studying a number of flashcards, I change the card types to listening comprehension and/or production. Then I test myself by writing the translation of the word or the spoken word or phrase.

The change in settings allow me to remember vocabulary and learn how to identify the words. This is especially helpful with Japanese kanji!

Complete Homework Assignments!

Homework assignments are advantageous to my language studies. There are homework assignments auto-generated weekly. They range from multiple-choice quizzes to writing assignments.

Language tutors are readily available for homework help. Some writing assignments, for instance, require use of unfamiliar vocabulary. In such cases, my language teachers assist me by forwarding related lessons or vocabulary lists.

In addition to these auto-generated homework tasks, language tutors customize daily assignments. My daily homework assignments include submitting three written sentences that apply the target grammar point of that lesson, and then blindly audio-recording those sentences. My personal language tutor follows up with feedback and corrections, if needed.

Your language tutors also provide assignments upon requests. When I wanted to review grammar, my Korean teacher sent related quizzes and assignments. Thus, you are not only limited to the auto-generated assignments.

Every weekend, I review by re-reading those written sentences. It helps me remember sentence structures, grammar points, and vocabulary to apply in real-world contexts.

Furthermore, I can track my progress with language portfolios every trimester. It’s like a midterm exam that tests my listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Get Your Own Personal Language Teacher!

My language teachers cater to my goals with personalized and achievable learning programs. The tangible support of my online language teachers makes it evident that we share common goals.

Once I share a short-term or long-term goal with my teacher, we establish a plan or pathway that will ultimately result in success. I coordinate with my teachers regularly to ensure the personalized learning programs are prosperous. For example, during my JLPT studies, my Japanese language tutor assigned me practice tests.

Your language tutor is available for outside help as well. When I bought drama CDs in Japan, I had difficulty transliterating the dialogue. My Japanese teacher forwarded me the script to read along as I listened.

Additionally, I often practice Korean and Japanese with music. I memorize one line of the lyrics daily. Every time, I learn a new grammar point and new vocabulary. I add the vocabulary to my SRS flashcards, locate the grammar in the Grammar Bank, and study the associated lessons online.

I send my teachers the name of the songs, making them aware of my new goal. One time, my song for Korean was “If You Do” by GOT7. My Korean teacher revealed that she was a huge fan of GOT7 like me! For Japanese, it was “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA,” also known as the Dragonball Z theme song. My Japanese teacher excitedly told me that she sang the song a lot as a kid!

A remarkable thing happened to me in South Korea. I was stressed about opening a bank account with limited Korean. I sought help from my Korean teacher. She forwarded me a script of a bank conversation.

After two days, I visited the local bank. It all started with my opening sentence:

은행 계좌를 만들고 싶어요

eunhaeng gyejwaleul mandeulgo sip-eoyo.

I want to open a bank account.

Everything went smoothly, and I exited the bank with a new account!

The MyTeacher Messenger allows me to share visuals with my teachers for regular interaction, including videos to critique my pronunciation mechanisms. I improve my listening and speaking skills by exchanging audio with my teachers. In addition to my written homework assignments, I exchange messages with my language teachers in my target language. This connection with my teachers enables me to experience the culture as well as the language.

Why You Should Subscribe to Premium PLUS

It’s impossible for me to imagine my continuous progress with Japanese and Korean without Premium PLUS. Everything—from the SRS flashcards to my language teachers—makes learning languages enjoyable and clear-cut.

You’re assured to undergo the same experience with Premium PLUS. You’ll gain access to the aforementioned features as well as all of the Premium features.

Complete lessons and assignments to advance in your target language. Increase your vocabulary with the “2000 Core Word List” for that language and SRS flashcards. Learn on-the-go with the Innovative Language app and/or Podcasts app for iOS users.

Learning a new language takes dedication and commitment. The Premium PLUS features make learning irresistibly exciting. You’ll look forward to learning daily with your language tutor.

As of right now, your challenge is to subscribe to Premium PLUS! Complete your assessment, and meet your new Czech teacher.

Have fun learning your target language in the fastest and easiest way!

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