Useful Words and Phrases in Czech
Immersing yourself in a conversation with the locals is a great way to experience the country! Most Czechs realise their mother tongue is a bit tricky for English speakers or foreigners in general, and, thus, they appreciate when some stranger dares to speak Czech with them. Do not worry - you won’t be looked down upon, even when making mistakes.
This list contains some of the most common terms and phrases in the Czech language that may come in handy during your travels. The pronunciation is in the form of an approximate phonetic transcription. Suggestion: try to master your Czech pronunciation by using the slightly atypical “tapped” R sound instead of the “standard” R. Your Czech will sound much more authentic!
The Czech language still uses the T-V distinction. In the Czech society, it’s seen as polite and respectful to prefer the V form (i.e. the second-person plural) when talking to strangers. Hence, we’ve chosen to use the V in this Czech language guide.
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CzechpronunciationEnglish
- Basics
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Ano.ah·nohYes
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Ne.nehNo.
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Dobrý den.dob·reeh denHello./Good day.
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Dobré ráno.dob·reah raa·nohGood morning.
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Dobrý večer.dob·reeh vetch·erGood evening.
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Dobrou noc.dob·rou notsGood night.
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Na shledanou.nah skhleh·da-noughGood bye.
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Těší mě.tesh·ee m’nyehNice to meet you.
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Jak se máte?yak seh mah·tehHow are you?
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Jak se jmenujete?yak seh me·nu·yea·tehWhat’s your name?
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Já jsem…yaa semI am…
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Mám se dobře.maam seh dob·rehI’m fine.
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Prosím.pros·yiimPlease.
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Děkuji.dek·hoo·yiThank you.
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Není zač.neh·nee zatschYou’re welcome.
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Promiňte.pro·minh·tehI’m sorry.
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Dovolte.doh·voll·tehExcuse me.
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Mluvíte anglicky?m’loo·vee·teh an·glit·skiDo you speak English?
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(Ne) rozumím.(neh) roz·hu-meemI (don’t) understand.
- Times and numbers
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Kolik je hodin?koh·lik yeh ho·dinWhat’s the time?
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9 hodin ránodev·yet ho·din raah·no9 in the morning / 9 AM
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9 hodin večerdev·yet ho·din vetsh·er9 in the evening / 9 PM
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21 hodind’vaahtset yed·nah ho·din9 PM
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dnesd’nehstoday
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včeraf’che·rayesterday
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zítrazee·trahtommorow
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ránoraah·nomorning
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dopolednedoh·poh·led·nehmorning, forenoon
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polednepoh·led·nehnoon
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odpoledneo’d·poh·led·nehafternoon
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večervetsh·erevening
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nocnotsnight
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1yed·nahone
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2d’vyehtwo
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3trihthree
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4sh’ti·rifour
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5p’yetfive
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6shehs’tsix
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7seh·doomseven
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8o’soomeight
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9dev·yetnine
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10dehsetten
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11yede·nasteleven
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12d’vaah·nasttwelve
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20d’vaaht·settwenty
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50pad·eh·saatfifty
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100stohone hundred
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1000ti·seetsone thousand
- Directions
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Kde je…kh’deh·yehWhere’s…
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toaletatoa·lehtatoilet
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směnárnasm’nyeh·naar·nahexchange office
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bankaban·kahbank
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hotelho·tehlhotel
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restauraceres·tau·rats·ehrestaurant
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zastávkazas·taa’v·kha(bus/train etc.) stop
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nádražínaad·razh·eestation
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vlakovév’lak·oh·veatrain station
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autobusovéau·toh·buus·oh·veabus station
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nástupištěnas·tu·pish·tehplatform
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poštaposh·tahpost office
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nemocniceneh·mots·nit·sehhospital
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lékárnaleh·kaar·nahpharmacy, drugstore
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policiep’oh·litsy·eapolice, police station
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letištělet·ish·tehairport
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Ukážete mi to na mapě?uh’kaa·zheh·teh mi toh nah mapyehCan you show it on a map?
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Jaká je adresa?ya·kaah yeh ad·reh·sahWhat’s the address?
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Kudy (mám jít)?kuudih maam yiitWhich way (shall I go)?
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dolevadoh·levahleft
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dopravadop·ravahright
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rovněroh·v’nyehstraight
- Transportation
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Jedu do…yeh·du dohI’m travelling to…
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Kdy to dorazí?kh’dih toh doh·ras·eeWhen will it arrive?
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Kdy je odjezd?kh’dih yea od·yestWhen does it depart?
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Tady vystupuji.tad·e vis·tu·pu·yiI’m leaving here.
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autoau·tohcar
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autobusau·toh·buusbus, coach
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vlakv’laktrain
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letadloleh·tad·lohairplane
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taxitaxitaxi
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tramvajtram·vaitram
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metromet·rowsubway, metro
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loďlodboat, ship
- In a restaurant
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Stůl pro (pět), please.stool pro (p’yet) pros·yiimTable for (five), please.
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Menu, prosím.me·nu pros·yiimMenu, please.
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Máte…maah·tehDo you have…
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Dám si…dahm siI’ll have…
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voduvoh·dowater
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pivope·vobeer
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vínove·nowine
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kávukaah·vucoffee
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snídaněsnee·danyebreakfast
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obědob·yetlunch
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večeřevehche·rehsupper
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(Dvě) piva, prosím!(d’vyeh) pe·vaah pros·yiimTwo beers, please!
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Na zdraví!naah sdraviiCheers!
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Ještě jedno!yesh·teh yed·nohOne more!
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Účet, prosím.oo·chet pros·yiimThe bill, please.
- Shopping
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Chci koupit…k’tsi kou·pitI want to buy…
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Jen se dívám.yen seh deev·amI’m just looking.
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Kolik to stojí?koh·lik toh sto·yiHow much does it cost?
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To je moc drahé.Toh yea mots d’raa·hehThat’s too expensive.
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Kdy zavíráte?k’dih zavy·raat·ehWhen do you close?
- Accommodation
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Máte volné pokoje?maah·teh vol·neh po·koi·ehDo you have free rooms?
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Pokoj pro…po·koi proA room for…
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jednohoyed·nou·hoone person, a single room
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dvad’vaahtwo people, a double room
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tři, čtyři…trih, sh’ti·rithree, four people…
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Kolik stojí jedna noc?koh·lik sto·yi yed·nah notsHow much for one night?
- In need
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Pomoc!p’oh·motsHelp!
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Zavolejte…zaah·vo·ley·tehCall…
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policiip’oh·litsy·yithe police
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doktoradok·toh·rathe doctor
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ambulanciam·bulant·sithe ambulance
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hasičehah·si·chehthe fire brigade
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Můžete mi pomoci?moo·sheh·teh m’ih p’oh·motsiCan you help me?
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Okradli mě.o’krad·li m’nyeI’ve been robbed.
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Ztratil jsem se. (m)*/stra·till yi·sem seh/I’m lost.
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Ztratila jsem se. (f)stra·ti·lah yi·sem seh
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Jsem nemocný (m)/yi·sem neh·mots·neeh/I’m ill.
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nemocná (f)neh·mots·naa
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* (m) – masculine, (f) – feminine
- And, last but not least
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Miluji Česko!meeh·lu·yi Chess·koI love Czechia!
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Bylo tu krásně!be·lo to craas·nyehIt’s been amazing here!
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Brzy se vrátím!brr·zi seh v’raa·tiimI’ll be back soon!