Czech etiquette and customs: greetings, vy and ty, shoes off, pub rules, tipping and quiet hours
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Say “Dobrý den” when you walk into a shop, use the formal “vy” until a Czech offers “ty”, take your shoes off in someone's home, and never let a waiter take your beer mat by mistake. These are the unwritten rules that Czechs rarely explain but always notice. Here are 17 of them, from greetings to pubs, quiet hours and Christmas.
Around Prague editors put this list together on 28 October 2026 from everyday life in Prague.
Greetings and how to address people
1. “Dobrý den” when you enter, “Na shledanou” when you leave
Czechs greet the room: in a shop, a lift, a small office or a doctor's waiting room you say Dobrý den on the way in and Na shledanou on the way out. Walking in silently comes across as rude, even if nobody looks up.
2. “Ahoj” is for friends, and “Nazdar” has a history
Ahoj (hi, bye) is informal: use it with friends, children and people you are on “ty” terms with. It is usually traced to the English sailors' “ahoy”, which Czech water sports and scouting picked up in the early 20th century. Nazdar comes from na zdar, “to success”, a patriotic 19th-century greeting associated with the Sokol movement. More everyday words: useful Czech phrases with pronunciation.
3. “Vy” until you are offered “ty”
Czech has a formal and an informal “you”. Adults who do not know each other use vy (vykání). The switch to ty (tykání) is offered, traditionally by the older person, the woman or the more senior colleague — often with a drink. Do not jump to “ty” first with your landlord or your boss.
4. Titles still matter
Academic titles appear on doorbells, letters and business cards: Ing., Mgr., MUDr., JUDr. In formal settings people say pane doktore or paní inženýrko. With people you do not know well, “pane” or “paní” plus the surname is the safe choice.
At home and as a guest
5. Shoes off at the door
Czechs take their shoes off at home, and guests do the same. Hosts often keep slippers for visitors (přezůvky). Keeping your outdoor shoes on in someone's flat is one of the fastest ways to make a bad first impression.
6. Bring something, and unwrap the flowers
When invited home, bring a small gift — wine, chocolates or flowers. Flowers are given in an odd number (even numbers are for funerals) and are traditionally handed over without the paper wrapping.
7. Be on time
Punctuality is expected for work meetings, appointments and dinner invitations. Prague's trams run to the minute, so “the tram was late” is rarely accepted as an excuse.
Pubs and restaurants
8. Sharing a table is normal; the beer mat is a signal
In a traditional pub (hospoda) you can sit at a table with strangers if there is space: ask Je tu volno? (Is this free?). Waiters bring a fresh beer when your glass is nearly empty; put the beer mat (tácek) on top of your glass when you have had enough. Many pubs still count your beers with tally marks on a slip of paper.
9. “Na zdraví” — and look people in the eye
When you clink glasses, say Na zdraví! and look each person in the eye. Not doing so is considered bad manners — and, according to the popular joke, bad luck.
10. “Together or separately?” and how to tip
When you ask for the bill, the waiter often asks dohromady, nebo zvlášť? — together or separately. Splitting the bill per person is normal. Tipping means rounding up or adding about 10% for good service; tell the waiter the total you want to pay. More in our Prague restaurant guide.
11. Lunch is a real meal
On weekdays many Czechs eat a hot lunch with soup, often from a restaurant's set lunch menu (polední menu). The best-value meals in Prague are served between about 11 a.m. and early afternoon.
Daily life
12. Public transport manners
Let people get off before you get on, give up your seat to older people and pregnant women, keep phone calls short and quiet, and always have a valid ticket: inspectors (revizoři) check often.
13. Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Night-time quiet (noční klid) runs from 22:00 to 6:00 and is backed by law: neighbours can call the police over a loud party. Many buildings also have house rules about drilling and noise on Sundays.
14. Sort your rubbish
Waste is sorted into coloured containers on the street: yellow for plastics, blue for paper, green for coloured glass and white for clear glass. Throwing everything into the general bin is frowned upon.
15. Shops close on some public holidays
Most shops are open on Sundays, but by law larger shops close on several public holidays, including Christmas Day. Check before you plan a big shop: are shops open on Czech public holidays.
16. Weekends at the cottage and mushroom picking
On Friday afternoons Prague empties as people head to their weekend cottage (chata or chalupa). In late summer and autumn, mushroom picking (houbaření) is close to a national sport — why Czechs love mushrooms so much.
Traditions
17. Name days and Christmas Eve
Every day in the Czech calendar belongs to a name, and people congratulate colleagues and friends on their name day (svátek): see the name day calendar. The main Christmas celebration is on the evening of 24 December, when Ježíšek (Baby Jesus) brings the presents and families eat carp with potato salad. More: Christmas and other Czech traditions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is it rude not to say hello in a Czech shop?
Yes, it can come across as rude. Say “Dobrý den” when you come in and “Na shledanou” when you leave, in shops, lifts and waiting rooms.
Where does the Czech word “ahoj” come from?
It is usually traced to the English sailors' greeting “ahoy”, which Czech water sports and scouting picked up in the early 20th century. Today it means both hi and bye and is used informally.
Do Czechs take their shoes off at home?
Yes. Guests are expected to take their shoes off at the door, and hosts often offer slippers (přezůvky).
When can I switch from “vy” to “ty” in Czech?
When the other person offers it. Traditionally the older person, the woman or the more senior colleague suggests switching to “ty”.
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