Useful Czech phrases for everyday life aren't a tourist phrasebook — they're expressions for real situations: a doctor's appointment, a window at the úřad, a call to your landlord, the checkout at a supermarket. This collection has 100+ phrases with English-friendly pronunciation guides that cover the basic everyday scenarios for anyone actually living in Czechia, not just visiting.
The phrases are grouped by situation: first the polite basics, then doctor and pharmacy, government offices, shops and the post office, housing and neighbors, phone and email. At the end, you'll find the "false friends" that cause the most misunderstandings, plus answers to common questions.
Czechs greet each other everywhere — in the elevator, in a doctor's waiting room, when entering a small shop. Skipping "dobrý den" reads as rude, which is why this block matters most.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dobrý den | DOH-bree den | Hello / Good day |
| Na shledanou | nah SKHLEH-dah-noh | Goodbye |
| Děkuji | DYEH-koo-yi | Thank you |
| Prosím | PROH-seem | Please; also "yes, how can I help?" |
| Omlouvám se | OM-loh-vahm seh | I apologize |
| Promiňte | PROH-min-yteh | Excuse me (to get attention) |
| Nerozumím | NEH-roh-zoo-meem | I don't understand |
| Nemluvím dobře česky | NEH-mloo-veem DOH-brzheh CHES-kee | I don't speak Czech very well |
| Můžete mluvit pomaleji? | MOO-zheh-teh MLOO-vit poh-MAH-leh-yi | Could you speak more slowly? |
| Můžete to zopakovat? | MOO-zheh-teh toh ZOH-pah-koh-vat | Could you repeat that? |
| Můžete mi to napsat? | MOO-zheh-teh mi toh NAHP-saht | Could you write that down for me? |
| Jak se řekne česky…? | yak seh RZHEK-neh CHES-kee | How do you say … in Czech? |
| Ještě se česky učím | YESH-tyeh seh CHES-kee OO-cheem | I'm still learning Czech |
| Mějte se hezky | MAY-teh seh HEZ-kee | Take care |
Reception staff and older-generation doctors rarely speak English, so it's worth memorizing a basic set of complaints. For how appointment booking works and what to do if you don't have a registered GP, see our separate guide on how to book a doctor's appointment in Czechia, and for insurance details, see our article on health insurance for foreigners. Emergency numbers: 155 for an ambulance, 112 for the general emergency line, where English is also spoken.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Potřebuji se objednat k lékaři | POH-trzheh-boo-yi seh OB-yed-nat k LEH-kar-zhi | I need to book a doctor's appointment |
| Berete nové pacienty? | BEH-reh-teh NOH-veh PAH-tsi-en-tih | Are you taking new patients? |
| Mám akutní problém | mahm AH-koot-nee proh-BLEHM | I have an urgent problem |
| Bolí mě hlava | BOH-lee myeh HLAH-vah | I have a headache |
| Bolí mě v krku | BOH-lee myeh f KR-koo | My throat hurts |
| Bolí mě břicho | BOH-lee myeh BRZHI-khoh | My stomach hurts |
| Mám horečku | mahm HOH-rech-koo | I have a fever |
| Mám kašel a rýmu | mahm KAH-shel ah REE-moo | I have a cough and a runny nose |
| Jsem nachlazený / nachlazená | sem NAH-khlah-zeh-nee / NAH-khlah-zeh-nah | I have a cold (male / female speaker) |
| Jsem alergický na penicilin | sem AH-ler-gits-kee nah PEH-nih-tsih-lin | I'm allergic to penicillin |
| Beru léky na tlak | BEH-roo LEH-kih nah tlahk | I take medication for blood pressure |
| Jsem těhotná | sem TYEH-hot-nah | I'm pregnant |
| Potřebuji recept | POH-trzheh-boo-yi REH-tsept | I need a prescription |
| Potřebuji neschopenku | POH-trzheh-boo-yi NES-khoh-pen-koo | I need a sick-leave certificate |
| Tady je můj průkaz pojištěnce | TAH-dih yeh mooy PROO-kahz POH-yish-tyen-tseh | Here's my insurance card |
| Kdy mám přijít na kontrolu? | gdih mahm PRZHI-yeet nah KON-troh-loo | When should I come back for a follow-up? |
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Co vás bolí? | tsoh vahs BOH-lee | What's hurting you? |
| Jak dlouho to trvá? | yak DLOH-hoh toh TR-vah | How long has this been going on? |
| Svlékněte se do půl těla | SVLEHK-nyeh-teh seh doh pool TYEH-lah | Undress to the waist |
| Zhluboka dýchejte | ZHLOO-boh-kah DEE-khey-teh | Breathe deeply |
| Předepíšu vám léky | PRZHEH-deh-pee-shoo vahm LEH-kih | I'll prescribe you some medication |
Prescriptions in Czechia are electronic: the doctor sends an e-recept by SMS or through an app, and at the pharmacy it's enough to give the code or show your ID. For where to find an all-night pharmacy, see our roundup of 24-hour pharmacies in Prague.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Máte něco na bolest hlavy? | MAH-teh NYEH-tsoh nah BOH-lest HLAH-vih | Do you have anything for a headache? |
| Něco na kašel, prosím | NYEH-tsoh nah KAH-shel PROH-seem | Something for a cough, please |
| Něco na teplotu pro dítě | NYEH-tsoh nah TEP-loh-too proh DEE-tyeh | Something for a fever, for a child |
| Je to na předpis? | yeh toh nah PRZHED-pis | Is this prescription-only? |
| Mám e-recept, tady je kód | mahm eh-REH-tsept TAH-dih yeh kohd | I have an e-prescription, here's the code |
| Jak často to mám užívat? | yak CHAS-toh toh mahm OO-zhee-vaht | How often should I take this? |
| Máte levnější variantu? | MAH-teh LEV-nyay-shee VAH-ri-an-too | Do you have a cheaper option? |
| Je to vhodné pro děti? | yeh toh VHOD-neh proh DYEH-ti | Is this suitable for children? |
| Potřebuji kapky do nosu | POH-trzheh-boo-yi KAP-kih doh NOH-soo | I need nasal drops |
Government offices are where you'll need Czech the most: staff aren't required to speak other languages, and for serious procedures like extending your residence permit, it pays to come prepared. For which documents and insurance are required when extending your permit, see our article on insurance for extending your long-term residence permit.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mám objednaný termín na devátou | mahm OB-yed-nah-nee TER-meen nah DEH-vah-toh | I have an appointment at nine o'clock |
| Kde si vezmu pořadové číslo? | gdeh si VEZ-moo POH-rzhah-doh-veh CHEES-loh | Where do I get a queue number? |
| Podávám žádost o prodloužení pobytu | POH-dah-vahm ZHAH-dost oh PROD-loh-zheh-nee POH-bih-too | I'm submitting an application to extend my stay |
| Jdu si vyzvednout biometrickou kartu | ydoo si VIZ-ved-noht BI-oh-met-rits-koh KAR-too | I've come to pick up my biometric card |
| Tady jsou všechny dokumenty | TAH-dih soh FSHEH-khnih DOH-koo-men-tih | Here are all the documents |
| Chybí mi nějaký dokument? | HI-bee mi NYEH-yah-kee DOH-koo-ment | Am I missing any document? |
| Do kdy to mám doložit? | doh gdih toh mahm DOH-loh-zhit | By when do I need to submit this? |
| Potřebuji ověřenou kopii | POH-trzheh-boo-yi OH-vyeh-rzheh-noh KOH-pi-yi | I need a certified copy |
| Můžete mi dát potvrzení? | MOO-zheh-teh mi daht POT-vr-zeh-nee | Can you give me a confirmation slip? |
| Kolik je správní poplatek? | KOH-lik yeh SPRAHV-nee POH-plah-tek | How much is the administrative fee? |
| Potřebuji tlumočníka | POH-trzheh-boo-yi TLOO-moch-nee-kah | I need an interpreter |
| Kde je podatelna? | gdeh yeh POH-dah-tel-nah | Where's the filing office (podatelna)? |
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Váš průkaz totožnosti, prosím | vahsh PROO-kahz TOH-tozh-nos-ti PROH-seem | Your ID, please |
| Vezměte si lístek z automatu | VEZ-myeh-teh si LEES-tek z OW-toh-mah-too | Take a ticket from the machine |
| Vyplňte tento formulář | VIP-lin-teh TEN-toh FOR-moo-lahrzh | Fill out this form |
| Podepište se tady | POH-deh-pish-teh seh TAH-dih | Sign here |
| Čekejte, až vás vyvolají | CHEH-key-teh ahzh vahs VI-voh-lah-yi | Wait until your number is called |
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kolik to stojí? | KOH-lik toh STOH-yee | How much does this cost? |
| Platím kartou | PLAH-teem KAR-toh | I'm paying by card |
| Platím hotově | PLAH-teem HOH-toh-vyeh | I'm paying cash |
| Je to v akci? | yeh toh v AHK-tsi | Is this on sale? |
| Kde najdu pečivo? | gdeh NAY-doo PEH-chi-voh | Where's the bread and baked goods? |
| Máte to v jiné velikosti? | MAH-teh toh v YI-neh VEH-li-kos-ti | Do you have this in another size? |
| Chci to vrátit | khtsi toh VRAH-tit | I'd like to return this |
| Chci reklamovat zboží | khtsi REH-klah-moh-vaht ZBOH-zhee | I'd like to file a complaint about this item |
| Účtenku, prosím | OOCH-ten-koo PROH-seem | Receipt, please |
| Jdu si vyzvednout balík | ydoo si VIZ-ved-noht BAH-leek | I've come to pick up a package |
| Doporučeně, prosím | DOH-poh-roo-cheh-nyeh PROH-seem | Registered mail, please |
| To je všechno, děkuji | toh yeh FSHEH-khnoh DYEH-koo-yi | That's everything, thank you |
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Přejete si tašku? | PRZHEH-yeh-teh si TASH-koo | Would you like a bag? |
| Máte věrnostní kartu? | MAH-teh VYER-nost-nee KAR-too | Do you have a loyalty card? |
| Ještě něco? | YESH-tyeh NYEH-tsoh | Anything else? |
Most everyday housing conflicts get solved with a single clear message to your landlord. If things escalate to money matters, our guides can help: how to get your deposit back for an apartment and how utility payments work.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mám dotaz k nájemní smlouvě | mahm DOH-tahz k NAH-yem-nee SMLOH-vyeh | I have a question about the lease |
| Neteče teplá voda | NEH-teh-cheh TEP-lah VOH-dah | There's no hot water |
| Nefunguje topení | NEH-foon-goo-yeh TOH-peh-nee | The heating isn't working |
| Rozbila se pračka | ROZ-bi-lah seh PRAHCH-kah | The washing machine broke |
| Můžete poslat opraváře? | MOO-zheh-teh POH-slaht OH-prah-vah-rzheh | Can you send a repairman? |
| Chtěl bych prodloužit smlouvu | khtyel bikh PROD-loh-zhit SMLOH-voo | I'd like to extend the lease |
| Kdy mi vrátíte kauci? | gdih mi VRAH-tee-teh KOW-tsi | When will you return my deposit? |
| Přišlo mi vyúčtování energií | PRZHI-shloh mi VI-ooch-toh-vah-nee EH-ner-gi-yee | I received the annual utility statement |
| Posílám vám stav elektroměru | POH-see-lahm vahm stahf EH-lek-troh-myeh-roo | I'm sending you the electricity meter reading |
| Omlouvám se za hluk | OM-loh-vahm seh zah hlook | Sorry for the noise |
| Sousedé jsou v noci hluční | SOH-seh-deh soh v NOH-tsi HLOOCH-nee | The neighbors are noisy at night |
| Dobrý den, jsem váš nový soused | DOH-bree den sem vahsh NOH-vee SOH-sed | Hello, I'm your new neighbor |
A phone call is the hardest skill of all: you can't see the person you're talking to, and you can't help yourself with gestures. Don't be shy about asking someone to send you an SMS or an email instead — Czechs are understanding about this.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dobrý den, volám ohledně bytu | DOH-bree den VOH-lahm OH-hled-nyeh BI-too | Hello, I'm calling about the apartment |
| U telefonu Ivan Petrov | oo TEH-leh-foh-noo Ivan Petrov | Ivan Petrov speaking (how Czechs answer the phone) |
| Špatně vás slyším | SHPAT-nyeh vahs SLI-sheem | I can't hear you well |
| Zavolám později | ZAH-voh-lahm POHZ-dyay-yi | I'll call back later |
| Můžete mi to poslat e-mailem? | MOO-zheh-teh mi toh POH-slaht EE-mey-lem | Could you send that to me by email? |
| Předem děkuji za odpověď | PRZHEH-dem DYEH-koo-yi zah OD-poh-vyed | Thank you in advance for your reply |
| S pozdravem | s POZ-drah-vem | Best regards (email sign-off) |
Czech resembles Russian just closely enough to create a dangerous illusion of understanding. Here are the words people stumble on most often.
| Czech word | What it actually means | What it gets confused with |
|---|---|---|
| pozor | attention, watch out | not related to Russian "позор" (shame) — shame in Czech is ostuda |
| čerstvý | fresh | not "stale" as in Russian "чёрствый" |
| ovoce | fruit | vegetables in Czech are zelenina |
| úžasný | amazing, wonderful | not "terrible" as in Russian "ужасный" |
| zapomněl | forgot | not "remembered" |
| rodina | family | homeland in Czech is vlast |
| vůně | a pleasant aroma, fragrance | a bad smell in Czech is zápach |
| chytrý | smart, clever | not "cunning" or "sly" |
A simple system works: pick one situation per week, write out 10–15 phrases, and practice saying them out loud before your actual visit to the doctor or the úřad. Phrases spoken in a real queue stick far better than flashcards ever do. Beyond that, it's worth studying systematically: anyone planning to live in Czechia permanently will eventually need to pass the Czech A2 exam for permanent residence, and everyday phrases like these are exactly its vocabulary. You can find a tutor experienced in exam prep among our vetted tutors and language courses.
In central Prague — partly, yes: banks, major clinics, and IT companies operate in English. But doctors' reception desks, úřady, the post office, utility companies, and most landlords communicate only in Czech, so a basic everyday vocabulary is essential even for those working in an international environment.
Always on the first syllable, no exceptions. Long vowels marked with an accent (á, í, é) indicate vowel length, not stress: the word nemocnice is stressed on the "ne", even though it has no long vowels.
To obtain permanent residence, applicants take an exam at the A2 level — exactly the everyday topics covered in this article: the doctor, shopping, housing, work. Check current requirements and sample tests on the official portal cestina-pro-cizince.cz; for a detailed breakdown of the exam format, see our article on the A2 exam.
Individual words — maybe, but don't count on it: the two languages have drifted far enough apart, and "false friends" like čerstvý or ovoce create real confusion. A much better approach: a short Czech phrase followed by "nemluvím dobře česky" — the other person will switch to slower Czech and simpler words.
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