100+ Useful Czech Phrases with Pronunciation for Daily Life
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This collection has 150+ useful Czech phrases with English-friendly pronunciation. It covers what every visitor needs (greetings, yes and no, ordering in a restaurant or pub, getting around, numbers and prices) and the expressions for actually living in Czechia: a doctor’s appointment, a window at the úřad, a call to your landlord, the checkout at a supermarket.
The phrases are grouped by situation: how to read the pronunciation, the polite minimum and everyday basics, then the doctor and pharmacy, government offices, shops and the post office, housing and neighbors, phone and email, restaurants, transport and numbers. At the end you will find the “false friends” that trip up English speakers, plus answers to common questions.
How to Read the Pronunciation: Four Rules
- Stress always falls on the first syllable. Always, no exceptions: DOH-bree den, NEH-mots-ni-tseh.
- An accent mark over a vowel shows length, not stress. Á, í, é, ú, ů are held longer than usual, but the stress still stays on the first syllable.
- H is voiced, like a breathy English "h" in "ahead" — we transcribe it as "h". Ch is pronounced like the "ch" in Scottish "loch".
- Ř is the signature Czech sound — something between "rzh" and "rsh". If you can't manage it, just say "rzh"; people will understand you.
The Polite Minimum: You Can't Get By Without These
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 |
Everyday Basics: Yes, No, Hi and Cheers
These are the words you will hear and use dozens of times a day. One trap for English speakers: in casual Czech, "no" means "yeah".
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ano | AH-no | Yes |
| Ne | neh | No |
| No | noh | Yeah (casual yes, not “no”) |
| Ahoj | AH-hoy | Hi / Bye (informal, with friends) |
| Čau | chow | Hi / Bye (very informal) |
| Dobré ráno | DOH-breh RAH-noh | Good morning |
| Dobrý večer | DOH-bree VEH-cher | Good evening |
| Dobrou noc | DOH-broh nots | Good night |
| Jak se máte? | yak seh MAH-teh | How are you? (formal) |
| Dobře, děkuji | DOH-brzheh, DYEH-koo-yi | Fine, thank you |
| Mluvíte anglicky? | MLOO-vee-teh AHN-glits-kee | Do you speak English? |
| Kde je záchod? | gdeh yeh ZAH-khot | Where is the toilet? |
| Na zdraví! | NAH-zdrah-vee | Cheers! Also “bless you” after a sneeze |
| Dobrou chuť | DOH-broh khoot | Enjoy your meal |
| Pardon | PAR-don | Sorry (after bumping into someone) |
| Nevadí | NEH-vah-dyee | No problem / It doesn’t matter |
At the Doctor's: Booking, Appointments, Complaints
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? |
What the Doctor Might Say: Phrases Worth Understanding
| 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 |
At the Pharmacy
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 |
At the Úřad: MV ČR, Cizinecká Policie, ČSSZ
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)? |
What They Say at the Window
| 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 |
At the Shop and Post Office
| 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 |
What They Might Ask at the Checkout
| 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? |
With Your Landlord and Neighbors
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 |
Phone and Email
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) |
At a Restaurant or Pub
In a Czech pub the waiter often brings a fresh beer as soon as your glass is nearly empty and marks it on a slip of paper on your table. Put a beer mat on top of the glass when you have had enough. When paying, it is normal to round up or add about 10% and simply tell the waiter the total you want to pay.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Máte volný stůl? | MAH-teh VOL-nee stool | Do you have a free table? |
| Stůl pro dva, prosím | stool proh dvah, PROH-seem | A table for two, please |
| Jídelní lístek, prosím | YEE-del-nyee LEES-tek, PROH-seem | The menu, please |
| Co doporučujete? | tsoh DOH-poh-roo-choo-yeh-teh | What do you recommend? |
| Dám si… | dahm si | I’ll have… |
| Jedno pivo, prosím | YED-noh PI-voh, PROH-seem | One beer, please |
| Malé / velké pivo | MAH-leh / VEL-keh PI-voh | Small (0.3 l) / large (0.5 l) beer |
| Nealkoholické | NEH-al-koh-hoh-lits-keh | Non-alcoholic |
| Voda bez bublinek | VOH-dah bez BOO-bli-nek | Still water |
| Jsem vegetarián / vegetariánka | ysem VEH-geh-tah-ri-ahn / VEH-geh-tah-ri-ahn-kah | I’m vegetarian (man / woman) |
| Mám alergii na… | mahm AH-ler-gi-yi nah | I’m allergic to… |
| Zaplatím, prosím | ZAH-plah-tyeem, PROH-seem | I’d like to pay, please |
| Dohromady, nebo zvlášť? | DOH-hroh-mah-di, NEH-boh zvlahsht | Together or separately? (the waiter asks this) |
| Můžu platit kartou? | MOO-zhoo PLAH-tit KAR-toh | Can I pay by card? |
Getting Around: Directions, Tickets and Taxis
In the Prague metro you will hear “Ukončete, prosím, výstup a nástup, dveře se zavírají” before every departure: please finish getting off and on, the doors are closing.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kde je…? | gdeh yeh | Where is…? |
| Jak se dostanu na…? | yak seh DOS-tah-noo nah | How do I get to…? |
| hlavní nádraží | HLAV-nyee NAH-drah-zhee | main train station |
| zastávka | ZAS-tahf-kah | (tram or bus) stop |
| Jedna jízdenka, prosím | YED-nah YEEZ-den-kah, PROH-seem | One ticket, please |
| Kolik stojí jízdenka? | KOH-lik STOH-yee YEEZ-den-kah | How much is a ticket? |
| doleva / doprava / rovně | DOH-leh-vah / DOH-prah-vah / ROV-nyeh | left / right / straight on |
| Je to daleko? | yeh toh DAH-leh-koh | Is it far? |
| Příští zastávka | PRZHEESH-tyee ZAS-tahf-kah | Next stop (announced on trams and buses) |
| Vystupujete? | VIS-too-poo-yeh-teh | Are you getting off? (in a crowded tram) |
| vchod / východ | fkhot / VEE-khot | entrance / exit |
| Na letiště, prosím | nah LEH-tish-tyeh, PROH-seem | To the airport, please |
| Zastavte tady, prosím | ZAS-tahf-teh TAH-di, PROH-seem | Stop here, please |
Numbers, Prices and Time
Prices are in Czech crowns (koruna, written Kč or CZK). You will need the numbers at every checkout, so they are worth learning first.
| Czech | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| jedna, dva, tři | YED-nah, dvah, trzhi | 1, 2, 3 |
| čtyři, pět, šest | CHTI-rzhi, pyet, shest | 4, 5, 6 |
| sedm, osm, devět | SEH-dum, OH-sum, DEH-vyet | 7, 8, 9 |
| deset, dvacet | DEH-set, DVAH-tset | 10, 20 |
| sto, tisíc | stoh, TYI-seets | 100, 1,000 |
| Kolik to stojí? | KOH-lik toh STOH-yee | How much is it? |
| To je drahé | toh yeh DRAH-heh | That’s expensive |
| Kolik je hodin? | KOH-lik yeh HOH-dyin | What time is it? |
| dnes / zítra / včera | dnes / ZEE-trah / FCHEH-rah | today / tomorrow / yesterday |
| otevřeno / zavřeno | OH-teh-vrzheh-noh / ZAH-vrzheh-noh | open / closed (on signs) |
False Friends: Words That Trip You Up
Some Czech words look like English ones but mean something else. These are the ones that cause the most confusion.
| Czech word | What it actually means | What it gets confused with |
|---|---|---|
| host | guest | not “host”: a host is hostitel |
| sympatický | likeable, nice | not “sympathetic” |
| aktuální | current, up to date | not “actual”: actual is skutečný |
| eventuálně | possibly, if need be | not “eventually”: eventually is nakonec |
| kontrola | check, inspection | not “control” |
| recept | prescription; also recipe | not “receipt”: a receipt is účtenka |
| angína | tonsillitis, strep throat | not heart angina |
| prezervativ | condom | not “preservative”: that is konzervant |
| konzerva | tin can, canned food | not jam or preserves |
| no | yeah (casual yes) | not “no”: no is ne |
How to Learn These Phrases Faster
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say yes and no in Czech?
Yes is ano (AH-no) and no is ne (neh). In casual speech Czechs often say no to mean “yeah”, which confuses English speakers at first.
Can you get by in Czechia with just English?
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.
Where does the stress fall in Czech words?
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.
What level of Czech is required for permanent residence?
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.
Is Czech hard to learn for English speakers?
The grammar is the hard part: seven cases and verb aspects take time. Pronunciation is easier than it looks, because Czech is read almost exactly as it is written. Once you know the sounds from our Czech alphabet guide, you can read any word aloud. Start with the polite minimum and the everyday basics above.
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