Yes, no and the essentials in Czech
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Czech words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Czech phrases in this lesson
- AnoAH-no
- Yes
- Neneh
- No
- DobřeDOB-zheh
- Okay
- Nerozumímneh-roh-ZOO-meem
- I don't understand
- Mluvíte anglicky?mloo-VEE-teh ANG-lits-kih
- Do you speak English?
- Můžete to zopakovat?MOO-zhe-teh to ZO-pa-ko-vat
- Can you repeat that?
- Pomaleji, prosímPO-ma-le-yi PRO-seem
- Slowly, please
- Co je to?tso ye to
- What is this?
- Potřebuji...PO-tzhe-boo-yi
- I need...
- Můžete mi pomoct?MOO-zhe-teh mi PO-motst
- Can you help me?
The standard word for yes. In casual speech Czechs often shorten it to "jo" (yo), similar to the German "ja". Both are widely understood.
Short and clear. Czechs are generally direct and a polite "ne, díky" (no, thanks) is perfectly normal. No need to soften it excessively.
Means both "okay" and "well" or "fine". The "ř" in "dobře" is the famous Czech sound unique to Czech: a rolled r combined with a zh sound, like a simultaneous r and zh.
Useful when someone speaks too fast. You can add "Mluvíte pomaleji?" (mloo-VEE-teh po-MAH-leh-yih, "could you speak more slowly?") to follow up.
This is the formal/polite form using "vy". Many Czechs, especially in Prague and among younger generations, speak English well. Always try a few Czech words first, though.
Polite form.
Literally "more slowly, please".
"Potřebuji lékaře", I need a doctor.