Greetings and politeness in Czech
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. 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 11 Czech phrases in this lesson
- Dobrý denDO-bree DEN
- Hello
- Dobré ránoDO-breh RAH-no
- Good morning
- Dobrý večerDO-bree VEH-cher
- Good evening
- Na shledanouna SKHLE-da-noh
- Goodbye
- Uvidíme seOO-vi-dee-meh seh
- See you
- ProsímPRO-seem
- Please
- DěkujiDYEH-koo-yi
- Thank you
- Není začNEH-nyee ZACH
- You're welcome
- Omlouvám seOM-loh-vahm seh
- Sorry
- PromiňtePRO-min-teh
- Excuse me
- Těší měTYEH-shee mnyeh
- Nice to meet you
The standard formal greeting used throughout the day. Use with strangers, shop staff, and anyone you address as "vy". Literally means "good day".
Used in the morning hours, typically before around 10am. Slightly more formal than "ahoj" but warm and friendly in tone.
Said arriving anywhere in the evening, in shops and restaurants too.
The standard formal farewell. The "shle" cluster is tricky: say it like "skhle". Casual alternatives include "čau" (chow) or "ahoj" with friends.
Literally "we'll see each other". Between friends čau (chow) or ahoj (AH-hoy) are just as common. Na shledanou is the polite goodbye.
The same word as "you're welcome". Add it to the end of a request to sound polite. Czechs appreciate politeness and it goes a long way in shops and restaurants.
The polite thank you, right for strangers. "Díky" (DEE-ki) is the quick casual version.
Literally "there is nothing to thank for", and unambiguous in a way that the alternative is not: "prosím" also means you're welcome, but it doubles as please and as "here you go", so context has to do the work.
Literally "I apologize", for a real mistake.
Used to get someone's attention or to ask to pass. With friends: "promiň".
Literally "it pleases me", said with a handshake.