Appendix
Vítejte v Apendixu! (Welcome to the Appendix!) This section is your handy reference guide, compiling all the essential grammar tables and vocabulary introduced throughout this course. Think of it as your quick lookup tool for all those conjugations, declensions, and words you’ve been learning. It’s a great place to review and solidify your knowledge.
Verb Conjugation Tables
Here are the conjugations for the main verb types and irregular verbs covered in this guide. Remember that Czech verbs are often categorized by their infinitive endings and stem changes.
Present Tense
1. Regular Verbs (Type 1: ending in -ovat, e.g., pracovat - to work)
| Pronoun | Pracovat (to work) | Dělat (to do/make) |
|---|---|---|
| já | pracuji | dělám |
| ty | pracuješ | děláš |
| on/ona/ono | pracuje | dělá |
| my | pracujeme | děláme |
| vy | pracujete | děláte |
| oni/ony | pracují | dělají |
2. Regular Verbs (Type 2/3: ending in -et/-ět, e.g., bydlet - to live, rozumět - to understand)
| Pronoun | Bydlet (to live) | Rozumět (to understand) |
|---|---|---|
| já | bydlím | rozumím |
| ty | bydlíš | rozumíš |
| on/ona/ono | bydlí | rozumí |
| my | bydlíme | rozumíme |
| vy | bydlíte | rozumíte |
| oni/ony | bydlí | rozumí |
3. Irregular Verb: Být (to be)
| Pronoun | Být (to be) | Negation (Nejsem) |
|---|---|---|
| já | jsem | nejsem |
| ty | jsi | nejsi |
| on/ona/ono | je | není |
| my | jsme | nejsme |
| vy | jste | nejste |
| oni/ony | jsou | nejsou |
4. Modal Verbs
| Pronoun | Chtít (to want) | Moci (to be able to/can) | Muset (to have to/must) |
|---|---|---|---|
| já | chci | můžu | musím |
| ty | chceš | můžeš | musíš |
| on/ona/ono | chce | může | musí |
| my | chceme | můžeme | musíme |
| vy | chcete | můžete | musíte |
| oni/ony | chtějí | mohou | musí |
Past Tense
The past tense is formed with the auxiliary verb být (in its present tense form, often omitted for 3rd person) and the past participle of the main verb. The past participle changes based on the gender and number of the subject.
Past Participle Endings:
| Gender/Number | Ending | Example: Pracovat (to work) | Example: Být (to be) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | -l | pracoval | byl |
| Feminine singular | -la | pracovala | byla |
| Neuter singular | -lo | pracovalo | bylo |
| Masculine animate plural | -li | pracovali | byli |
| Feminine/Masculine inanimate plural | -ly | pracovaly | byly |
| Neuter plural | -la | pracovala | byla |
Full Past Tense Conjugation (Example: Pracovat - to work)
| Pronoun | Masculine Speaker | Feminine Speaker | Example (Plural/Mixed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| já | jsem pracoval | jsem pracovala | |
| ty | jsi pracoval | jsi pracovala | |
| on/ona/ono | (je) pracoval | (je) pracovala | (je) pracovalo (it worked) |
| my | jsme pracovali | jsme pracovaly | |
| vy | jste pracovali | jste pracovaly | |
| oni/ony | (jsou) pracovali | (jsou) pracovaly |
Future Tense
For imperfective verbs (describing ongoing/habitual actions), the future tense is formed using the future forms of být + the infinitive of the main verb.
| Pronoun | Být (future) | + Infinitive (e.g., pracovat) | Example (mluvit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| já | budu | budu pracovat | budu mluvit |
| ty | budeš | budeš pracovat | budeš mluvit |
| on/ona/ono | bude | bude pracovat | bude mluvit |
| my | budeme | budeme pracovat | budeme mluvit |
| vy | budete | budete pracovat | budete mluvit |
| oni/ony | budou | budou pracovat | budou mluvit |
Note: Perfective verbs have simple future forms (e.g., *půjdu - I will go, udělám - I will do/finish), which often look like present tense forms.*
Noun Declension Tables
Czech nouns decline through seven cases in the singular and plural. Here, we present simplified singular declension tables for common noun types across the cases introduced in this guide. This is a general overview; full declension patterns are more complex.
Cases:
- Nominative (1. pád): Subject of the sentence (Kdo? Co? - Who? What?)
- Accusative (4. pád): Direct object (Koho? Co? - Whom? What?)
- Dative (3. pád): Indirect object (Komu? Čemu? - To whom? To what?)
- Locative (6. pád): Location (Kde? - Where?) - always with a preposition
- Instrumental (7. pád): Means, accompaniment (S kým? S čím? - With whom? With what?)
- Genitive (2. pád): Possession, absence, after certain prepositions (Koho? Čeho? - Of whom? Of what?)
- Vocative (5. pád): Direct address (Voláme! - We call!)
Masculine Animate Nouns (e.g., student - student)
| Case | Singular Ending | Example: student |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -Ø | student |
| Accusative | -a | studenta |
| Dative | -ovi | studentovi |
| Locative | -ovi | studentovi |
| Instrumental | -em | studentem |
| Genitive | -a | studenta |
| Vocative | -e / -i | studente |
Masculine Inanimate Nouns (e.g., stůl - table)
| Case | Singular Ending | Example: stůl |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -Ø | stůl |
| Accusative | -Ø | stůl |
| Dative | -u | stolu |
| Locative | -e / -u | stole |
| Instrumental | -em | stolem |
| Genitive | -u | stolu |
| Vocative | -e / -i | stole |
Feminine Nouns (e.g., žena - woman, růže - rose, kost - bone)
| Case | Singular Ending (žena) | Example: žena | Singular Ending (růže) | Example: růže | Singular Ending (kost) | Example: kost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -a | žena | -e | růže | -Ø | kost |
| Accusative | -u | ženu | -i | růži | -Ø | kost |
| Dative | -ě | ženě | -i | růži | -i | kosti |
| Locative | -ě | ženě | -i | růži | -i | kosti |
| Instrumental | -ou | ženou | -í | růží | -í | kostí |
| Genitive | -y | ženy | -e | růže | -i | kosti |
| Vocative | -o | ženo | -e | růže | -i | kosti |
Neuter Nouns (e.g., město - city, nádraží - train station)
| Case | Singular Ending (město) | Example: město | Singular Ending (nádraží) | Example: nádraží |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -o | město | -í | nádraží |
| Accusative | -o | město | -í | nádraží |
| Dative | -u | městu | -í | nádraží |
| Locative | -ě | městě | -í | nádraží |
| Instrumental | -em | městem | -ím | nádražím |
| Genitive | -a | města | -í | nádraží |
| Vocative | -o | město | -í | nádraží |
Adjective Declension Tables
Adjectives agree with the noun they describe in gender, number, and case. Here are the singular forms for common adjectives (like dobrý - good, velký - big) in the Nominative and Accusative cases.
Nominative Case (Singular)
| Noun Gender | Adjective Ending | Example: dobrý (good) | Example: velký (big) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | -ý | dobrý | velký |
| Feminine | -á | dobrá | velká |
| Neuter | -é | dobré | velké |
Accusative Case (Singular)
| Noun Gender | Adjective Ending | Example: dobrý (good) | Example: velký (big) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine animate | -ého | dobrého | velkého |
| Masculine inanimate | -ý | dobrý | velký |
| Feminine | -ou | dobrou | velkou |
| Neuter | -é | dobré | velké |
Vocabulary Glossary (Czech-English-French)
This glossary contains all the essential Czech words and phrases introduced in this guide, organized into thematic categories for easy navigation. Use this as a quick reference to refresh your memory, practice pronunciation, and reinforce your understanding of their meanings and usage.
Greetings & Politeness
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahoj! | /a-HOY/ | Hi! / Hello! / Bye! | Informal greeting, for friends, family, or people your age. Works for both hello and goodbye. |
| Dobrý den! | /DO-bree DEN/ | Good day! / Hello! | Formal greeting, for strangers, in shops, with older people, or in professional settings. |
| Dobré ráno! | /DO-bray RAA-no/ | Good morning! | Formal, used until noon. |
| Dobrý večer! | /DO-bree VE-cher/ | Good evening! | Formal, used from late afternoon onwards. |
| Dobrou noc! | /DO-broh NOTS/ | Good night! | Formal/Informal, used before going to bed. |
| Na shledanou! | /na SHLE-da-noh/ | Goodbye! | Formal goodbye. |
| Na viděnou! | /na VI-dyen-oh/ | See you! | Slightly less formal goodbye than Na shledanou. |
| Děkuji! | /DYE-ku-yi/ | Thank you! | Standard “thank you.” |
| Děkuji moc! | /DYE-ku-yi MOTS/ | Thank you very much! | “Moc” means “much” or “very.” |
| Prosím! | /PRO-seem/ | Please! / You’re welcome! / Pardon? / Here you go. | Very versatile word. Context is key! |
| Není zač. | /NE-nyi ZATCH/ | You’re welcome. / No problem. | Literally “It’s nothing.” Common, slightly more casual response to “Děkuji.” |
| Promiňte. | /PRO-min-tye/ | Excuse me. / Pardon me. | Use to get attention or apologize. |
| Samozřejmě. | /SA-moz-rzhej-my/ | Of course / Certainly | |
| Jistě. | /YIS-tye/ | Certainly / Sure | |
| Jak se máte? | /yak se MAA-te/ | How are you? | Formal/plural greeting. |
| Jak se máš? | /yak se MAASH/ | How are you? | Informal greeting. |
| Dobře, děkuji. | /DOB-rzhe, DYE-ku-yi/ | Fine, thank you. | Standard response to “How are you?” |
| Máš se dobře? | /Maash se DOB-rzhe/ | Are you doing well? | Informal. |
| Jsi v pořádku? | /si v PO-rzhaad-koo/ | Are you alright? | Informal. |
| Nevadí. | /NE-va-dee/ | Never mind. / No problem. |
People & Pronouns
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| já | /yaa/ | I | |
| ty | /ti/ | you | Informal singular. |
| on | /on/ | he | |
| ona | /o-na/ | she | |
| ono | /o-no/ | it | Neuter. |
| my | /mi/ | we | |
| vy | /vi/ | you | Formal singular / plural. |
| oni | /o-ni/ | they | Masculine animate plural (at least one man). |
| ony | /o-ni/ | they | Feminine / masculine inanimate / neuter plural. |
| Jsem… | /ysem/ | I am… | Basic self-introduction. |
| Jmenuji se… | /yme-NU-yi se/ | My name is… / I am called… | Literally “I call myself…”. |
| Jak se jmenujete? | /yak se YME-nu-ye-te/ | What is your name? | Formal. |
| Jak se jmenuješ? | /yak se YME-nu-yesh/ | What is your name? | Informal. |
| Jsem z… | /ysem z/ | I am from… | Preposition ‘z’ takes Genitive case. |
| Francouz | /FRAN-tsohz/ | Frenchman | Masculine noun. |
| Francouzka | /FRAN-tsohz-ka/ | Frenchwoman | Feminine noun. |
| Angličan | /anglichan/ | Englishman | Masculine noun. |
| Angličanka | /anglichanka/ | Englishwoman | Feminine noun. |
| Čech | /check/ | Czech man | Masculine noun. |
| Češka | /cheshka/ | Czech woman | Feminine noun. |
| můj (m) | /mooy/ | my | Masculine singular Nominative. Declines for gender/case. |
| moje (f/n) | /MO-ye/ | my | Feminine/Neuter singular Nominative. Declines for gender/case. |
| tvůj (m) | /tvooy/ | your | Informal masculine singular Nominative. Declines for gender/case. |
| tvoje (f/n) | /TWO-ye/ | your | Informal feminine/neuter singular Nominative. Declines for gender/case. |
| jeho | /ye-ho/ | his | Invariable (does not change for gender/case). |
| její | /yey-ee/ | her | Invariable (does not change for gender/case). |
| náš | /naash/ | our | Declines for gender/case. |
| váš | /vaash/ | your | Formal/plural. Declines for gender/case. |
| jejich | /yey-ikh/ | their | Invariable. |
| student | /STU-dent/ | student | Masculine noun. |
| bratr | /BRA-tr/ | brother | Masculine noun. |
| kamarád (m) | /KA-ma-raad/ | friend (male) | Masculine noun. |
| kamarádka (f) | /KA-ma-raad-ka/ | friend (female) | Feminine noun. |
| rodina | /RO-di-na/ | family | Feminine noun. |
| žena | /ZHE-na/ | woman / wife | Feminine noun. |
| muž | /moozh/ | man / husband | Masculine noun. |
| pan | /pan/ | Mr. / gentleman | Masculine noun. |
| paní | /PA-nee/ | Mrs. / lady | Feminine noun. |
| Petr | /PETR/ | Petr (name) | Masculine name. |
| Pavel | /PA-vel/ | Pavel (name) | Masculine name. |
| Jana | /YA-na/ | Jana (name) | Feminine name. |
| Marie | /MA-ri-ye/ | Marie (name) | Feminine name. |
Food & Drink
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| káva | /KAA-va/ | coffee | Feminine noun. Accusative: kávu. |
| pivo | /PI-vo/ | beer | Neuter noun. Accusative: pivo. |
| voda | /VO-da/ | water | Feminine noun. Accusative: vodu. |
| chléb | /HLEB/ | bread | Masculine inanimate noun. Accusative: chléb. |
| sýr | /seer/ | cheese | Masculine inanimate noun. Accusative: sýr. |
| polévka | /PO-lev-ka/ | soup | Feminine noun. Accusative: polévku. |
| jídelní lístek | /YEE-del-nee LEES-tek/ | menu | Literally “eating list.” |
| večeřet | /VE-che-rzhet/ | to have dinner | Imperfective verb. |
| obědvat | /O-byed-vat/ | to have lunch | Imperfective verb. |
| snídat | /SNEE-dat/ | to have breakfast | Imperfective verb. |
| jídlo | /YEED-lo/ | food | Neuter noun. |
Travel & Directions
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francie | /FRAN-tsi-ye/ | France | Feminine noun. |
| Anglie | /AN-gli-ye/ | England | Feminine noun. |
| Česká republika | /CHES-kaa re-PU-bli-ka/ | Czech Republic | Feminine noun. |
| Praha | /PRA-ha/ | Prague | Feminine noun. Locative: Praze. |
| Kde? | /Gde/ | Where? | For location (where you are). |
| Kde je…? | /GDE ye/ | Where is…? | |
| Tady | /TA-di/ | Here | |
| Tam | /TAM/ | There | |
| toaleta | /TO-a-le-ta/ | toilet | Feminine noun. |
| restaurace | /RES-tow-ra-tse/ | restaurant | Feminine noun. Locative: restauraci. |
| nádraží | /NAAD-ra-zhee/ | train station | Neuter noun. Locative: nádraží. |
| náměstí | /NAAM-nyes-tyee/ | square (city) | Neuter noun. Locative: náměstí. |
| hotel | /HO-tel/ | hotel | Masculine noun. Locative: hotelu. |
| kavárna | /KA-vaar-na/ | cafe | Feminine noun. Locative: kavárně. |
| obchod | /OP-khot/ | shop / store | Masculine noun. |
| supermarket | /SU-per-mar-ket/ | supermarket | Masculine noun. |
| trh | /trkh/ | market | Masculine noun. |
| domů | /DO-moh/ | home | Directional (“to home”). |
| rovně | /ROV-nyeh/ | straight | |
| jít rovně | /yeet ROV-nyeh/ | to go straight | Imperfective verb phrase. |
| jděte rovně | /YDYET-e ROV-nyeh/ | go straight | Formal/plural imperative. |
| jdi rovně | /ydi ROV-nyeh/ | go straight | Informal imperative. |
| doleva | /DO-le-va/ | to the left | |
| doprava | /DO-pra-va/ | to the right | |
| odbočit doleva/doprava | /OD-bo-chit DO-le-va/DO-pra-va/ | to turn left/right | Perfective verb phrase. |
| blízko | /BLEEZ-ko/ | near / close | |
| daleko | /DA-le-ko/ | far | |
| ulice | /OO-li-tse/ | street | Feminine noun. |
| most | /most/ | bridge | Masculine noun. |
| semafor | /SE-ma-for/ | traffic light | Masculine noun. |
| cesta | /TSES-ta/ | road / way | Feminine noun. |
| letiště | /LE-tish-tye/ | airport | Neuter noun. |
| autobusové nádraží | /OW-to-boo-so-ve NAAD-ra-zhee/ | bus station | Neuter noun. |
| taxi | /TAK-si/ | taxi | Neuter noun. |
| vlak | /vlak/ | train | Masculine noun. |
Numbers, Time, & Dates
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| nula | /NOO-la/ | zero | |
| jedna | /YED-na/ | one | |
| dva | /dva/ | two | |
| tři | /trzhee/ | three | |
| čtyři | /CHTI-rzhi/ | four | |
| pět | /pyet/ | five | |
| šest | /shest/ | six | |
| sedm | /sedm/ | seven | |
| osm | /osm/ | eight | |
| devět | /DE-vyet/ | nine | |
| deset | /DE-set/ | ten | |
| jedenáct | /YE-de-naatst/ | eleven | |
| dvanáct | /DVA-naatst/ | twelve | |
| třináct | /TRZHI-naatst/ | thirteen | |
| čtrnáct | /CHTR-naatst/ | fourteen | |
| patnáct | /PAT-naatst/ | fifteen | |
| šestnáct | /SHES-naatst/ | sixteen | |
| sedmnáct | /SED-mnaatst/ | seventeen | |
| osmnáct | /OSM-naatst/ | eighteen | |
| devatenáct | /DE-va-te-naatst/ | nineteen | |
| dvacet | /DVA-tset/ | twenty | |
| třicet | /TRZHI-tset/ | thirty | |
| čtyřicet | /CHTI-rzhi-tset/ | forty | |
| padesát | /PA-de-saat/ | fifty | |
| šedesát | /SHE-de-saat/ | sixty | |
| sedmdesát | /SED-mde-saat/ | seventy | |
| osmdesát | /OSM-de-saat/ | eighty | |
| devadesát | /DE-va-de-saat/ | ninety | |
| sto | /sto/ | one hundred | |
| Kolik je hodin? | /KO-lik ye HO-din/ | What time is it? | |
| Je X hodin. | /Ye X HO-din/ | It’s X o’clock. | For exact hours. |
| ráno | /RAA-no/ | morning / in the morning | |
| dopoledne | /DO-po-led-ne/ | late morning / forenoon | |
| poledne | /PO-led-ne/ | noon | “v poledne” (at noon). |
| odpoledne | /OD-po-led-ne/ | afternoon / in the afternoon | |
| večer | /VE-cher/ | evening / in the evening | |
| noc | /nots/ | night | “v noci” (at night). |
| včera | /VCHE-ra/ | yesterday | |
| předevčírem | /PRE-dev-chee-rem/ | the day before yesterday | |
| zítra | /ZEE-tra/ | tomorrow | |
| pozítří | /PO-zee-trzhee/ | the day after tomorrow | |
| minulý týden | /MI-noo-lee TEE-den/ | last week | |
| minulý rok | /MI-noo-lee rok/ | last year | |
| příští týden | /PRZHEESH-tyee TEE-den/ | next week | |
| příští rok | /PRZHEESH-tyee rok/ | next year | |
| minuta | /MI-noo-ta/ | minute | |
| hodina | /HO-di-na/ | hour / o’clock | |
| sekunda | /SE-koon-da/ | second | |
| půl | /pool/ | half | Used in time for “half past X” (e.g., půl páté = 4:30). |
| čtvrt | /CHTVRT/ | quarter | Used in time for “quarter past X” (e.g., čtvrt na osm = 7:15). |
| třičtvrtě | /TRZHI-ch-tvrt-ye/ | three quarters | Used in time for “quarter to X” (e.g., třičtvrtě na osm = 7:45). |
Emotions & Common Adjectives
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| unavený/unavená/unavené | /u-NA-ve-ni/u-NA-ve-naa/u-NA-ve-ne/ | tired | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| dobrý/dobrá/dobré | /DO-bree/DO-braa/DO-bre/ | good | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| velký/velká/velké | /VEL-kee/VEL-kaa/VEL-ke/ | big / large | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| malý/malá/malé | /MA-lee/MA-laa/MA-le/ | small / little | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| nový/nová/nové | /NO-vee/NO-vaa/NO-ve/ | new | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| starý/stará/staré | /STA-ree/STA-raa/STA-re/ | old | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| krásný/krásná/krásné | /KRAAS-nee/KRAAS-naa/KRAAS-ne/ | beautiful | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| drahý/drahá/drahé | /DRA-hee/DRA-haa/DRA-he/ | expensive | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| levný/levná/levné | /LEV-nee/LEV-naa/LEV-ne/ | cheap | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| chutný/chutná/chutné | /KHOOT-nee/KHOOT-naa/KHOOT-ne/ | tasty / delicious | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| zajímavý/zajímavá/zajímavé | /ZAY-ee-ma-vee/ZAY-ee-ma-vaa/ZAY-ee-ma-ve/ | interesting | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| nudný/nudná/nudné | /NOOD-nee/NOOD-naa/NOOD-ne/ | boring | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| špatný/špatná/špatné | /SHPAT-nee/SHPAT-naa/SHPAT-ne/ | bad | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| hořký/hořká/hořké | /HORSCH-kee/HORSCH-kaa/HORSCH-ke/ | bitter | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| milý/milá/milé | /MI-lee/MI-laa/MI-le/ | kind / nice | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| šťastný/šťastná/šťastné | /SHTYAST-nee/SHTYAST-naa/SHTYAST-ne/ | happy | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| smutný/smutná/smutné | /SMOOT-nee/SMOOT-naa/SMOOT-ne/ | sad | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. |
| hladový/hladová/hladové | /HLA-do-vi/HLA-do-vaa/HLA-do-ve/ | hungry | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. Used with být (jsem hladový). |
| žíznivý/žíznivá/žíznivé | /ZHEEZ-ni-vi/ZHEEZ-ni-vaa/ZHEEZ-ni-ve/ | thirsty | Masculine/Feminine/Neuter forms. Used with být (jsem žíznivý). |
Verbs: Essential Actions
| Czech Verb (Infinitive) | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| být | /beet/ | to be | Irregular verb. See conjugation table. |
| bydlet | /BID-let/ | to live / to reside | Imperfective. Conjugates like bydlím. |
| chtít | /kh-teet/ | to want | Irregular modal verb. See conjugation table. |
| číst | /cheest/ | to read | Imperfective. Past participle: četl/četla. |
| dát (perfective) | /daat/ | to give (a single act) | Perfective pair of dávat. Takes Dative. |
| dávat (imperfective) | /DAA-vat/ | to give (habitual/ongoing) | Imperfective pair of dát. Takes Dative. |
| dělat | /DYE-lat/ | to do / to make | Imperfective. Conjugates like dělám. |
| děkovat | /DYE-ko-vat/ | to thank | Takes Dative. |
| jíst | /yeest/ | to eat | Imperfective. Past participle: jedl/jedla. |
| jít | /yeet/ | to go (by foot) | Imperfective. Past participle: šel/šla. Future: půjdu (perfective). |
| jmenovat se | /yme-NO-vat se/ | to be called | Reflexive verb. |
| kupovat (imperfective) | /KOO-po-vat/ | to buy (habitual) | Imperfective pair of koupit. |
| koupit (perfective) | /KOW-pit/ | to buy (a single act) | Perfective pair of kupovat. |
| líbit se | /LEE-bit se/ | to like / to be pleasing to | Takes Dative for the person who likes. |
| mít | /meet/ | to have | Irregular. Conjugates like mám. |
| mít rád/ráda | /meet raad/raa/ | to like | Used for general preferences for things/activities. rád if male, ráda if female. Takes Accusative. |
| mluvit | /MLU-vit/ | to speak | Imperfective. Conjugates like mluvím. |
| moci | /mo-tsi/ | to be able to / can | Irregular modal verb. See conjugation table. |
| muset | /mu-set/ | to have to / must | Irregular modal verb. See conjugation table. |
| napsat (perfective) | /NAP-sat/ | to write down / finish writing | Perfective pair of psát. |
| platit | /PLA-tit/ | to pay | Imperfective. |
| pít | /peet/ | to drink | Imperfective. Past participle: pil/pila. |
| pomoct (perfective) | /PO-motst/ | to help (a single act) | Perfective pair of pomáhat. Takes Dative. |
| pomoci (imperfective) | /PO-mo-tsi/ | to help (habitual/ongoing) | Imperfective pair of pomoct. Takes Dative. |
| pracovat | /PRA-tso-vat/ | to work | Imperfective. Conjugates like pracuji. |
| promluvit (perfective) | /PRO-mlu-vit/ | to speak (briefly/once) | Perfective pair of mluvit. |
| psát (imperfective) | /psaat/ | to write | Imperfective pair of napsat. |
| půjdu (perfective future) | /POOY-doo/ | I will go (by foot, once) | Perfective future of jít. |
| pršet | /PR-shet/ | to rain | Impersonal verb (Prší - It’s raining). |
| rozumět | /RO-zoo-myet/ | to understand | Imperfective. Conjugates like rozumím. |
| sejdeme se | /SEY-de-me se/ | we will meet | Perfective verb. |
| sněžit | /SNYE-zhit/ | to snow | Impersonal verb (Sněží - It’s snowing). |
| sníst (perfective) | /sneest/ | to eat up / finish eating | Perfective pair of jíst. |
| spát | /spaat/ | to sleep | Imperfective. Past participle: spal/spala. |
| stát | /staat/ | to cost / to stand | Irregular. Kolik to stojí? (How much does it cost?). |
| studovat | /STU-do-vat/ | to study | Imperfective. |
| telefonovat (imperfective) | /TE-le-fo-no-vat/ | to call (on phone) | Imperfective pair of zatelefonovat. |
| udělat (perfective) | /OO-dye-lat/ | to do / finish doing | Perfective pair of dělat. |
| učit se | /OO-chit se/ | to study / to learn | Reflexive verb. |
| vstávat | /VSTAA-vat/ | to wake up / get up | Imperfective. |
| vypít (perfective) | /VI-peet/ | to drink up / finish drinking | Perfective pair of pít. |
| vezmu si… | /VEZ-moo si/ | I’ll take… | Useful phrase for purchasing. |
| vidět | /VID-yet/ | to see | Imperfective. Past participle: viděl/viděla. |
| zatelefonovat (perfective) | /ZA-te-le-fo-no-vat/ | to make a phone call | Perfective pair of telefonovat. |
| zůstat | /ZOO-stat/ | to stay | Perfective. |
Questions & Sentence Starters
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Co? | /Tso/ | What? | Declines for case. |
| Co je to? | /tso ye to/ | What is it? | |
| Co děláš? | /tso DYE-laash/ | What are you doing? | Informal. |
| Jak? | /yak/ | How? | |
| Jak se dostanu na…? | /yak se DOS-ta-noo na/ | How do I get to…? | |
| Jaké máš číslo? | /YA-ke maash CHEES-lo/ | What’s your number? | Informal. |
| Kam? | /kam/ | Where to? | For destination (direction). |
| Kde? | /Gde/ | Where? | For location (where you are). |
| Kdo? | /Gdo/ | Who? | Declines for case. |
| Kdy? | /Gdi/ | When? | |
| Kolik? | /KO-lik/ | How much/many? | |
| Kolik je hodin? | /KO-lik ye HO-din/ | What time is it? | |
| Kolik to stojí? | /KO-lik to STOY-ee/ | How much does it cost? | |
| Který/Která/Které? | /KTE-ree/KTE-raa/KTE-re/ | Which? | Agrees in gender and case. |
| Odkud? | /OD-kood/ | From where? | For origin. |
| Proč? | /PROCH/ | Why? | |
| Takže… | /TAK-zhe/ | So… / Well… | Common conversational filler. |
| No tak… | /No tak/ | Well then… | Common conversational filler. |
| No jo. | /No yo/ | Oh right. / Yeah. | Expresses understanding or agreement. |
| Je to daleko? | /Ye to DA-le-ko/ | Is it far? | |
| Je to blízko? | /Ye to BLEEZ-ko/ | Is it close? | |
| Je to super! | /Ye to SOO-per/ | That’s super! | Informal, enthusiastic. |
| To zní dobře! | /To znee DOBR-zhe/ | That sounds good! | |
| Co nového? | /Tso NO-ve-ho/ | What’s new? | |
| Nic moc. | /Nits mots/ | Not much. | Common response to “Co nového?” |
Grammar Function Words (Prepositions, Conjunctions, etc.)
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | /a/ | and | Conjunction. |
| ale | /A-le/ | but | Conjunction. |
| bez | /bez/ | without | Preposition. Takes Genitive case. |
| do | /do/ | into / to (destination) | Preposition. Takes Genitive case. |
| i když | /i gdyzh/ | even though | Conjunction. |
| jestli | /YES-tli/ | if | Conjunction. For specific future/conditional. |
| k / ke | /k/ / /ke/ | to / towards (person/place) | Preposition. Takes Dative case. ‘ke’ before words starting with ‘k’ or ‘g’ or ‘h’. |
| když | /gdyzh/ | when / if | Conjunction. For habitual/general actions or conditions. |
| kolem | /KO-lem/ | around / past | Preposition. Takes Genitive case. |
| mezi | /ME-zi/ | between / among | Preposition. Takes Instrumental case. |
| na | /na/ | on / at (Locative) / to / onto (Accusative) | Preposition. Takes Locative (location) or Accusative (direction). |
| naproti | /NA-pro-ti/ | opposite | Preposition. Takes Dative case. |
| nebo | /NE-bo/ | or | Conjunction. |
| od | /od/ | from (person/place) | Preposition. Takes Genitive case. |
| po | /po/ | after / around | Preposition. Can take different cases depending on meaning. (e.g., po Praze - around Prague, Locative). |
| před | /przhet/ | in front of / before | Preposition. Takes Instrumental case. |
| pro | /pro/ | for | Preposition. Takes Accusative case. |
| proto | /PRO-to/ | therefore / that’s why | Conjunction. |
| protože | /PRO-to-zhe/ | because | Conjunction. |
| přes | /przhes/ | across / over | Preposition. Takes Accusative case. |
| s / se | /s/ / /se/ | with | Preposition. Takes Instrumental case. ‘se’ before words starting with ‘s’, ‘z’, ‘š’, ‘ž’. |
| takže | /TAK-zhe/ | so / therefore | Conjunction. |
| u | /oo/ | at / by | Preposition. Takes Genitive case (often looks like Nominative for some nouns). |
| v / ve | /v/ / /ve/ | in / at | Preposition. Takes Locative case. ‘ve’ before words starting with ‘v’ or ‘f’. |
| za | /za/ | behind / for (price) | Preposition. Takes Instrumental case (behind) or Accusative (for price). |
| z / ze | /z/ / /ze/ | from (out of) | Preposition. Takes Genitive case. ‘ze’ before words starting with ‘s’, ‘z’, ‘š’, ‘ž’. |
| že | /zhe/ | that | Conjunction (e.g., “I know that…”). |
| žádný/žádná/žádné | /ZHAAD-nee/ZHAAD-naa/ZHAAD-ne/ | no / none | Adjective. Used with nouns in Genitive for “no X”. |
Everyday Phrases
| Czech Word / Phrase | Phonetic Transcription | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ano, jsem. | /A-no, ysem/ | Yes, I am. | Simple affirmative response. |
| Ne, nejsem. | /Ne, NEY-sem/ | No, I am not. | Simple negative response. |
| Možná. | /MOZH-naa/ | Maybe. | |
| Dnes je krásně. | /Dnes ye KRAAS-nyeh/ | It’s beautiful today. | |
| Je slunečno. | /Ye SLU-nech-no/ | It’s sunny. | |
| Je zataženo. | /Ye ZA-ta-zhe-no/ | It’s cloudy. | |
| Prší. | /PR-shee/ | It’s raining. | |
| Sněží. | /SNYE-zhee/ | It’s snowing. | |
| Moc hezký/á/é! | /Mots HEZ-kee/kaa/ke/ | Very nice! / Pretty! | Agrees with noun gender. |
| To je super! | /To ye SOO-per/ | That’s super! | Informal, enthusiastic. |
| Co děláš obvykle ráno? | /Tso DYE-laash OB-vik-le RAA-no/ | What do you usually do in the morning? | Informal. |
| Ráno vstávám v sedm hodin. | /RAA-no VSTAA-vaam v SE-dum HO-din/ | In the morning I wake up at seven o’clock. | |
| Pak snídám. | /pak SNEE-daam/ | Then I have breakfast. | |
| V devět hodin jdu do práce. | /v DE-vyet HO-din ydoo do PRAA-tse/ | At nine o’clock I go to work. | |
| Obědvám v poledne. | /O-byed-vaam v PO-led-ne/ | I have lunch at noon. | |
| Večer čtu knihu a pak jdu spát. | /VE-cher ch-too KNI-hoo a pak ydoo spaat/ | In the evening I read a book and then I go to sleep. | |
| To je… | /To ye/ | It is… / That is… | For identifying objects. |
| Kolik to stojí? | /KO-lik to STOY-ee/ | How much does it cost? | |
| Vezmu si ji. | /VEZ-moo si yi/ | I’ll take it. | For purchasing. |
| Vezmu si ho. | /VEZ-moo si ho/ | I’ll take him/it. | For purchasing (masculine animate/inanimate). |
| Vezmu si to. | /VEZ-moo si to/ | I’ll take it. | For purchasing (neuter). |
| Jsi milý/milá. | /si MI-lee/MI-laa/ | You are kind (m/f). | Informal. |
| Tady je váš chléb. | /TA-di ye VAASH HLEB/ | Here is your bread. | Formal. |
| Hned to bude. | /hnet to BU-de/ | It will be ready soon. | Common phrase. |
| To je super! | /To ye SOO-per/ | That’s super! | Informal, enthusiastic. |
| To zní dobře! | /To znee DOBR-zhe/ | That sounds good! | |
| V kolik hodin se potkáme? | /v KO-lik HO-din se POT-kaa-me/ | At what time will we meet? | |
| Co budeš dělat o víkendu? | /Tso BOO-desh DYE-lat o VEE-ken-doo/ | What will you do on the weekend? | Informal. |
| Nic moc. | /Nits mots/ | Not much. | Common response. |
| Mám čas. | /Maam chas/ | I have time. | |
| Nemám čas. | /NE-maam chas/ | I don’t have time. | |
| Jsem doma. | /ysem DO-ma/ | I am at home. | |
| Jdu! | /Ydoo/ | I’m coming! | |
| Tudy! | /TU-di/ | This way! | |
| Za rohem. | /za RO-hem/ | Around the corner. | |
| Dnes. | /dnes/ | Today. | |
| Zítra. | /ZEE-tra/ | Tomorrow. | |
| Včera. | /VCHE-ra/ | Yesterday. | |
| Mám hlad. | /Maam hlad/ | I am hungry (lit. I have hunger). | Common alternative to Jsem hladový. |
| Mám žízeň. | /Maam zhee-zyen/ | I am thirsty (lit. I have thirst). | Common alternative to Jsem žíznivý. |
| Mám zimu. | /Maam zi-moo/ | I am cold (lit. I have cold). | Common alternative to Je mi zima. |
| Mám teplo. | /Maam tep-lo/ | I am warm (lit. I have warmth). | |
| Jak se máš? | /yak se MAASH/ | How are you? | Informal. |
| Jak se máte? | /yak se MAA-te/ | How are you? | Formal/plural. |
| Dobře. | /DOB-rzhe/ | Well. / Fine. | |
| Špatně. | /SHPAT-nyeh/ | Badly. / Not well. | |
| A co ty? | /A tso ti/ | And what about you? | Informal. |
| A co Vy? | /A tso vi/ | And what about you? | Formal. |
| Je mi zima. | /Ye mi ZI-ma/ | I am cold (lit. It is cold to me). | Common expression. |
| Je mi teplo. | /Ye mi TEP-lo/ | I am warm (lit. It is warm to me). | Common expression. |
| Bolí mě hlava. | /BO-lee myeh HLA-va/ | My head hurts (lit. Head hurts me). | Common expression. |
| Mám rád/a. | /maam raad/raa/ | I like. | See “Emotions & Common Adjectives” for full usage. |
| Líbí se mi. | /LEE-bee se mi/ | I like (it pleases me). | See “Emotions & Common Adjectives” for full usage. |
| Chci jíst. | /kh-tsi yeest/ | I want to eat. | |
| Můžu mi pomoct? | /MOO-zhoo mi PO-motst/ | Can I help? | |
| Musím jít. | /MOO-seem yeet/ | I must go. | |
| Dnes je krásně, že ano? | /Dnes ye KRAAS-nyeh, zhe A-no/ | It’s beautiful today, isn’t it? | |
| Ty šaty jsou moc hezké! | /Ti SHA-ti sow mots HEZ-ke/ | That dress is very nice! | |
| Vím, že… | /Veem, zhe/ | I know that… | |
| Je to pro tebe. | /Ye to pro TE-be/ | It’s for you (informal). | |
| Jdu do kina. | /Ydoo do KI-na/ | I’m going to the cinema. | |
| Jdu na kávu. | /Ydoo na KAA-voo/ | I’m going for coffee. | |
| To je kniha mého bratra. | /To ye KNI-ha ME-ho BRA-tra/ | That is my brother’s book. | Example of Genitive for possession. |
| Není tady vody. | /NYE-nee TA-di VO-di/ | There is no water here. | Example of Genitive for absence. |
| Pavle! | /PAV-le/ | Pavel! | Example of Vocative. |
| Paní Nováková! | /PA-nee NO-vaa-ko-vaa/ | Mrs. Nováková! | Example of Vocative. |
| Jsem unavený. | /ysem U-na-ve-ni/ | I am tired (m). | |
| Jsem unavená. | /ysem U-na-ve-naa/ | I am tired (f). | |
| Jsem doma. | /ysem DO-ma/ | I am at home. | |
| Jdeme na pivo. | /YDE-me na PI-vo/ | Let’s go for a beer. | |
| V kolik hodin? | /v KO-lik HO-din/ | At what time? | |
| V neděli. | /v NE-dye-li/ | On Sunday. | |
| Dnes večer. | /dnes VE-cher/ | Tonight. | |
| V pátek. | /v PAA-tek/ | On Friday. | |
| V sobotu. | /v SO-bo-too/ | On Saturday. | |
| V neděli. | /v NE-dye-li/ | On Sunday. | |
| V pondělí. | /v PON-dye-lee/ | On Monday. | |
| V úterý. | /v OO-te-ree/ | On Tuesday. | |
| Ve středu. | /ve STRZHE-doo/ | On Wednesday. | |
| Ve čtvrtek. | /ve CHTVR-tek/ | On Thursday. | |
| V pátek. | /v PAA-tek/ | On Friday. | |
| V sobotu. | /v SO-bo-too/ | On Saturday. | |
| V neděli. | /v NE-dye-li/ | On Sunday. | |
| Víkend. | /VEE-kend/ | Weekend. | |
| Co budeš dělat? | /tso BOO-desh DYE-lat/ | What will you do? | Informal. |
| Co budete dělat? | /tso BOO-de-te DYE-lat/ | What will you do? | Formal/plural. |
| To je… | /To ye/ | It is… / That is… | For identifying objects. |
| Tohle. | /TO-hle/ | This one / This thing. | Informal, common. |
| Tamtohle. | /TAM-to-hle/ | That one / That thing. | Informal, common. |
| Líbí se mi tato kniha. | /LEE-bee se mi TA-to KNI-ha/ | I like this book. | |
| Líbí se ti Praha? | /LEE-bee se ti PRA-ha/ | Do you like Prague? | Informal. |
| Mám rád kávu. | /Maam raad KAA-voo/ | I (m) like coffee. | |
| Mám ráda kávu. | /Maam raa-da KAA-voo/ | I (f) like coffee. | |
| Nemám rád/a pivo. | /NE-maam raad/raa PI-vo/ | I don’t like beer (m/f). | |
| Můžete mi pomoct? | /MOO-zhe-te mi PO-motst/ | Can you help me? | Formal. |
| Můžeš mi pomoct? | /MOO-zhesh mi PO-motst/ | Can you help me? | Informal. |
| Chcete kávu? | /KHTSE-te KAA-voo/ | Do you want coffee? | Formal. |
| Chceš kávu? | /KHTSESh KAA-voo/ | Do you want coffee? | Informal. |
| Dáte si pivo? | /DAA-te si PI-vo/ | Will you have a beer? | Formal/polite offer. |
| Dáš si pivo? | /DAASH si PI-vo/ | Will you have a beer? | Informal/polite offer. |
| Nesmím rušit? | /NES-meem ROO-shit/ | Am I disturbing? | Polite entry phrase. |
| Dnes je krásně, že ano? | /Dnes ye KRAAS-nyeh, zhe A-no/ | It’s beautiful today, isn’t it? | |
| Ty šaty jsou moc hezké! | /Ti SHA-ti sow mots HEZ-ke/ | That dress is very nice! | |
| Takže, co nového? | /TAK-zhe, tso NO-ve-ho/ | So, what’s new? | |
| Nic moc. | /Nits mots/ | Not much. | |
| A co ty? | /A tso ti/ | And what about you? | Informal. |
| A co vy? | /A tso vi/ | And what about you? | Formal. |
| Vím, že mluvíš česky. | /Veem, zhe MLU-veesh CHES-ki/ | I know that you speak Czech. | |
| Jsem unavený, ale musím pracovat. | /ysem OO-na-ve-ni, A-le MOO-seem PRA-tso-vat/ | I am tired, but I have to work. | |
| Jsem doma, protože jsem unavený. | /ysem DO-ma, PRO-to-zhe ysem OO-na-ve-ni/ | I am at home because I am tired. | |
| Když mám čas, čtu knihy. | /Gdyzh maam chas, ch-too KNI-hi/ | When I have time, I read books. | |
| Jestli bude pršet, zůstaneme doma. | /YES-tli BOO-de PR-shet, ZOO-sta-ne-me DO-ma/ | If it rains, we will stay at home. | |
| Vím, že mluvíš česky. | /Veem, zhe MLU-veesh CHES-ki/ | I know that you speak Czech. | |
| Jsem bez peněz. | /ysem bez PE-nyez/ | I am without money. | |
| Jdu s kamarádem. | /Ydoo s KA-ma-raa-dem/ | I am going with a friend (m). | |
| Jede autobusem. | /YE-de OW-to-boo-sem/ | He goes by bus. | |
| Jí lžící. | /Yee LZHEE-tsee/ | She eats with a spoon. | |
| Včera jsem pracoval. | /VCHE-ra ysem PRA-tso-val/ | Yesterday I worked (m). | |
| Včera četla knihu. | /VCHE-ra CHET-la KNI-hoo/ | Yesterday she read a book. | |
| Byli jsme doma. | /BI-li ysme DO-ma/ | We were at home. | |
| Zítra budu studovat. | /ZEE-tra BOO-doo STU-do-vat/ | Tomorrow I will study. | |
| Bude obědvat. | /BOO-de O-byed-vat/ | She will have lunch. | |
| Půjdeme do kina. | /POOY-de-me do KI-na/ | We will go to the cinema. | |
| Kdo je tam? | /Gdo ye tam/ | Who is there? | |
| Kdy přijedeš? | /Gdi PRZHI-ye-desh/ | When will you arrive? | |
| Proč čteš knihu? | /PROCH ch-tesh KNI-hoo/ | Why are you reading a book? | |
| Kolik je teď hodin? | /KO-lik ye tyet HO-din/ | What time is it now? | |
| V kolik hodin vstáváš? | /v KO-lik HO-din VSTAA-vaash/ | At what time do you wake up? | |
| Co děláš večer? | /Tso DYE-laash VE-cher/ | What do you do in the evening? |