Czech is a language that dances between Slavic roots and a melody all its own. If you're just starting, these 150 words will be your bread and butter - or rather, your chléb a máslo. No fluff, just the essentials.
Greetings & Basics
- Ahoj – Hello (informal)
- Dobrý den – Good day (formal)
- Na shledanou – Goodbye
- Prosím – Please
- Děkuji – Thank you
Ahoj
[ˈaɦoj]“Hello”
Food & Drink
Czech cuisine is hearty, and so is the vocabulary. Here’s what you’ll need to order without pointing at the menu like a lost tourist:
- Pivo – Beer (yes, this is non-negotiable)
- Voda – Water
- Chléb – Bread
- Sýr – Cheese
- Káva – Coffee
Numbers 1–10
Because counting is useful, whether you’re bargaining at a market or pretending to understand the bill:
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Jeden | One |
| Dva | Two |
| Tři | Three |
| Čtyři | Four |
| Pět | Five |
Common Phrases
- Jak se máte? – How are you? (formal)
- Mluvíte anglicky? – Do you speak English?
- Kolik to stojí? – How much does it cost?
- Nerozumím – I don’t understand
For more conversational depth, check out our guide to Czech proverbs - because nothing impresses locals like dropping a bit of folk wisdom mid-chat.
Bonus: Quirky Words
Prozvonit
[ˈprozvoɲɪt]“To give a missed call”
Vrtět psem
/ˈvr̩cɛt ˈpsɛm/“Literally 'to wag the dog'”
And there you have it - 150 words to kickstart your Czech journey. For pronunciation help, our guide on mastering Czech sounds will save you from butchering 'ř' like the rest of us did at first.
