Written by local experts Adriana & Matěj
Adriana and Matěj Halouskovi are travel bloggers behind the successful blog Czech the World.
Matěj was born in Prague and has lived here his entire life and Adriana moved here more than 10 years ago.
We have traveled to more than 60 countries, but if we could tell you what place we know the most, it is our city.
Learning a handful of Czech words pays off the moment you step out of Prague Airport. Prague is tourist-friendly and most young people speak at least basic English, yet a polite “Dobrý den” at a café, or a clear “Prosím, jedno pivo” at the bar, melts the ice far faster than pointing and hoping.
Czech belongs to the Slavic language family, so its consonant clusters can look intimidating, but the pronunciation is surprisingly logical—each letter represents one sound and the stress almost always falls on the first syllable.
Below you’ll find the basic Czech phrases for tourists sorted by the situations in which you’re most likely to need them. Feel free to dip in and memorise just a few favourites; even that small effort earns big smiles from locals.
Essential Czech Greetings
| Czech | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Dobrý den | DOH‑bree den | Hello / good afternoon (formal) |
| Dobré ráno | DOH‑breh RAA‑no | Good morning |
| Dobré odpoledne | DOH‑breh ODP‑oh‑led‑neh | Good afternoon |
| Dobrý večer | DOH‑bree VE‑cher | Good evening |
| Dobrou noc | DOH‑broh NOTS | Good night |
| Na shledanou | NAH SKH‑le‑da‑noh | Good‑bye |
| Ahoj / Čau | ah‑HOY / chow | Hi / bye (informal) |
| Těší mě | TYEH‑shee mye | Nice to meet you |
Why it matters: A quick “Dobrý den” when you walk into a shop is cultural currency; Czechs consider silent entry borderline rude and service will be cooler until you correct it.
Polite Words & Core Responses
| Czech | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Prosím | PRO‑seem | Please / here you are / you’re welcome |
| Děkuji (vám) | DYE‑koo‑yi (vaam) | Thank you (to you) |
| Ano | AH‑no | Yes |
| Ne | Neh | No |
| S dovolením | s doh‑VO‑leh‑nyeem | Excuse me (let me pass) |
| Promiňte | pro‑MIN‑tye | Excuse me / sorry |
| Lituji | lee‑TOO‑yi | I’m sorry / I regret |
| Rozumím | ro‑ZOO‑meem | I understand |
| Nerozumím | neh‑ro‑ZOO‑meem | I don’t understand |
Basic Conversation
| Czech | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Jak se jmenujete? | yak se yme‑NOO‑ye‑te | What’s your name? (formal) |
| Jmenuji se … | yme‑NOO‑yi se … | My name is … |
| Jak se máte? | yak se MAH‑te? | How are you? |
| Děkuji, dobře, a vy? | DYE‑koo‑yi DOHB‑rzhe a vi? | Fine thanks, and you? |
| Mluvíte anglicky? | MLU‑vee‑te ANG‑lits‑kee? | Do you speak English? |
| Nemluvím česky. | NEH‑mloo‑veem CHES‑kee | I don’t speak Czech. |
| Prosím, napište to. | PRO‑seem na‑PEESH‑te toh | Please write it down. |
Restaurants Phrases
When you sit down in a hospoda (pub) or kavárna (café) the staff usually greet you with “Dobrý den, co si dáte?” (“Good day, what will you have?”). You can reply with simple noun phrases—full sentences aren’t necessary.
| Czech phrase | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Jedno pivo, prosím. | YED-noh PEE-voh PRO-seem | One beer, please. |
| Prosím si kávu s mlékem. | PRO-seem si KAA-voo s MLEH-kem | I’ll have a coffee with milk, please. |
| Účet, prosím. | OO-chet PRO-seem | The bill, please. |
| Kolik to stojí? | KO-lik toh STOH-yee? | How much does it cost? |
| Pane vrchní! | PA‑neh VRKH‑nyee! | Waiter! |
| Slečno! | SLECH‑no! | Waitress! / Miss! |
| Je tu obsazeno? | yeh too OB‑sa‑ze‑no? | Is this seat taken? |
| Kde jezáchod? | gdeh yeh ZAA‑khod? | Where is the bathroom? |
| Bez masa / bez lepku | bez MAH-sah / bez LEP-koo | Without meat / gluten-free |
Getting around town
Public transport announcements are bilingual these days, yet tickets, timetables and occasional ticket inspectors still rely on Czech. These phrases help with directions and emergencies:
| Czech phrase | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kde je … ? | gdeh yeh … ? | Where is … ? |
| Kde je zastávka tramvaje? | gdeh yeh za-STAHV-ka TRAM-va-yeh? | Where is the tram stop? |
| Potřebuji jízdenku. | po-TRZEH-boo-yi YEES-den-koo | I need a ticket. |
| Jedeme správně do centra? | YE-de-meh SPRAHV-nyeh doh TSEN-tra? | Are we going the right way to the centre? |
| Pomoc! | PO-mots! | Help! |
| Kde je směnárna? | gdeh yeh smye‑NAAR‑na? | Where’s the currency exchange? |
Shopping, prices & bargaining
Fixed prices dominate but Christmas markets and antique fairs allow gentle haggling. When you hear a price, confirm with “Dobře, vezmu si to.” (Alright, I’ll take it) or refuse politely: “Je to příliš drahé, děkuji.” – “It’s too expensive, thank you.” A final “Hezký den!” (Have a nice day!) as you leave the stall is always appreciated.
| Czech phrase | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kolik to stojí? | KO-lik toh STOH-yee? | How much is it? |
| Dobře, vezmu si to. | DOHB-zhe, VEZ-moo si toh. | Alright, I’ll take it. |
| Je to příliš drahé. | yeh toh PŘEE-leesh DRA-heh. | It’s too expensive. |
| Hezký den! | HEZ-kee den! | Have a nice day! |
Emergency phrases & medical needs
We hope you won’t need them, yet memorising or saving these can save crucial minutes:
| Czech phrase | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Pomoc! | PO-mots! | Help! |
| Zavolejte prosím záchranku! | za-VO-lay-te PRO-seem ZAA-khrahn-koo! | Call an ambulance, please! |
| Potřebuji doktora. | po-TRZEH-boo-yi DOK-to-ra. | I need a doctor. |
| Jsem alergický na penicilin. | ysem ah-LER-gits-kee nah pe-ni-tsee-leen. | I’m allergic to penicillin. |
| Kde je nejbližší lékárna? | gdeh yeh NAY-blee-zhee LAY-kaar-na? | Where is the nearest pharmacy? |
Emergency numbers are easy: 112 works EU-wide for any urgent help; 155 reaches ambulance directly; 158 is police, 150 are firefighters.
Numbers
| # | Czech word | Pronunciation (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | jedna | YED‑nah | |
| 2 | dvě | DVYEH | v = /ʋ/; the ě triggers a soft “ye” sound |
| 3 | tři | TRZHI | roll the r and add a soft “zh” |
| 4 | čtyři | CHTIH‑rzhi | “č” like ch in chocolate |
| 5 | pět | PYET | soft ě again |
| 6 | šest | SHEST | |
| 7 | sedm | SE‑dum | light, almost silent final m |
| 8 | osm | OH‑sum | first o short, stress on OH |
| 9 | devět | DEH‑vyet | |
| 10 | deset | DEH‑set | |
| 20 | dvacet | DVA‑tset | literally “two‑ten” in Slavic logic |
| 30 | třicet | TRZHI‑tset | “three‑ten” |
| 50 | padesát | PA‑de‑saht | long á at the end |
| 100 | sto | STOH | short, single syllable |
| 1 000 | tisíc | TEE‑seets | stress still on first syllable |
| 10 000 | deset tisíc | DEH‑set TEE‑seets | literally “ten thousand” |
Pronunciation cheat-sheet
| Letter | Sound | Example word | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| á, é, í, ó, ú, ý | long vowels | káva, táta | Hold ½ beat longer. |
| č | ch in “chocolate” | čaj (tea) | |
| ř | rolled r + zh | Dvořák | Unique; approximate with zh. |
| š | sh | šunka (ham) | |
| ž | zh | žena (woman) |
Czech stresses the first syllable: “Prosím” sounds like PRO-seem, not pro-SEEM.
Final word for Czech Phrases for tourists
Czechs don’t expect perfect grammar—just respectful effort. Opening every interaction with “Dobrý den”, adding “prosím” and closing with “děkuji” will smooth nearly every exchange, whether you’re navigating the metro, ordering Svíčková or asking for directions to the next castle tower.
Save this page offline, practise a few phrases on the plane and watch the city open up in ways that monolingual tourists never notice. Vítejte v Praze! — Welcome to Prague!
Practical Tips for Prague from Locals
Maps we have created for you:
We’ve created detailed maps featuring the best sights, hidden gems, recommended places to stay, itineraries, and more — all based on our own local experience. We hope they’ll help you plan an unforgettable trip to our beautiful hometown. Check our maps on this page.
How to save money on currency exchange:
We highly recommend getting a Revolut card — it’s one of the best travel debit cards out there. We’ve been using it for over 10 years and it has already saved us thousands of euros.
Where to stay in Prague (Our Picks):
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | |
| City Center | Metropolitan | River View | Dancing House |
| Budget | Pension Akát | Czech Inn | AirBnb |
| Rooftop | Wenceslas Square | Metropolitan | Dancing House |
| Parks & Cafés | Hotel Orion | Anna Hotel | Libero Residence |
| Luxury | Grand Hotel Bohemia | Alchymist | KINGS COURT |
Best Guided Tours in Prague (Our Picks):
- Essential for first-timers: Top Sights & Historic Center Introduction Tour
- Jewish Quarter: Jewish Quarter Walking Tour
- Hidden Gems: Hidden Gems Walking Tour with Local Guide
- Bike Tour: Complete City Bike Tour
- Food Tour: Guided Street-Food Stalls Walk (with tastings)
- Beer Tour: Prague Microbrewery Tour
Discover Prague like a local
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Why travellers love it:
Local spots you won’t find in guidebooks
Offline map — no roaming, no stress
Smart itineraries for short city breaks
Money-saving & safety tips included
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