Czech Greetings & First Phrases
Ten phrases carry a whole first conversation. Czech, like its Slavic neighbours, splits them into two registers: informal (ty — friends, family, people your age) and formal (vy — strangers, shops, anyone older). Choose the right one and you already sound polite.
If any spelling below looks alarming, spend ten minutes with Czech sounds & spelling first — the háčky (č, š, ž), the famous ř, and first-syllable stress make Czech read very regularly once you know them.
Saying Hello
| Czech | Sounds like | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Ahoj! | AH-hoy | Hi! — friends and people your age (also 'bye') |
| Dobrý den! | DOB-ree den | Good day — always safe, the default |
| Dobré ráno! | DOB-reh RAH-no | Good morning — early only |
| Dobrý večer! | DOB-ree VE-cher | Good evening |
| Čau! | chow | Hi / bye — very casual, borrowed from Italian ciao |
Dobrý den is your default. It works at the bakery, at the office, with your landlord, and with your friend's grandmother. When in doubt, dobrý den.
Dobrý den! Rád vás vidím.
Good day! Nice to see you.
Note: Rád vás vidím uses vás — the formal 'you'. More on ty vs vy below.
Please, Thank You, Sorry
| Czech | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Prosím | Please / Here you are / You're welcome | One word, three jobs |
| Děkuji | Thank you | Casual short form: díky (thanks) |
| Promiňte | Sorry / Excuse me | Also to get someone's attention (formal) |
| Ano / Ne | Yes / No | Casual 'yes' is jo |
| Není zač | You're welcome (lit. there's nothing to thank for) | |
| Na zdraví! | Cheers! / Bless you! | Toasts and sneezes alike |
Prosím (PRO-seem) is the hardest-working word in Czech. Hand someone a coffee: prosím. They thank you: prosím. Ask for something politely: prosím. You cannot overuse it.
Dám si kávu, prosím. — Prosím. — Děkuji!
I'll have a coffee, please. — Here you are. — Thank you!
Note: A whole café transaction. 'Dám si' + the thing you want is the everyday way to order.
Introducing Yourself
| Czech | English | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Jak se jmenuješ? | What's your name? | informal |
| Jak se jmenujete? | What's your name? | formal |
| Jmenuji se Eva. | My name is Eva. (lit. I call myself Eva) | both |
| Jsem Petr. | I'm Petr. | both, shorter |
| Těší mě! | Nice to meet you! (lit. it pleases me) | both |
| Jsem z Anglie. | I'm from England. | both |
Notice the verb jmenovat se — literally "to name oneself." The little se (oneself) tags along: jmenuji se…, jak se jmenuješ? The full verb "to be" (jsem, jsi, je…) is covered in pronouns & to be.
💬 Meeting someone new
Ahoj! Jmenuji se Michal. A ty?
Hi! My name is Michal. And you?
Jsem Eva. Těší mě!
I'm Eva. Nice to meet you!
Těší mě! Odkud jsi?
Nice to meet you! Where are you from?
Z Brna. A ty?
From Brno. And you?
Ty or Vy?
Czech makes you choose a "you" every time you speak to someone. Get it right and you sound natural; get it wrong and you sound either cold or overly familiar.
| Form | Use it with | How are you? |
|---|---|---|
| ty (tykání) | Friends, family, children, people your own age | Jak se máš? |
| vy (vykání) | Strangers, elders, colleagues, officials — and any group | Jak se máte? |
The verb ending changes with the pronoun: máš (ty) vs máte (vy). When in doubt with an adult you don't know, use vy — it's the safe, respectful default. Czechs will invite you to switch to ty when they're ready ("můžeme si tykat?").
Saying Goodbye
| Czech | Sounds like | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Na shledanou! | nas-KHLE-da-noh | Goodbye — formal, always safe |
| Ahoj! | AH-hoy | Bye! — yes, same word as 'hi' |
| Čau! | chow | Bye! — very casual |
| Měj se! | myey se | Take care! (informal) |
| Dobrou noc! | DOB-roh nots | Good night |
| Hezký den! | HES-kee den | Have a nice day! |
Na shledanou! Hezký den!
Goodbye! Have a nice day!
Note: Stacking a goodbye and a good wish is natural — shopkeepers do it all day.
Common Mistakes
- Using ahoj with strangers. Ahoj is strictly for friends. At the shop, the office, or with anyone you'd address as vy — dobrý den.
- Switching to ty uninvited. Czechs guard vykání more than most neighbours. Wait for the older or senior person to offer tykání («Můžeme si tykat?»).
- Answering Jak se máš? with a monologue. The expected answer is short: Dobře, díky. A ty? — one word, then return the question.
- Skipping the reply to díky. Answer with prosím or není zač — silence after thanks reads as cold.
- Fearing ř too much. Even a plain rž blend is understood. Say dobrý den confidently rather than perfectly.
What You Can Do Now
You can greet anyone at the right level of formality, thank, apologise, introduce yourself, and say goodbye — the full arc of a first Czech conversation. Practice below until the phrases come out on their own. Next, say who you are properly with pronouns & to be — or hear these phrases in a real story in the graded reader Víkend na chatě.