Shopping in Czech: Máte…?, potřebuju, kilo sýra

A Czech shop visit runs on three phrases and two cases you already own. This lesson assembles them into a working routine.

Do You Have…?

Máte…? + accusative opens every counter conversation: Máte chleba? Máte mléko? The answers: Máme — we do; Nemáme, bohužel — we don't, unfortunately.

Máte čerstvý chleba?

Do you have fresh bread?

Note: Polite máte to any shopkeeper — the ty/vy rule at work.

I Need…

Potřebuju + accusative — I need: Potřebuju vodu. Potřebuju novou tašku. An -uju verb, conjugating exactly like pracuju.

Potřebuju kávu a mléko.

I need coffee and milk.

Note: kávu — accusative; mléko — neuter, unchanged.

Buying by Amount

Amounts run on the genitive from last lesson: kilo sýra (a kilo of cheese), láhev vody (a bottle of water), kousek dortu (a piece of cake), deset deka šunky (100 g of ham — Czechs weigh cold cuts in deka!).

The Little Shop Words

obchod — shop, potraviny — the corner grocery, trh — the market, taška — bag. The cashier's liturgy: Ještě něco? — anything else? — To je všechno, děkuju — that's all, thanks.

Common Mistakes

Máš chleba? to a shopkeeper. Counters run on vykání: máte.
kilo sýr. Amounts take the genitive: kilo sýra, láhev vody.
Answering ještě něco with silence. To je všechno closes the ritual — say it and everyone relaxes.

What You Can Do Now

You can ask for what's not on the shelf, buy by weight like a local (deka and all), and glide through the cashier's liturgy from dobrý den to na shledanou.