Have you ever found yourself in a difficult situation, at a loss for words, helpless…trying desperately to tell the other person that you really, REALLY need a bathroom…in another language?

Learning Czech might take years, but there are certain Czech phrases for beginners you’ll want to memorize right now because they might save your pants one day.

I am being overly dramatic here—for your sake. Czech people (especially old and middle-aged Czechs) simply don’t speak English, and sometimes gestures and body language just won’t do.

I know that some people don’t like memorizing phrases because it feels like it “disrupts” the process of learning. Let me remind you that toddlers don’t give a damn about grammar and vocab—they just learn whatever clusters of words you throw at them without thinking about which gender and case they should use. Do it like them, and you’ll be fine in any situation that might otherwise cause you great anxiety.

In this article, you’ll learn 40 basic Czech phrases for beginners.

Šťastnou cestu! – “Have a happy journey!”

1. Don’t be Whatsername: Czech Greetings and Introductions
2. Smooth as Butter: Czech Social Phrases
3. I’d Like to Buy the Entire Store, Please: Czech Shopping and Restaurant Phrases
4. Help, I Need Somebody: Asking for Help in Czech
5. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

1. Don’t be Whatsername: Czech Greetings and Introductions

One word of wisdom from a native: Czechs don’t ask a lot of questions. When my American boyfriend first met my Czech friends and family, he was baffled because “nobody asked me anything.” When I first met his extended family, I was swamped with questions ranging from “What’s your country like?” (innocuous) to “Doesn’t your mom miss you?” (might be considered nosy). 

Keeping this little nugget of cultural wisdom in mind, here are a few basic Czech phrases you could use to greet others and make introductions:

Make sure you check out this article about greetings in Czech and this one on how to introduce yourself in Czech.

Těší mě! – “Nice to meet you!”

2. Smooth as Butter: Czech Social Phrases

Our next set of Czech beginner phrases consists of expressions you’ll need to sound polite in any social context. 

You’ll find more information on how to apologize in Czech in this article.

Můžu se na něco zeptat? – “Can I ask a question?”

3. I’d Like to Buy the Entire Store, Please: Czech Shopping and Restaurant Phrases

You’ll probably encounter many surprising things while shopping and eating out in the Czech Republic:

• We don’t ask for a check; we simply tell the waiter/waitress that zaplatíme (“we’re going to pay”). Period.

• We’re not nearly as generous with tips, and you don’t actually have to tip at all—in a taxi, at hair salons or barbers… If you’re not happy with your food, don’t tip at a restaurant. If you do want to tip, 5-10% would be fine.

• When in a group, you can choose to pay for yourself only. The waitstaff will ask if it’ll be dohromady (“together,” as in “Do you want to pay the total amount?”) or zvlášť (“separately,” as in “Do you want to pay for yourself only?”). If you choose the latter, you’ll just list what you ate and they’ll tell you how much you owe them. Done.

• If you want water with ice, you’ll need to order vodu s ledem (“water with ice”). Plus, you have to pay for it—water in restaurants isn’t free.

• No free refills. It’s not a thing in the Czech Republic.

• The average Czech portion size is about ½ of the average American portion size.

• All prices include tax.

• The staff (and people in general) will likely seem reserved or even unfriendly compared to what you’re used to in the U.S.

CzechClass101.com has lessons covering useful Czech words and phrases related to dining and shopping, each with pronunciation examples to make your learning process even smoother.

Na zdraví! – “Cheers!”

4. Help, I Need Somebody: Asking for Help in Czech

I genuinely hope you’ll never need any of these. (Well, I already know you will. Everybody needs the restroom, even while traveling, right?)

Anyway, please be safe, make sure you keep your passport in a convenient place, write down your embassy and emergency phone numbers, and don’t walk around shady neighborhoods alone.

Unlike in the U.S., the Czech police, firemen, and paramedics have different phone numbers. Make sure you know them.

Pohotovost – “Ambulance”

5. How CzechClass101.com Helps You Learn Czech in a Fun Way

That’s it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new! In case our list of the most common Czech words and phrases for beginners wasn’t long enough for you, please check out our Basic Bootcamp—the very basic grammar and vocab in five compact lessons.

If you’re taking your Czech studies seriously, you could grab a Czech grammar book or learn online (the latter of which is way more convenient). Seriously, learning a new skill has never been easier. Just grab your phone and get to work!

CzechClass101.com makes learning Czech easy, exciting, and fun. With us, it’s not about endless memorizing or thick textbooks. Learn Czech the better way—with us, you’ll make progress faster than you could imagine!

What can you find here?

• English-to-Czech translation and pronunciation tips
• Over 630 audio and video lessons
• Vocabulary learning tools
• Spaced repetition flashcards
• Detailed PDF lesson notes

Sign up now. It’s free!

One last thing: Let us know in the comments if this article helped you. Are there any particular beginner phrases you’d like to learn the Czech translations for? Let us know in the comments!