Since we live in this awesome era of technological miracles, we get to enjoy all sorts of smart, advanced, and helpful marvels on a daily basis. Which device do you use the most? I'm guessing it would be your phone. While most people prefer texting or video calls, knowing how to make a proper phone call is a crucial skill. You probably won't text your doc to make an appointment, the police probably won't be up for a Zoom session, and sometimes you don't have time to wait for your buddy's reply—you need to speak to them pronto. Learning Czech phone call phrases, then, is a logical next step in your language learning journey.  But…taking or making a phone call in a foreign language might be a little stressful.  At the beginning... Show more

You know, people often underestimate the power of choosing the right words.  In Czech, there’s a cute little word—slovíčkaření—which is the combination of slovíčka ("little words") and -ření (indicating an action or activity). This word could be loosely translated as "unnecessary playing with words.'' However, playing with words is actually quite necessary, especially when learning a new language. Once you've engaged in such a rewarding and exciting process, you’ll want to make sure you're as efficient as possible, right? Hence, you’ll want to learn the right Czech beginner words (a.k.a words that are actually helpful and can be used in real-life conversations). Also, did you know that you only need to learn 1000 of a language’s... Show more

Filler words. The elusive umbrella term for all sorts of mysterious sounds, phrases, and individual words that no textbook in the world could prepare you for. It feels like politicians all over the world love to indulge in this kind of endeavor, but regular mortals do so with equal vigor…and less class. Nevertheless, you should get familiar with Czech filler words even if your personal goal doesn’t involve diving into the pool of Czech politics. Regular peeps love them as well, and you might sometimes feel that they're a part of every single Czech sentence. Or that you’re in the famous show The Office (I've never heard so many "okays" in such a short span of time). My personal motto is: Instead of using this verbal "cotton fluff,"... Show more

Saying NO is important in many situations: No, I don't eat mussels. No, I can't help you. No, I won't marry you. It’s equally important in Czech, of course. Czech grammar is quite simple and straightforward, and negatives are no exception. If Czech negation were a guy/girl, you'd get slightly bored of them in the middle of your first date, and later you would describe them to your friend as simple, predictable, linear, and straightforward. It will take you 15 seconds to master this topic, so go ahead and make plans for tonight. I'm not going to keep you for long. Let's learn about negation in the Czech language! Just…no. Table of Contents How to Make a Statement Negative in Czech Giving a Negative Answer ... Show more

Everybody gets a little tense when it comes to tenses. However, I have GREAT news for you. If you're a native English speaker (or a native speaker of any Germanic language), you'll find Czech tenses super-easy to learn and understand. The (otherwise complicated) Czech language uses only three tenses: past, present, and future. That's it. You still have to be aware of grammatical gender, declension, and conjugation of course, but applying the tenses correctly is actually a breeze. This is going to be short and sweet. Let's learn about Czech verb tenses! Table of Contents The Present Tense in Czech The Past Tense in Czech The Future Tense in Czech Verb Conjugation and Auxiliary Verbs How CzechClass101.com Helps... Show more

Learning a new language is kind of like losing or gaining weight: we want to see results ASAP. Even better—we want to see results now. Yesterday was too late. That, my dear friend, won't happen. Not even if you pull three all-nighters in a row in an attempt to learn 1000 new words in three days. Not even if you refuse to speak other languages and expose yourself to an ungodly amount of Czech TV and YouTube videos. So how long does it take to learn Czech? Let me put it this way: It depends on what your goal is. Duh, obvi, right? Do you want to be able to order the right food on the menu or ask about specific ingredients? (Very important if you have food allergies or an intolerance...or if you really, REALLY can't stand... Show more

Ahhh, proverbs...those charming pieces of wisdom that add a nice ring (or a pitch of pathos) to any speech or article, and make you ultimately irritated in certain situations. Like right after you failed your adventurous challenge.  However, they’re also comforting. Knowing that people in the past have gone through the same stuff we're dealing with now is encouraging. And that's exactly how we should see proverbs: as little "hellos" from our ancestors, who created them as reflections of who we are and how we see the world, life, love, success...you name it. This article about Czech proverbs and sayings will give you insight into not only the Czech language, but also the culture and mindset behind it. You might be surprised at how... Show more

Not many people know where the Czech Republic is (I don't blame them: it's a tiny country hiding between two giants, Germany and Poland), but everyone knows someone who has been to Prague. I’ve lost count of how many people who, upon learning where I come from, have shrieked in excitement: "My neighbor's nephew visited Prague! He said it was such a lovely city! We must go someday, too!" Believe it or not, Prague is just as exciting and has the same old-timey atmosphere as other, more "famous" European cities. It looks similar, and (for now) Prague travel is more affordable than travel in many other European cities. That's why it's a loved and popular destination not only among tourists, but also among many movie-makers.  Are you... Show more

Czenglish. Have you ever heard this term? It's been a hot topic lately, mostly due to the vigorous power of the internet and social media. Nowadays, everybody loves YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and…influencers! Although you won't find a lot of similarities between Czech and English (with the exception of words derived from Latin), English is seeping into the Czech language more and more.  By the way, the phenomenon of English words used in Czech is not as new as it might seem! I was watching a Czech comedy from 1938 a couple of days ago, and one of the first scenes is a perfect example of Czenglish used in real life: Já changuju subject? Ty changuješ subject! ("I am changing the subject? You are changing the subject!"). We like using... Show more

When I was a little girl, I used to spend a lot of time with my grandma. That wonderful lady, like all grandmothers around the world, was an endless source of what (back then) sounded like weird little poems that didn't rhyme. And, of course, they made very little sense to me. You might feel the same way when you look at a Czech sentence that is (seemingly) just a series of random words. That's why you should keep on reading this article. In this list of Czech quotes with translations in English, you’ll find words of wit and wisdom on a variety of topics. From Czech love quotes to proverbs about life, our top picks will give you a little peek into the intriguing Czech culture and mindset. And this, in turn, will enhance your... Show more