Let's debunk this myth about Slavic languages being incredibly hard and almost impossible for English-speakers to learn. Oh, please.  How hard is it to learn Czech? Not at all. Sure, there's going to be a lot of new things—things that seemingly make no sense, things you'll hate, and things that will make your tongue twist. However, Czech isn't that hard, complicated, or nasty. It's just different from English. Learning another language is always an exciting process. Yup, it’s hard at the beginning (beginnings are hard whether you're learning Czech, training for your first half-marathon, or learning how to produce an edible dinner without setting your kitchen on fire). But once you turn the corner, things get easier and you start... Show more

Mistakes are annoying, and no matter how often you tell yourself that it's okay to make them, they still suck. I get it, friend, I've been there. I'm a professional translator, and after years of living in a bilingual environment, I still have to pause from time to time and make sure I really want to say "kitchen," not "chicken." I ask my American boyfriend for help and clarification all the time. Also, just this morning, I read a Facebook post from Czech Television about a commemorative PLAGUE (instead of "plaque"). In this article, we’ll be covering typical Czech mistakes that English-speakers make. The Czech language, like all other languages, has its quirks and surprises that might catch you off-guard or flat out confuse the... Show more

Hello there, friend! How are you today? How has your day been? How long have you been studying Czech? Do you speak other languages? Do you speak English?  You can probably tell that this article is all about the most common Czech questions and answers. I'm going to teach you some basic questions in Czech that may come up in pretty much any conversation, and how to answer them. Why is this important? Well, learning these common phrases and questions will create a great base for your vocabulary and make any interaction in Czech a lot easier for you. There’s more to it, of course. Asking the right question is an awesome way to start a conversation, learn new things, get where you want to be (geographically and spiritually), and learn... Show more

Have you ever wondered how some people speak like seven languages? Maybe you even have a friend who starts ordering food in the local language within three days of your vacation.  Yep, people like that exist—and you could be one of them. In this guide, we’ll introduce and explain the most common Czech sentence patterns. Learning Czech has never been this easy! You probably know that Czech might be a little tricky to learn (All the conjugation and declension! Lawd!) and that sentence patterns in English and Czech have pretty much nothing in common. Let's make things easy and forget about lengthy grammar explanations. By simply memorizing the most common Czech sentence structures and patterns, you’ll be able to create dozens of... Show more

Verbs are considered the most important part of speech when learning any new language. They describe every single mental and physical activity we do, from the moment we wake up in the morning to falling asleep at night. Even sleeping is full of verbs: you sleep, you breathe, you relax, you dream, you toss and turn, you snore… okay, maybe you snore!  The word ‘verb’ comes from the Latin for ‘word’ - your first indication that it's pretty important. In elementary terms: these are the ‘doing’ words and they exist in every language. Verbs are essential in communication and no sentence can exist without one. When learning to speak Czech, the verbs you know will be your building blocks to make sentences. Whether you’re commenting on the... Show more

It doesn't matter why you're learning Czech: Do you want to be able to order a schnitzel in a restaurant, or are you planning to write your first novel in this beautiful Slavic language? We've got you covered. In this guide, we'll explain the specifics of the Czech sentence structure, and show you how to memorize and work with its patterns.  It might seem quite confusing at first because the Czech word order is entirely different than that in English—let's say it's more relaxed and the rules are VERY flexible. Maybe you're thinking: "Oh, whatever. Everyone knows what I'm saying as long as I'm using the correct words, right?" No, my friend, I'm sorry. We're not mind-readers, and you could get us seriously confused and worried if... Show more

What’s your relationship with the clock like? Does it run your day from a morning alarm to a cut-off chime for bed, or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type, letting your mood and emotions decide how much you fall in line with time? Understanding time in Czech is an important part of your studies. As humans, our lives are filled with habits and schedules. From waking up and going to work or gym, to missing rush hour traffic on our way home, we’re always aware of time. We have routines around coffee breaks, meetings, soccer games and vacations. In fact, time can seem rather capricious - going slowly, going fast, sometimes against us, other times on our side - like a force that has a life of its own. In science, time is often... Show more

Do you know your left from your right in Czech? Asking for directions can mean the difference between a heavenly day on the beach and a horrible day on your feet, hot and bothered and wondering how to even get back to the hotel. Believe me - I know! On my earlier travels, I didn’t even know simple terms like ‘go straight ahead’ or ‘go west,’ and I was always too shy to ask locals for directions. It wasn’t my ego, but rather the language barrier that held me back. I've ended up in some pretty dodgy situations for my lack of directional word skills. This never needs to happen! When traveling in , you should step out in confidence, ready to work your Czech magic and have a full day of exploring. It’s about knowing a few basic phrases and... Show more

Dobré slovo i železná vrata otvírá. ("A nice word can open even an iron gate.”) However, there are a few things you might want to avoid when complimenting a native Czech…in Czech. First and foremost: We are very reserved and generally not good with compliments. We don't know how to accept them, and we don't compliment often (this is especially true of older people who would rather bite their tongue). And guess what: that actually makes Czech compliments even more powerful. Just don't be surprised when you get a blank look or an "Oh, this? This dress is actually really old, I found it in the dumpster and I don't like it at all." My dear friend V. gained 70+ pounds during her pregnancy, and it took her a long time to start shedding the... Show more

Anger is a natural response to pain of some sort; when you’re angry, you’re angry with a cause and want someone to pay! It’s so much harder when you’re traveling, because your routines are off-kilter, there’s culture shock to deal with and the smallest problems can seem overwhelming. How do you handle someone who’s just pushed your last button? At home, we often have a go-to person who is good at calming us down, but emotions are tricky to deal with in a foreign country. Sometimes people may treat you unfairly, but you’re completely baffled as to why. You have to remember that people in think differently to how you do and it’s not impossible to inadvertently cause offense. Don’t stress about it too much, because you’ll adapt! Once you... Show more