100 essential Czech words to start with
The 100 words that unlock the most Czech: pronouns, the core verbs, question words, prepositions, and the everyday basics. With pronunciation and a real example for each. For absolute beginners who want the highest-value words first.
Who it's for
For absolute beginners who want the biggest return for the least effort. A small core of high-frequency words carries an outsized share of everyday Czech, and this set is exactly that core. If you're starting from zero and want to say something useful fast, start here.
What's inside
The 100 most useful Czech words to begin with, chosen for frequency, not theme: pronouns (já, ty, on), the core verbs (být, mít, moct, chtít, vědět, jít) with their aspect partners noted, question words (kdo, co, kde, kdy, jak), prepositions and connectors (v, na, do, a, ale, protože), the top adjectives, and the most common nouns. Each card carries:
- the Czech word with its English meaning;
- IPA in the standard Czech accent (first-syllable stress, correct vowel length);
- a short example sentence showing the word in action;
- notes on the essentials — gender for nouns, the perfective/imperfective pair for verbs, and key distinctions (vědět a fact vs znát a person).
How to study
This is your foundation, so over-learn it. Aim for ten to fifteen minutes a day and let spaced repetition cycle the whole 100 until they're instant. Don't rush to rarer words before these are solid — they're the scaffolding everything else hangs on. When they feel automatic, move on to situational sets like "Everyday Czech: getting through the day" or "Czech at the post office: parcels and mail."
Questions and answers
How many words are in the set?
Exactly 100, chosen by frequency rather than topic.
Is this enough to speak Czech?
Not on its own, but these 100 are the highest-value core — they appear constantly and unlock far more than 100 words' worth of comprehension. They're the right first set.
Does it include grammar baggage?
Yes — noun gender and verb aspect partners are noted on the cards, so you learn words in a usable form.
Does it have pronunciation?
Yes, IPA in the standard Czech accent for every word.
Is it free?
Yes, free to study.
