Czech at the post office: parcels and mail

Send a parcel, collect a package, and read the slip — in Czech. 40 words for the pošta: stamps, registered letters, tracking, and cash on delivery, with pronunciation and real examples. For anyone who's stared blankly at the counter screen.

Subject language

Czech

Study language

English

Who it's for

For anyone in Czechia who needs to send or collect mail in Czech — a parcel home, a registered letter for a contract, or a package waiting at the pickup point. Beginners are fine here; the set is concrete and practical, and every term is explained in English. If "Česká pošta" makes you nervous, start here.

What's inside

40 cards covering the post office end to end: the basics (dopis, obálka, známka, balík), the services (doporučený dopis, dobírka, pojištění zásilky), the people (odesílatel, příjemce, listonoš), and the counter ritual (přepážka, podat, vyzvednout, podací lístek). Each card carries:

the Czech word with its English meaning, and gender where it helps;
IPA for single-word terms in the standard Czech accent;
an example sentence from real post-office situations;
notes on false friends — známka is also a school grade; vyzvednout means collect, not "lift."

How to study

Walk through the two journeys the set is built around — sending something and collecting something — and rehearse the counter phrases aloud. The verbs (podat, poslat, vyzvednout, doručit) are the workhorses; drill those first. Ten minutes a day with spaced repetition gets you counter-ready. Moving or sending abroad? Pair it with "Czech for the úřad: visas and paperwork."

pošta

/ˈpoʃta/

post office; mail

Zajdu na poštu poslat balík. (I'll go to the post office to send a parcel.)

"Česká pošta" is the national postal operator.

dopis

/ˈdopɪs/

letter

Napsal jsem dopis a hledám obálku. (I've written a letter and I'm looking for an envelope.)

Masculine.

obálka

/ˈobaːlka/

envelope

Dej dopis do obálky a nalep známku. (Put the letter in an envelope and stick on a stamp.)

známka

/ˈznaːmka/

(postage) stamp

Na pohlednici chybí známka. (The postcard is missing a stamp.)

False friend: "známka" is also a school grade or mark.

balík

/ˈbaliːk/

parcel; package

Chtěl bych poslat balík do Německa. (I'd like to send a parcel to Germany.)

A small one is a "balíček."

zásilka

/ˈzaːsɪlka/

shipment; mail item

Vaše zásilka dorazí do tří dnů. (Your shipment will arrive within three days.)

A general word for both letters and parcels.

doporučený dopis

registered letter

Smlouvu pošlete doporučeným dopisem. (Send the contract by registered letter.)

"doporučeně" = by registered mail, with tracking.

adresa

/ˈadrɛsa/

address

Zkontrolujte si adresu příjemce. (Check the recipient's address.)

"příjemce / adresát" = recipient, "odesílatel" = sender.

PSČ

postal code; ZIP code

Nezapomeňte uvést PSČ. (Don't forget to put the postal code.)

"poštovní směrovací číslo" — 5 digits, e.g. 110 00.

přepážka

/ˈpr̝̊ɛpaːʃka/

counter; service window

Vezměte si lístek a počkejte u přepážky. (Take a ticket and wait at the counter.)

Usually you take a queue number first.

podat

to send (hand in at the counter)

Balík musíte podat do tří hodin. (You have to hand in the parcel by three.)

Imperfective "podávat." "podací lístek" = the posting receipt.

vyzvednout

to pick up; collect

Zásilku si vyzvednete na poště. (You'll collect the item at the post office.)

Means "collect / pick up" (a parcel), not "lift up" — don't confuse it with "zvednout" (to raise). Imperfective "vyzvedávat."

dobírka

/ˈdobiːrka/

cash on delivery

Pošlu to na dobírku. (I'll send it cash on delivery.)

You pay when you collect the parcel.

poštovné

/ˈpoʃtovnɛː/

postage (cost)

Kolik dělá poštovné do zahraničí? (How much is postage abroad?)

"do zahraničí" = abroad.

pohlednice

/ˈpoɦlɛdɲɪt͡sɛ/

postcard

Poslala mi pohlednici z Prahy. (She sent me a postcard from Prague.)

Casually "pohled."

poštovní schránka

mailbox; postbox

Hoď dopis do poštovní schránky. (Drop the letter in the postbox.)

"schránka" = box; Czech Post boxes are orange.

listonoš

/ˈlɪstonoʃ/

mail carrier; postman

Listonoš nosí poštu dopoledne. (The postman delivers mail in the morning.)

A female carrier is "listonoška."

doručit

to deliver

Balík vám doručí zítra. (They'll deliver the parcel to you tomorrow.)

Perfective; imperfective "doručovat."

doručení

/ˈdorut͡ʃɛɲiː/

delivery

Doručení do druhého dne stojí víc. (Next-day delivery costs more.)

odesílatel

/ˈodɛsiːlatɛl/

sender

Odesílatel se píše vlevo nahoře. (The sender goes in the top left.)

"příjemce" = recipient.

příjemce

/ˈpr̝̊iːjɛmt͡sɛ/

recipient; addressee

Příjemce si zásilku vyzvedne na poště. (The recipient will collect the item at the post office.)

"odesílatel" = sender.

podací lístek

posting receipt

Schovejte si podací lístek. (Keep the posting receipt.)

You track the "zásilka" with it.

sledovat zásilku

to track a shipment

Zásilku můžete sledovat online. (You can track the shipment online.)

You need a "sledovací číslo" — tracking number.

sledovací číslo

tracking number

Zadejte sledovací číslo zásilky. (Enter the shipment's tracking number.)

Questions and answers

How many cards are there?

40, covering letters, parcels, postal services, and the counter vocabulary.

What level is it?

Beginner-friendly. The vocabulary is practical and all notes are in English.

Does it include pronunciation?

Yes — IPA for the single-word terms; multi-word phrases come with full example sentences instead.

Will it help with self-service pickup points?

Yes, it includes výdejní místo and Balíkovna vocabulary alongside the staffed counter.

Is it free?

Yes, free to study.

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