Zunoku
CSEN

Everyday Czech: getting through the day

Shop, pay, catch a tram, order a beer, and find the toilet — in Czech. 40 everyday words and phrases for ordinary life in Czechia, with pronunciation and real examples. For beginners who want words they'll use the same day.

Subject language
Czech
Study language
English

Who it's for

For beginners settling into life in Czechia who want vocabulary they can use the same afternoon — at the shop, the café, the tram stop, the front door. No grammar background needed. If you've just arrived and want to stop pointing and start asking, this is your starting set.

What's inside

40 cards for an ordinary Czech day: shopping and money (obchod, cena, platit, účet), food and drink (káva, pivo, voda, oběd), getting around (tramvaj, zastávka, jízdenka, nádraží), home and time (byt, klíč, dnes, hodina), and the everyday courtesies (prosím, děkuji, promiňte). Each card has:

  • the Czech word with its English meaning;
  • IPA in the standard Czech accent;
  • a short, natural example sentence;
  • notes on the useful quirks — prosím does the work of "please," "here you go," and "pardon?."

How to study

These are words you can test in the wild the same day, so do exactly that — learn ten, then use them on your next errand. Spaced repetition keeps them fresh between trips; ten minutes a day is plenty. Once the daily basics feel automatic, widen your base with "100 essential Czech words to start with," or add survival sets like "Czech at the post office: parcels and mail."

Terms · 40
obchod
/ˈopxot/
shop; store
Jdu do obchodu pro chleba. (I'm going to the shop for bread.)
A grocery store is called "potraviny."
potraviny
/ˈpotravɪnɪ/
groceries; grocery store
Mléko koupíš v potravinách. (You'll buy milk at the grocery store.)
Literally "foodstuffs" — also the name of the shop itself.
peníze
/ˈpɛɲiːzɛ/
money
Nemám u sebe peníze. (I don't have any money on me.)
Plural only; "hotovost" = cash.
platit
/ˈplatɪt/
to pay
Můžu platit kartou? (Can I pay by card?)
Perfective "zaplatit." "platit kartou" = pay by card.
cena
/ˈt͡sɛna/
price
Jaká je cena? (What's the price?)
"Kolik to stojí?" = How much is it?
levný
/ˈlɛvniː/
cheap; inexpensive
Tahle kavárna je levná. (This café is cheap.)
Opposite of "drahý" (expensive).
drahý
/ˈdraɦiː/
expensive
To je moc drahé. (That's too expensive.)
Also means "dear" (beloved).
účet
/ˈuːt͡ʃɛt/
bill; check; account
Zaplatíme účet, prosím. (We'll pay the bill, please.)
In a pub you call out "Zaplatím!" to ask for it.
káva
/ˈkaːva/
coffee
Dám si kávu s mlékem. (I'll have a coffee with milk.)
pivo
/ˈpɪvo/
beer
Jedno pivo, prosím. (One beer, please.)
Czechia drinks the most beer per person in the world.
voda
/ˈvoda/
water
Sklenici vody, prosím. (A glass of water, please.)
Tap water is "kohoutková."
chleba
/ˈxlɛba/
bread
Koupím chleba a máslo. (I'll buy bread and butter.)
Colloquial; the standard form is "chléb."
jídlo
/ˈjiːdlo/
food; meal
To jídlo bylo výborné. (The food was excellent.)
Neuter. "snídaně / oběd / večeře" = breakfast / lunch / dinner.
snídaně
/ˈsɲiːdaɲɛ/
breakfast
Snídaně je v ceně. (Breakfast is included.)
Feminine. Lunch is "oběd," dinner "večeře."
oběd
/ˈobjɛt/
lunch
Dáme si oběd ve dvanáct. (Let's have lunch at twelve.)
The main hot meal of the Czech day.
večeře
/ˈvɛt͡ʃɛr̝ɛ/
dinner; supper
Večeři máme v sedm. (We have dinner at seven.)
Feminine.
obchodní dům
department store
Sejdeme se před obchodním domem. (Let's meet in front of the department store.)
lístek
/ˈliːstɛk/
ticket
Kup si lístek na tramvaj. (Buy a ticket for the tram.)
Also a small note or slip; diminutive of "list."
jízdenka
/ˈjiːzdɛnka/
(transport) ticket
Jízdenku si označte ve voze. (Validate your ticket on board.)
Specifically for buses / trams / trains.
tramvaj
/ˈtramvaj/
tram; streetcar
Tramvaj číslo devět jede do centra. (Tram number nine goes to the centre.)
Feminine. Prague's network is tram-heavy.
zastávka
/ˈzastaːfka/
stop (bus / tram)
Vystupte na další zastávce. (Get off at the next stop.)
From "zastavit" — to stop.
nádraží
/ˈnaːdraʒiː/
(train / bus) station
Hlavní nádraží je odsud blízko. (The main station is close by.)
Neuter. "Hlavní nádraží" = main station.
byt
/ˈbɪt/
flat; apartment
Hledám byt v centru. (I'm looking for a flat in the centre.)
"pronájem" = a rental.
klíč
/ˈkliːt͡ʃ/
key
Zapomněl jsem klíče doma. (I forgot my keys at home.)
Masculine; plural "klíče."

Questions and answers

How many words are in the set?

40 everyday words and phrases for shopping, food, transport, home, and basic courtesies.

Is this for absolute beginners?

Yes. It's one of the best starting points — concrete, practical, and explained entirely in English.

How is it different from the 100 most useful words set?

This set is situational (a real day out); "100 essential Czech words to start with" is the high-frequency core (pronouns, verbs, connectors). They complement each other.

Does it have pronunciation?

Yes, IPA in the standard Czech accent for the single-word terms.

Is it free?

Yes, free to study.