Language Lessons

Czech is a West Slavic language, and is the official language of the country.
Watch for the ř letter; it is pronounced by combining the trilled ‘r’ sound and ‘su’ to make a ‘rrzh.’
Czech people are often bi and tri-lingual; English is widely spoken, as well as German.

Signs you may see

  • Open: Otevřeno (oh-teh- VRZHEH-noh)
  • Closed: Zavřeno (zah- VRZHEH-noh)
  • Entrance: Zchod (fkhot)
  • Exit: Východ (VEE-khot)
  • Toilet: Toalety/WC (toa-LEH- tih/VEH TSEH)

Common Phrases

  • Hello: Dobrý den (DOH-bree dehn)
  • Good morning: Dobrý ráno (RAHH-noh)
  • Nice to meet you: Těší mě (TYEH-shee myeh)
  • Please: Prosim (proseem)
  • Thank you: Děkuji (dyekooyih)
  • Yes: ano (AH-noh)
  • No: ne (neh)
  • Goodbye: Na shledanou (NAHSH-leh-dah-noh)
  • Do you speak English?: Mluvíte anglicky (Mlooveeteh unglitskee)
  • Where is the toilet?: Kde je záchod (Gdeh yeh ZAHH- khoht)

Bicycling Specific Phrases

  • Bicycle: Bicykl (BIH-tsyk)
  • Flat tire: Defekt pneumatiky (deh-FECT punayo ma-TEH- ky)
  • Water: Voda (VOH-DAH)
  • I am on a bicycle tour: Jsem na cestě kole (Yeesem-nyachiesTE-se COLA)

Courtesy and Respect

Always say hello and goodbye when you enter and leave a small shop. The Czech Republic is in Central Europe, not Eastern Europe; the Czechs are very sensitive to that misappropriation. They also are sensitive to comments about comments insinuating how inexpensive things are in the country; as it reflects poorly on the country’s economic standing.

Nadine Dirksen - A German native, Nadine is a happy Colorado transplant who moved from lush Bavaria when she married. She left the land of pretzels in 2012 and has been enjoying a fun life full of cycling, mountain biking, CrossFit, hiking, running and any other outdoor activity that involves her little black Dachshund-mix. When not having fun outside or at work, she tries her hand at different craft projects with varying success. She helps our travelers by answering all their questions before their tours and she can't wait to help you bring your dream trip to reality!

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