Greetings and Phrases in Czech

Overview

Czech greetings and polite expressions are essential for any social interaction and reflect the language's distinction between formal and informal registers. The most important division is between ty (informal "you") expressions and Vy (formal "you") expressions, which determines which greeting and polite phrase you use.

At the A1 level, learning these fixed phrases gives you immediate communicative ability even before mastering grammar. Greetings, thanks, apologies, and basic conversational formulas are the first building blocks of real interaction in Czech.

Czech culture values politeness, and using the appropriate register -- formal vs. informal -- matters socially. Using informal language with strangers or authority figures is a notable faux pas.

How It Works

Greetings

Czech	English	Register
Dobry den	Good day	Formal (default greeting)
Ahoj	Hi / Bye	Informal
Nazdar	Hi	Informal
Cau	Hi / Bye	Very informal
Dobre rano	Good morning	Formal
Dobry vecer	Good evening	Formal
Na shledanou	Goodbye	Formal

Polite Expressions

Czech	English	Register
Dekuji / Dekuju	Thank you	Standard / Colloquial
Diky	Thanks	Informal
Prosim	Please / You're welcome	Universal
Prominute	Excuse me (formal)	Formal
Promin	Excuse me (informal)	Informal
Neni zac	Don't mention it	Neutral
Nic se nestalo	No worries	Neutral

Basic Conversational Phrases

Czech	English
Jak se mate?	How are you? (formal)
Jak se mas?	How are you? (informal)
Dobre, dekuji.	Fine, thank you.
Jak se jmenujete?	What is your name? (formal)
Jak se jmenujes?	What is your name? (informal)
Jmenuji se...	My name is...
Tesi me.	Pleased to meet you.
Nerozumim.	I don't understand.
Mluvite anglicky?	Do you speak English? (formal)

Examples in Context

Czech	English	Note
Dobry den!	Good day!	Standard formal greeting
Dekuji.	Thank you.	Polite, universal
Prominute, prosim.	Excuse me, please.	Formal
Na shledanou!	Goodbye!	Formal
Ahoj! Jak se mas?	Hi! How are you?	Informal
Prosim, kde je...?	Please, where is...?	Asking directions
Diky moc!	Thanks a lot!	Informal
Prominte, nerozumim.	Sorry, I don't understand.	Useful survival phrase
Tesi me, ja jsem...	Pleased to meet you, I am...	Introduction
Dobrou noc.	Good night.	Farewell

Common Mistakes

Using Ahoj with Strangers

• Wrong: Ahoj! to a shop assistant or professor
• Right: Dobry den!
• Why: Ahoj is strictly informal and used with friends, family, and peers. Using it with strangers or in professional settings is socially inappropriate.

Forgetting Register in How Are You?

• Wrong: Jak se mas? to your boss
• Right: Jak se mate?
• Why: The ty/Vy distinction runs through all conversational formulas. Always match the register to the relationship.

Overusing Dekuji

• Wrong: Saying dekuji after every single interaction (can sound excessive)
• Right: Use dekuji appropriately and prosim as "you're welcome" in response to thanks
• Why: Prosim serves double duty as both "please" and "you're welcome." Czech speakers use it naturally in response to dekuji.

Usage Notes

Ahoj is used for both hello and goodbye in informal contexts. Prosim is perhaps the most versatile Czech word -- it means "please," "you're welcome," "here you go," and "pardon?" depending on context. Learning to use prosim naturally covers many social situations.

Practice Tips

1. Role-play scenarios: Practice formal greetings for shops, offices, and restaurants, then switch to informal for friends.
2. Mirror practice: Rehearse the introduction sequence: Dobry den, jmenuji se..., tesi me.
3. Register switching: Take the same conversation and practice it in both formal and informal versions to internalize the distinction.

Related Concepts

• Next steps: Personal Pronouns -- the ty/Vy distinction underlying formal/informal speech