Greetings and Salutations in Czech
Learning how to greet people properly is super important when picking up a new language. Czech is no different. Knowing how to say hello, goodbye, and ask how someone’s doing can go a long way in making connections.
If you’re lucky enough to be heading to the Czech Republic (Prague is beautiful, by the way! If it’s not already on your list of places to visit, I’d urge you to add it. You can thank me later), getting a few basic greetings and phrases under your belt can make your trip that much more enjoyable.
Plus, the natives will be impressed with your efforts, no matter how pedestrian.
In this short post, we’ll introduce you to a few handy phrases for meets and greets. Nothing too taxing, just enough to get you around. We’ll even throw in some audio (so you’ll know exactly how everything should sound).
Czech Greetings
| English | Czech |
|---|---|
| Hello/hi | Ahoj Čau Nazdar |
| Formal hello | Dobrý den |
| Good morning | Dobré ráno |
| Good afternoon | Dobré odpoledne |
| Good evening | Dobrý večer |
How to say “hello/hi” in Czech
The most common way to say ‘hello’ in Czech is “ahoj” (pronounced like ah-hoy). It’s friendly and casual. If you’re greeting a buddy, you might also hear “čau” (chow).
“Nazdar” is another greeting in Czech that means “hi” or “hello.” It’s similar to “ahoj” and “čau” but can be a bit more enthusiastic. It’s often used in informal situations among friends.
(You might also see Nazdar being used as a way to cheer someone on, kind of like saying “cheers” or “good luck.”)
Formal “hello” in Czech
When you need to be more formal or respectful, like meeting someone for the first time or speaking to an elder, you’d use “dobrý den,” which means ‘good day.’
How to say “good morning” in Czech
“Dobré ráno” is how you’d greet someone in the morning, usually until around noon.
How to say “good afternoon” in Czech
In the afternoon, “dobré odpoledne” is used, though it’s a bit formal. Most people stick with “dobrý den” throughout the day.
How to say “good evening” in Czech
When it’s evening, you say “dobrý večer.”
Czech Farewells
| English | Czech |
|---|---|
| Goodnight | Dobrou noc |
| Goodbye | Na shledanou Ahoj Čau |
| See you later | Uvidíme se později |
| See you soon | Brzy na viděnou |
How to say “goodnight” in Czech
When it’s bedtime or you’re leaving someone at night, say “dobrou noc.”
How to say “goodbye” in Czech
“Na shledanou” is the standard way to say ‘goodbye’. It’s formal and polite. For a casual goodbye, you can use “ahoj” or “čau.”
How to say “see you later” in Czech
“Uvidíme se později” means ‘see you later’. It’s a bit lengthy, but commonly used.
How to say “see you soon” in Czech
For ‘see you soon’, you’d say “brzy na viděnou.”
How are you?
| English | Czech |
|---|---|
| How are you? | Jak se máte? Jak se máš? |
| Hello, how are you? | Ahoj, jak se máš? |
| I’m fine, thanks. And you? | Mám se dobře, díky. A ty/vy? |
Once all the greetings are out of the way, you’ll probably want to ask your buddy how they’re doing. I don’t think an article on Czech greetings and salutations would be complete without a couple of these extra phrases.
How to say “how are you?” in Czech
To ask how someone is, you say “Jak se máš?” for friends or “Jak se máte?” for a more formal tone.
How to say “hello, how are you?” in Czech
Combine greetings by saying “Ahoj, jak se máš?” or “Dobrý den, jak se máte?”
I hope you found this quick guide useful. Now go forth and use your newfound Czech skills! But before you go, here are a few Czech products we think you might like:
