Email & Phone Conversations

Writing emails is a daunting task, especially in a foreign language. Sometimes you don't even know where to start in your own language! Government agencies, doctors' offices, or other places might not be as foreigner-friendly as you wish they were.

This article will help you start with the email and phone communications you'll probably need on a daily basis.

Practice your Czech online for free:

The Basics

Firstly, it is always okay to just start your emails with Dobrý den,
and finish them with S pozdravem, [your name here]

Some other common phrases you might find helpful are:

Here are 15 common situations which you might want to handle in Czechia:

Emergency Situations

When you need help in an emergency, the emergency phone numbers are:

Emergency phone operators should speak English!
However if for some reason they don't, you can be prepared :)

General Emergency

The simplest thing you can say is:

Potřebuji pomoc, mluvíte anglický?
I need help, do you speak English?

You can of course do the same with firefighters or police.

Ambulance

If you need to call an ambulance in the Czech Republic, you dial 155.
Here's what you can say in Czech when making the call:

Prosím, potřebuji sanitku. Adresa je [your address].
Je tady (dopravní) nehoda. Prosím, pošlete sanitku co nejdříve!
I need an ambulance. The address is [your address].
There's a (traffic) accident here. Please, send the ambulance as fast as possible!

Give Your Exact Location

The emergency services may ask you for the číslo lampy - the number of the light.
It may also be called číslo sloupu veřejného osvětlení - the number of the public lighting pole.

This will be a number shown on a metal plate attached to every streetlamp.
It helps the emergency services locate you exactly.

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Visa & Immigration

To apply for a visa, prolonging of visa, etc. you should request an appointment online at
https://frs.gov.cz/

On the day of your appointment, you will arrive at the Oddělení pobytu cizinců (department of residence of foreigners).

You should take a number from the machine, like you do at Česká pošta. To get one, you'll need the reservation code from the email you are sent when reserving an appointment.

Submitting an Application

When turning in your application, you may be asked for:

You may be told that your documents have one of the following issues:

Checking Application Status

If you have applied for a visa, you may want to ask if it's been accepted. You can see the state of your application here.
The number you need to enter to find your application was given to you when you submitted it, on the confirmation document (potvrzení o podání žádosti).

The MOI will almost always send you a letter explaining why an application is not accepted. If you missed the letter (ex. Česká pošta sent you a delivery slip but you missed the pickup period) you can check for your name on this website. You will find a document with the same information as in the letter on that site. Note that this will only appear if the MOI has received your letter back as undelivered from the post office.

If you have a data box you can request information from the MOI directly regarding why your request was rejected. Data box details are located here.

You can write the following message to the MOI via data box:

Title: Dotaz ohledně žádosti o vízum
Dobrý den,
Jmenuji se [your name], a píšu v souvislosti s dotazem ohledně vízum.
Mohl(a) byste mi, prosím, poskytnout informace o stavu mé žádosti o vízum?
Děkuji Vám.

Title: Inquiry regarding a request for a visa
Good day,
My name is [your name], and I am writing in relation to a question about a visa.
Could you please provide me information regarding the status of my visa request?
Thank you.

If you request information via regular email, the MOI will not inform you in detail about your application. You must communicate with them using some sort of verified identity. If you don't have a data box, the easiest way to find out what happened with your application is to go to the MOI office where you applied and ask at the information desk. You don't need an appointment to do this.

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Accommodation

Many landlords in Czech Republic don't speak English, and you might receive a rental contract written only in Czech.

Even if you have a contract written in two languages, the Czech contract is superior by law.

To ask about accommodation, it can be easier to get a response if you write to the owner in Czech.

You can send the following in an email or message:

Title: Byt k pronájmu, [location of flat]
Dobrý den,
Je tento [byt/pokoj] uvedený na [apartment advert website] stále dostupný?
Pokud ano, mohli bychom domluvit prohlídku?
Jmenuji se [your name], jsem student(ka) na [name of university]/jsem [your career]
a hledám dlouhodobý/krátkodobý pronájem.
Děkuji,
[your name]

Title: Flat for rent, [location]
Good day,
Is this flat/room listed on [website] still available?
If so, could we schedule a viewing?
My name is [your name], I am a student at [university]/I am a [career]
and I am looking for a long-term/short-term rent.
Thank you,
[your name]

You may want to find a Czech-speaking friend who you can depend on to talk with the landlord if they call you unexpectedly.

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Restaurant Reservations

Restaurant reservations are one of the easiest things to do in Czech.

Many restaurant workers are also foreigners, or speak English!

In Czech, the conversation is almost always the same, it's quite easy to memorize.

Here is usually how it goes:

Sometimes, when asking to make the reservation, the restaurant will instead say, "Promiň, ale rezervace neděláme" - Sorry, but we don't do reservations.

In that case you can just reply with, "Ok, děkuji, naschle."

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Employment

When searching for a job, even if you don't speak Czech you can be considerate and respond to a job offering in Czech.

You might write such an email as follows:

Title: Zájem o pozici
Dobrý den,
Píši vám, abych vyjádřil(a) svůj zájem o pozici [job position].
Uvítám možnost probrat svůj životopis při pohovoru. Děkuji, že mě berete v úvahu. Těším se na možnost přispět do vašeho týmu. Přikládám svůj životopis.
Děkuji,
[your name]

(Title: Interest in job position
Good day,
I am writing to express my interest in the [Job Title] position.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application further in an interview. Thank you for considering me. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to your team.
Please find my CV attached.
Thank you,
[your name])

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Healthcare

Going to the doctor in Czech Republic is generally free or low-cost.

If you are an employee of a company or have permanent residence, your employer will withhold some of your salary for healthcare, and give you a general health insurance card (green VZP card). If you are self-employed or don't have permanent residence, you will have to pay for your healthcare with a private company (ex. PVZP).

Doctor's visits are required before starting a new job, and before beginning driving classes.

To get more specific healthcare, you usually find a general practitioner first, then they will refer you to a specialist when you describe your health concerns to them. Some other specific doctors you contact directly (ex. dentists, dental hygienists, gynecologists, chiropractors).

Specialists are usually free if visited with a referral, as is your general practitioner. Dental hygiene is paid, but each year the government will pay you back for part of your teeth cleaning if you send them a receipt from the hygienist. You should get a government ID from the post office, which you can then use to login to Moje VZP here.

Here are the names of some common types of doctors:

Pro tip:

Although dentist seems to translate to zubní lékař, a zubní lékař does not clean your teeth!

They are doctors who will check you for more serious dental problems.

To have your teeth cleaned, you should find a dentální hygienista (dental hygienist) instead.

To find a general practitioner or dental hygienist near you, you should look for signs on buildings near you which say přijímáme nové pacienty - we are accepting new patients.

When you call or write them an email, you can say something like:
Dobrý den, hledám nového praktického lékaře a viděla jsem, že přijímáte nové pacienty?
Good day, I am looking for a new general practitioner, and I saw that you are accepting new patients?

Some other phrases you might find useful are:

Pro tip:

If you are briefly too sick to work (ex. with stomach flu) you must go to the doctor if you want your sick day to be paid.

You should ask the doctor for a neschopenka - a sick note. This you will later give to your employer.

They will then count your valid sick day and pay you for it.

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Shopping

In the EU, you have a minimum 2-year period during which you can return a faulty product.

This does not mean that you will get your money back. Only if the seller is unable to give you a replacement are you entitled to a refund, though the seller can decide to refund your money anyway.

To return a product you bought online, you can write the following text:

Píšu Vám, abych upozornil(a) na problém s mou nedávnou objednávkou, [order number].
Chtěl(a) bych požádat o [vrácení peněz/výměnu] za předmět(y).
V příloze jsou fotografie, které ukazují problém.

I am writing to inform you of a problem with my recent order, [order number].
I would like to request a [refund/exchange] for the item(s).
Attached are photos that show the problem.

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Cultural Integration

You can practice your Czech regularly by looking for a language exchange partner.

Once a month it can be relaxing to meet for a coffee or beer and talk about random topics for an hour or two.

Here is something you can write on Facebook, for instance, to find a person to speak Czech with:

Hledám někoho na jednoduchou výměnu jazyků - tvoje čeština za mou angličtinu.
Jsem/NEJSEM úplný začátečník. Žadný tlak, jen občasné povídání.
Dej vědět, pokud máš zájem!

Looking for someone to do a simple language exchange - your Czech for my English.
I am/I am NOT a complete beginner. No pressure, just casual chats.
Let me know if you're interested!

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Social Invitations

When visiting someone at home, you might find that after you ring the bell, you actually don't know how to ask: Hello, I am here to see Mr. so and so.

Well, you can use this phrase to do it:
Dobrý den, jdu za ...
...and then add who you are there to see in the accusative case:

Thank-You Notes

Here is an example of a thank-you note you can write to someone who has helped you:

Formal (for a stranger):
Chtěl(a) jsem napsat, abych vyjádřil(a) svou upřímnou vděčnost za Vaši [laskavost/podporu/štědrost] během [use Genitive].
Informal (for a friend):
Chtěl(a) jsem napsat, abych ti vyjádřil(a) svou upřímnou vděčnost za tvou [laskavost/podporu/štědrost] během [use Genitive].
Translation:
I wanted to write to express my sincere gratitude for your [kindness/support/generosity] during [specific event, reason, or context].

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In Conclusion

Czech speakers are not always patient and helpful if you talk slowly or don't understand them.

It will get better as your Czech improves! For now, you will get a better reaction if you are polite, using the polite version of verbs and pronouns.

To communicate effectively, go straight to the point. Keep all the fluff away, and it will be much easier to say what you mean.

You may want to mention that you are a foreigner and your Czech is not perfect to avoid possible misunderstanding, and it is usually better to admit that you don't understand promptly, rather than trying to pretend.

Most importantly - do it yourself first, don't depend on friends or relatives to call people or go to government offices for you. It's okay to ask your Czech friends to correct your email, after you have written it yourself. Don't just rely on Google Translate or let someone write it for you.

It is hard, but once you have learned some Czech you will feel more comfortable, independent, and welcome in Czech Republic.

Good luck and happy learning!

Lessons Other
Students Read:

Lessons Other
Students Read: