Language/Czech/Grammar/Accents-and-Special-Characters

Czech Grammar → Alphabet and Pronunciation → Accents and Special Characters

As a Czech language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I have seen many students struggle with the accents and special characters used in written Czech. In this lesson, you will learn about the different diacritical marks used in Czech, how to pronounce them, and how to handle them in your writing.

Accented Letters

Accented vowels are a key feature of the Czech language. There are four accents that can be placed on vowels, each with its own unique sound.

Acute Accent (Čárka)

The acute accent (ˇ) is represented in Czech by a symbol called the "čárka". It is placed over the letters "a", "e", "i", "o", "u", "y". When a letter with a čárka appears in a word, the pitch of the word changes, making the word distinctive.

For example:

Czech	IPA	English
mám	mɑ̌ːm	I have
ráda	raːdɑ̌	I like
šťastný	ʃcɑstniː	happy

Double Acute Accent (Háček)

The double acute accent (˝) is represented in Czech by a symbol called the "háček". It is placed over the letters "ů" and "y". When a letter with a háček appears in a word, it changes the sound of the letter.

For example:

Czech	IPA	English
dům	duːm	house
říše	riːʃɛ̌	empire

Circumflex Accent

The circumflex accent (^) is rarely used in Czech, but it is seen in a few loanwords from other languages. It is placed over the letter "ô". When a letter with a circumflex accent appears in a word, it changes the sound of the letter.

For example:

Czech	IPA	English
pôle	poːlɛ	pole

Caron (Haček)

The caron (ˇ) is another type of accent used in Czech. It is represented by the letter "ř". This accent gives the letter a distinct "r" sound.

For example:

Czech	IPA	English
řeka	r̝ɛka	river

Other Special Characters

In addition to accents, Czech also employs a number of special characters that differ from those used in English. Here are some examples:

Č

The letter "č" is pronounced as the "ch" in "chair".

Ř

The letter "ř" is pronounced as a rolled "r", and is unique to Czech.

Š

The letter "š" is pronounced as the "sh" in "sheep".

Ž

The letter "ž" is pronounced as the "s" in "pleasure".

Conclusion

Don't be intimidated by the accents and special characters used in Czech! With practice, you will soon be able to read and write Czech with ease. Make sure to review this lesson regularly to ensure you fully understand the ins and outs of Czech pronunciation.

Sources

• Czech phonology
• Czech orthography

Table of Contents - Czech Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Alphabet and Pronunciation

• Consonants
• Vowels
• Accents and Special Characters

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Introduction to Nouns
• Personal Pronouns
• Demonstrative Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Verbs

• Introduction to Verbs
• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Introduction to Adjectives
• Introduction to Adverbs
• Comparative and Superlative Forms

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings and Farewells
• Asking for and Giving Information
• Small Talk and Expressing Likes and Dislikes

  ---

At the Restaurant

• Ordering Food
• Asking for the Bill and Tipping
• Dining Etiquette

  ---

Daily Life

• Shopping
• Transportation
• Health and Medical Emergencies

  ---

History and Traditions

• History and Czech Lands
• Festivals and Celebrations
• Czech Cuisine

  ---

Art and Heritage

• Czech Literature
• Architecture and Landmark
• Czech Film and Music

Related Lessons

• Possessive Pronouns
• Demonstrative Pronouns
• Locative Case in Czech
• Adjectives
• Introduction to Adverbs
• Conditional Mood
• Personal Pronouns
• Nouns
• How to Use "Být" (to Be)
• Verb to be with names and places