Language/Czech/Grammar/Consonants

Czech Grammar → Alphabet and Pronunciation → Consonants

As a Czech language teacher with 20 years of experience, I can assure you that learning the consonant sounds and pronunciation is a crucial step in achieving fluency in this beautiful language. In this lesson on Czech consonants, we will be focusing on the sounds and pronunciation of the Czech consonants, which may not be familiar to English speakers.

Czech Consonants

Czech has 25 consonant phonemes, 15 of which are "hard" and 10 that are "soft." Soft consonants are pronounced with a gentler sound, as if whispering, whereas hard consonants are pronounced by adding a puff of air to the sound.

Hard Consonants

Here is a table with examples of Czech hard consonants, their pronunciation, and an English translation:

Czech	Pronunciation	English
b	[b]	as in "beef"
c	[ts]	as in "jazz"
d	[d]	as in "dog"
f	[f]	as in "fly"
g	[ɡ]	as in "good"
h	[ɦ]	as in "hold"
ch	[x]	as in "loch"
j	[j]	as in "yes"
k	[k]	as in "kite"
l	[l]	as in "love"
m	[m]	as in "mom"
n	[n]	as in "nest"
p	[p]	as in "pill"
r	[r]	as in a trilled "r"
s	[s]	as in "sit"
t	[t]	as in "top"

Soft Consonants

Here is a table with examples of Czech soft consonants, their pronunciation, and an English translation:

Czech	Pronunciation	English
b	[bʲ]	as in "beef" with a soft sound
c	[t͡sʲ]	as in "jazz" with a soft sound
d	[dʲ]	as in "dog" with a soft sound
ď	[ɟ]	as in "jam" but with a soft sound
f	[fʲ]	as in "fly" with a soft sound
g	[ɡʲ]	as in "good" with a soft sound
h	[ɦʲ]	as in "hold" with a soft sound
ch	[xʲ]	as in "loch" with a soft sound
j	[jʲ]	as in "yes" with a soft sound
k	[kʲ]	as in "kite" with a soft sound

Spelling Rules

Czech has fixed spelling rules that are usually straightforward, although there are some exceptions. Some notable differences from English spelling include:

• The letter c is pronounced like the English "ts" sound
• The letter d can have a soft sound, pronounced like the English "j" sound
• The letter ď is pronounced like the English "j" sound, but with a soft sound

Tips for Pronunciation

To improve your Czech pronunciation, try the following tips:

• Listen to native speakers and try to mimic their pronunciation
• Practice your pronunciation by reading out loud and recording yourself
• Pay attention to stress and intonation patterns in sentences, which can impact the overall meaning of a word

Learning the Czech consonant sounds and pronunciation may seem daunting at first, but with practice and dedication, you will soon master them. Keep up the good work!

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

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Daily Life

• Shopping
• Transportation
• Health and Medical Emergencies

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History and Traditions

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

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Art and Heritage

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