Learn Czech Numbers: Complete Guide to Counting in Czech
When you learn Czech numbers, you unlock the ability to handle everyday situations like shopping, telling time, and exchanging phone numbers. Czech numbers follow logical patterns, though some require attention to grammatical cases. This guide covers everything you need to count confidently in Czech.
Essential Numbers Vocabulary
These core numbers form the foundation for all counting in Czech. Master these first, as larger numbers build upon them.
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| jedna | YED-nah | one | Mám jednu kávu. (I have one coffee.) |
| dva / dvě | dvah / dvyeh | two | Koupil jsem dva rohlíky. (I bought two rolls.) |
| tři | trzhee | three | Máme tři děti. (We have three children.) |
| čtyři | CHTIH-rzhee | four | Čekám čtyři hodiny. (I'm waiting four hours.) |
| pět | pyet | five | Je mi pět let. (I am five years old.) |
| šest | shest | six | Máme šest vajec. (We have six eggs.) |
| sedm | SED-um | seven | Přijdu v sedm. (I'll come at seven.) |
| osm | OS-um | eight | Osm lidí přišlo. (Eight people came.) |
| devět | DEH-vyet | nine | Mám devět knih. (I have nine books.) |
| deset | DEH-set | ten | Stojí to deset korun. (It costs ten crowns.) |
| jedenáct | YEH-deh-nahtst | eleven | Je jedenáct hodin. (It's eleven o'clock.) |
| dvanáct | DVAH-nahtst | twelve | Máme dvanáct měsíců. (We have twelve months.) |
| dvacet | DVAH-tset | twenty | Mám dvacet let. (I am twenty years old.) |
| sto | stoh | one hundred | To stojí sto korun. (That costs one hundred crowns.) |
| tisíc | TIH-seets | one thousand | Mám tisíc korun. (I have one thousand crowns.) |
| nula | NOO-lah | zero | Teplota je nula stupňů. (The temperature is zero degrees.) |
| půl | pool | half | Je půl dvanácté. (It's half past eleven.) |
Common Phrases with Numbers
These everyday expressions will help you use Czech numbers in practical situations, from shopping to making appointments.
| Phrase | Pronunciation | English | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolik to stojí? | KOH-lik toh STOH-yee | How much does it cost? | Essential for shopping |
| Kolik je hodin? | KOH-lik yeh HOH-din | What time is it? | Asking for the time |
| Kolik vám je let? | KOH-lik vahm yeh let | How old are you? | Polite form for age |
| jednou, dvakrát, třikrát | YED-noh, DVAH-kraht, TRZHEE-kraht | once, twice, three times | Expressing frequency |
| první, druhý, třetí | PRVN-ee, DROO-hee, TRZHEH-tee | first, second, third | Ordinal numbers |
| za pět minut | zah pyet MIH-noot | in five minutes | Expressing future time |
| před třemi dny | przhed TRZHEH-mee dnee | three days ago | Expressing past time |
Usage Notes
Czech numbers have some unique grammatical features that differ from English. Understanding these patterns will help you sound more natural.
- Gender agreement (1-2): The numbers one and two change form based on the gender of the noun. Use jeden/jedna/jedno for masculine/feminine/neuter, and dva/dvě for masculine/feminine-neuter.
- Case changes (1-4): Numbers one through four require nouns in the nominative or accusative plural. For example: dva muži (two men), tři ženy (three women).
- Genitive plural (5+): Numbers five and above require the genitive plural. This is why you say pět mužů (five men) instead of pět muži.
- Teen numbers: Numbers 11-19 are formed by adding -náct to the base number: třináct (13), čtrnáct (14), patnáct (15).
- Tens: Multiples of ten follow a pattern: třicet (30), čtyřicet (40), padesát (50), šedesát (60), sedmdesát (70), osmdesát (80), devadesát (90).
- Compound numbers: Numbers like 21 are formed as dvacet jedna (twenty-one), with the larger number first.
- Currency: The Czech crown (koruna) changes form: jedna koruna, dvě koruny, pět korun.
Practice Sentences
Use these example sentences to practice Czech numbers in context. Try reading them aloud to improve your pronunciation.
- Máme rezervaci pro čtyři osoby. (MAH-meh reh-zehr-VAH-tsee proh CHTIH-rzhee OH-soh-bee) — We have a reservation for four people.
- Vlak odjíždí v osm třicet. (vlahk OD-yeezh-dee voh-sum TRZHEE-tset) — The train departs at eight thirty.
- Bydlím v Praze už patnáct let. (BID-leem fPRAH-zeh oozh PAHT-nahtst let) — I've lived in Prague for fifteen years.
- Potřebuji dvě kila jablek. (POH-trzheh-boo-yee dvyeh KEE-lah YAH-blek) — I need two kilos of apples.
- Můj telefon je sedm dva tři, čtyři pět šest. (mooy TEH-leh-fon yeh sed-um dvah trzhee, chtih-rzhee pyet shest) — My phone number is 723-456.
- Narodil jsem se v roce devatenáct set osmdesát pět. (NAH-roh-dil sem seh vroh-tseh DEH-vah-teh-nahtst set OS-um-deh-saht pyet) — I was born in 1985.
- Jeden lístek stojísto padesát korun. (YEH-den LEES-tek STOH-yee stoh PAH-deh-saht KOH-roon) — One ticket costs one hundred fifty crowns.
- Je třetí hodina odpoledne. (yeh TRZHEH-tee HOH-dee-nah OD-poh-led-neh) — It's three o'clock in the afternoon.