Pronunciation Guide
Vowels
The accent doesn't mean a vowel is stressed. It
means it's long.
a
like 'u' in "sun"
e
like 'e' in "red"
e
like 'ye' in "yet"
i
like 'i' in "pin"
o
like 'o' in "block"
u
like 'u' in "put"
u, ú
like 'ou' in "you"
y
same as 'i'
Consonants
b
like 'b' in "bed"
c
like 'ts' in "tsunami"
c
like 'ch' in "child"
d
like 'd' in "dog"
d
like 'd' in "duty"
f
like 'f' in "for"
g
like 'g' in "go"
h
like 'h' in "help"
ch
like 'ch' in the Scottish word "Loch"
j
like 'y' in "yell"
k
like 'k' in "king"
l
like 'l' in "love"
m
like 'm' in "mother"
n
like 'n' in "nice"
like 'ñ' in Spanish "señor"
p
like 'p' in "pig"
q
like 'q' in "quest" (very rare)
r
like Scottish 'r' (a.k.a. rolling 'r')
like 'rzh'; is like the trilled 'r' and the
'su' in " pleasure " together, the tip of your tongue should
vibrate loosely. Not unlike "diversion".
(Very difficult for foreigners, even the young Czechs and Slovaks
have trouble pronouncing it.)
s
like 's' in "his"
š
like 'sh' in "cash"
t
like 't' in "top"
t'
like 'ti' in "Tatiana"
v
like 'v' in "victory"
w
like 'v' in "victor" (rarely used in Czech words, however used in
German-originated proper nouns or words of Polish origin)
x
like 'cks' in "kicks"
z
like 'z' in "zebra"
like 'j' in french "Jacques"
Digraphs
sh
not like the "sh" in "ship" but rather
's' followed by 'h' as in glasshouse.
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