Czech Pronunciation Guide

Czech Pronunciation Guide

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A a, Á á, B b, C c, Č č, Ch ch, D d, Ď ď, E e, É é, Ě ě, F f, G g,
H h, I i, Í í, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, Ň ň, O o, Ó ó, P p,
Q q, R r, Ř ř, S s, Š š, T t, Ť ť, U u, Ú ú, Ů ů, V v,
W w, X x, Y y, Ý ý, Z z, Ž ž

Czech, which is closely related to Polish, Slovak and Sorbian, is a Western Slavonic language. Czech is spoken by more than ten million people in the Czech Republic, but there are many Czech speakers in the United States and other countries.
In Czech, the letter Č (č) is synonamous with the sound cz (as in Czech).
The first syllable usually has the strongest stress in Czech words.
Letters not listed below are pronounced approximately as in English.
--Dick Oakes

A, a - a as in father

Á á - a as in class

E, e - e as in verb

I, i and Y, y - i as in pin

Í, í and Ý, ý - i as in machine

O, o - o as in gone

U, u - u as in put

Ú, ú and Ů, ů - u as in blue

C, c - c as in dance

Č, č - c as in cello

Ch, ch - ch as in loch

G, g - g as in go

J, j - y as in yes

R, r - slightly rolled

Ř, ř - slightly rolled with a zh sound

Š, š - s as in sugar

Ž, ž - z as in azure

A VERY SOFT SOUND:

Ď, ď -or- Dě, dě - a soft dy (the apostrophe on ď, rather than the caron, is preferred in typesetting)

Ň, ň -or- Ně, ně - a soft ny

Ť, ť -or- Tě, tě - a soft ty (the apostrophe on ť, rather than the caron, is preferred in typesetting)

Di, di -or- Dí, dí - a soft dyee

Ni, ni -or- Ní, ní - a soft nyee

Ti, ti -or- Tí, tí - a soft tyee

DIPTHONGS:

Au, au - au as in auto (occurs rarely)

Ou, ou - ou as in mould

SOMETIMES, THE LAST LETTER SOUNDS AS:

b - p

d - t

v - f

z - s

Copyright © 2007 by Dick Oakes

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A, a	- a as in father
Á á	- a as in class
E, e	- e as in verb
I, i and Y, y	- i as in pin
Í, í and Ý, ý	- i as in machine
O, o	- o as in gone
U, u	- u as in put
Ú, ú and Ů, ů	- u as in blue

C, c	- c as in dance
Č, č	- c as in cello
Ch, ch	- ch as in loch

G, g	- g as in go
J, j	- y as in yes
R, r	- slightly rolled
Ř, ř	- slightly rolled with a zh sound
Š, š	- s as in sugar
Ž, ž	- z as in azure

A VERY SOFT SOUND:

Ď, ď -or- Dě, dě	- a soft dy (the apostrophe on ď, rather than the caron, is preferred in typesetting)
Ň, ň -or- Ně, ně	- a soft ny
Ť, ť -or- Tě, tě	- a soft ty (the apostrophe on ť, rather than the caron, is preferred in typesetting)

Di, di -or- Dí, dí	- a soft dyee
Ni, ni -or- Ní, ní	- a soft nyee
Ti, ti -or- Tí, tí	- a soft tyee

DIPTHONGS:

Au, au	- au as in auto (occurs rarely)
Ou, ou	- ou as in mould

SOMETIMES, THE LAST LETTER SOUNDS AS:

b	- p
d	- t
v	- f
z	- s