Czech · Restaurace / hospoda
You ask what svíčková is and what it comes with: what to say in Czech
You ask what svíčková is and what comes with it.
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How it's done. Svíčková na smetaně is beef in a cream sauce with knedlíky (Czech dumplings) and cranberries; guláš is meat in a thick sauce; smažený sýr is cheese in breadcrumbs.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Prosím vás, co je to svíčková?
PROH-seem vahs, tsoh yeh toh SVEECH-koh-vuh?
Excuse me, what is svíčková?
Or say:Promiňte, můžete mi vysvětlit, co je svíčková na smetaně?
PROH-meen-teh, MOO-zheh-teh mee VIH-svyeh-tleet, tsoh yeh SVEECH-koh-vuh nuh SMEH-tuh-nyeh?
THEY SAY
Hovězí maso v krémové omáčce z kořenové zeleniny, k tomu houskové knedlíky a brusinky.GOH-vyeh-zee MAH-soh f KREH-moh-veh OH-muhch-tseh s KOR-zheh-noh-veh ZEH-leh-nee-nih, k TOH-moo GOH-oos-koh-veh KNEH-dlee-kih uh BROO-seen-kih.
Beef in a creamy root-vegetable sauce, with bread dumplings and cranberries.
They might also say:
Je to hovězí v omáčce se smetanou, podává se s knedlíky a brusinkami.
Yeh toh GOH-vyeh-zee v OH-muhch-tseh seh SMEH-tuh-noh-oo, POH-duh-vuh seh s KNEH-dlee-kih uh BROO-seen-kuh-mee.
It is beef in a cream sauce, served with dumplings and cranberries.
2
YOU REPLY
Je to sladké?
Yeh toh SLAHT-keh?
Is it sweet?
THEY SAY
Omáčka je jemně nasládlá, ale ne moc. Brusinky jsou kyselé.OH-muhch-kuh yeh YEHM-nyeh NAH-sluh-dluh, AH-leh neh mots. BROO-seen-kih ysoh-oo KIH-seh-leh.
The sauce is mildly sweetish but not much. The cranberries are sour.
3
YOU REPLY
To zní dobře. Dám si svíčkovou.
Toh znee DOBR-zheh. Dahm see SVEECH-koh-voh-oo.
That sounds good. I'll have the svíčková.
THEY SAY
Hned to bude. Ještě něco k pití?Gnet toh BOO-deh. YEHSH-tyeh NYEH-tsoh k PEE-tee?
Right away. Anything to drink?
4
YOU FINISH
Ne, děkuji.
Neh, DYEH-kooy-ee.
No, thank you.
THEY SAY
Není zač. Dobrou chuť!NEH-nee zahch. DOH-broh-oo khooty!
You're welcome. Enjoy your meal!
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “Czech for life in Czechia”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Prosím
PROH-seem
verb
please
je
yeh
verb
is
svíčková
SVEECH-koh-vuh
noun
svíčková (beef in cream sauce)
Hovězí
GOH-vyeh-zee
adjective
beef
maso
MAH-soh
noun
meat
krémové
KREH-moh-veh
adjective
cream (locative)
38 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Můžete to zopakovat, prosím?
MOO-zheh-teh toh ZOH-puh-koh-vuht, PROH-seem?
Can you repeat that, please?
Můžete mluvit pomaleji, prosím?
MOO-zheh-teh MLOO-veet POH-muh-lay-ee, PROH-seem?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Co to znamená?
Tsoh toh ZNAH-meh-nuh?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
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