Czech · Chodba / small talk
You meet a neighbour on the stairs: what to say in Czech
You meet a neighbour in the stairwell.
💡
How it's done. In Czech buildings it is usual to greet neighbours on the stairs: Dobrý den, Dobrý večer, even if you don't know each other; between acquaintances people say briefly Dobrý.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
THEY SPEAK FIRST
THEY SAY
Dobrý den!DOH-brih dayn!
Good day!
They might also say:
Dobrý, hezký den!
DOH-brih, GES-kih dayn!
Hello, nice day!
Dobrý den, dnes je hezky, že?
DOH-brih dayn, dnes yeh GES-kih, zheh?
Good day, it's nice today, isn't it?
YOU REPLY
Dobrý den! Ano, je moc hezky.
DOH-brih dayn! AH-noh, yeh mots GES-kih.
Good day! Yes, it's very nice.
THEY SAY
Hezký zbytek dne!GES-kih ZBIH-tek dneh!
Have a nice rest of the day!
They might also say:
Pěkný den přeji!
PYEHK-nih dayn PRSHAY-ee!
I wish you a nice day!
2
YOU FINISH
Děkuji, i vám!
DYEH-kooy-ee, ee vahm!
Thank you, you too!
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
Dobrý
DOH-brih
adjective
good
den
dayn
noun
day
je
yeh
verb
is
moc
mots
adverb
very, a lot
hezky
GES-kih
adverb
nicely
Hezký
GES-kih
adjective
nice
6 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?
Děkuji!
DYEH-kooy-ee!
Thank you!
Similar situations
After moving in you get to know a neighbourChodba / small talk · A1 in the app
→You are carrying a pram up the stairs and a neighbour offers helpChodba / small talk · A1 in the app
→A neighbour in the stairwell starts chatting about the weatherChodba / small talk · A1 in the app
→A neighbour is going on holiday and asks you to look after the post and plantsChodba / small talk · A2 in the app
→Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report