5 English mistakes Czech speakers make (and how to fix them)
Czech and English work very differently, so Czech speakers tend to make the same handful of mistakes. The good news: once you know them, they are easy to fix. Here are five of the most common ones.
1. Forgetting "a" and "the"
Czech has no articles, so it feels natural to leave them out. In English, almost every singular noun needs one.
I bought new car. → I bought a new car.
Can you close window? → Can you close the window?
Quick rule: use a/an when you mention something for the first time, or when it could be any one. Use the when you both know exactly which one you mean.
2. "I live here since…" instead of "I've lived here since…"
In Czech you say "Bydlím v Praze od roku 2020" in the present tense. In English, something that started in the past and is still true now needs the present perfect.
I live in Prague since 2020. → I've lived in Prague since 2020.
I work here for three years. → I've worked here for three years.
Quick rule: if the sentence has since or for and it is still true today, use have/has + past participle.
3. False friends: actually, eventually, sympathetic
Some English words look like Czech words but mean something different.
- Actually means "ve skutečnosti", not "aktuálně". For "currently", say currently or at the moment.
- Eventually means "nakonec", not "eventuálně". For "possibly", say possibly or if necessary.
- Sympathetic means "soucitný", not "sympatický". For someone you like, say nice, likeable or friendly.
Actually I work in a bank. (meaning "currently") → At the moment I work in a bank.
4. Make or do?
Czech uses dělat for both. English splits it: make is usually for creating or producing something, do for activities, tasks and work.
I need to make my homework. → I need to do my homework.
Can I do a suggestion? → Can I make a suggestion?
Learn the common pairs as fixed phrases: make a mistake, a decision, money, a phone call; do your homework, the shopping, business, your best.
5. Pronunciation: "th" and the ends of words
Czech has no "th" sound, so think often becomes "tink" or "sink". Put the tip of your tongue lightly between your teeth and blow air out: think, three, thank you.
Czech also makes consonants at the end of a word voiceless, so bed sounds like "bet" and dog like "dock". In English that changes the word. Hold the vowel a little longer and keep the last sound voiced: bed / bet, bag / back, prize / price.
How to actually get rid of them
Reading about mistakes helps, but they only disappear when you notice them while you speak. That is what conversation lessons are for: you talk, your teacher writes down your mistakes, and you practise the right version straight away until it feels natural.