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Consonants (Souhlásky)

Czech consonants are categorized into three groups: Hard, Soft, and Neutral. This classification is crucial for grammar, as it determines which vowels can follow them and how words decline.

Classification​

1. Hard Consonants (Tvrdé)​

These are usually followed by y (hard y), never i (except in loanwords).

H, Ch, K, R, D, T, N

  • hy, chy, ky, ry, dy, ty, ny

2. Soft Consonants (Měkké)​

These are usually followed by i (soft i), never y.

Ž, Š, Č, Ř, C, J, Ď, Ť, Ň

  • ži, ši, či, ři, ci, ji, di, ti, ni

3. Neutral Consonants (Obojetné)​

These can be followed by either i or y.

B, F, L, M, P, S, V, Z

  • To know whether to write i or y after these, Czech children learn "Enumerated Words" (vyjmenovaná slova) - lists of roots where y is written. In other cases, it's usually i.

The Letter Ř​

The letter Ř is unique to Czech and often feared by learners. It is a trilled r combined with a fricative sound (like zh or sh).

  • Voiced Ř: Sounds like a trilled r + zh (as in pleasure). Used before voiced consonants or vowels.
    • řeka (river), dřevo (wood).
  • Voiceless Ř: Sounds like a trilled r + sh (as in sh**ip). Used at the end of words or near voiceless consonants.
    • tři (three), pekař (baker).

How to pronounce it?​

Start by saying "t-sh" (tři sounds a bit like tree but with a hiss). Try whispering "R" and "Zh" simultaneously. It takes practice!

Ď, Ť, Ň​

These are "soft" versions of D, T, N.

  • Written with háček: ď, ť, ň (lowercase) or Ď, Ť, Ň (uppercase).
  • Written with 'i': When followed by i or í, the hook is omitted, but the sound remains soft.
    • dě, tě, ně = ďe, ťe, ňe
    • di, ti, ni = ďi, ťi, ňi