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Czech language lesson from my 4-year-old daughter.
The other day, my daughter found my bike helmet. She came to ask me what it was, and I told her, “That’s my bike helmet.” She went to our Peruvian nanny and wanted to say the same thing in Spanish because that's the language they use. But there was one problem: she didn’t know the Spanish word for “bike.” So she said: “Es de mamá y es para kolo.” (It’s mommy’s and it’s for a “kolo“) Our nanny replied: “Aa, para una bicicleta?” (Oh, for a bicycle?) And my daughter: “Sí, para u
Eliška Boušková
17 hours ago2 min read


Do real conversations with Czechs feel frustrating or scary?
I recently started working with two new clients. They are completely different people, and yet they have so much in common. We’ve only had two lessons so far, but I can already see something I see with my clients again and again. 1. Both of them have been learning Czech for years. They’ve tried courses, textbooks, apps, and podcasts. And still, they feel like none of it really fits together. 2. Real conversations with Czechs feel frustrating and scary. They freeze, the conver
Eliška Boušková
Jan 122 min read


One of the biggest mistakes when learning Czech. Are you making it too?
I see this all the time. Expats in the Czech Republic want to learn Czech, but they have no system. They jump between textbooks, podcasts, courses, homework…and instead of actually learning Czech, they spend most of their energy deciding what to do next. They don’t move forward. And they get frustrated. One of the first things I do with my clients is help them set up a simple, daily routine they can follow between lessons, so Czech doesn’t exist only once a week. This routine
Eliška Boušková
Jan 121 min read


A client told me today: 'I’ll never be good enough in Czech.'
His goal is to achieve a clear and confident Czech pronunciation so he can effectively communicate with his customers and clients. Throughout the whole lesson, I kept thinking how beautifully he speaks. He has one of the best Czech pronunciations I’ve ever heard from an American. He works hard, practices a lot, and is genuinely committed. And yet, during our reflection at the end of the lesson, he felt frustrated. He felt it was still “not good enough”. So I told him this: Yo
Eliška Boušková
Jan 122 min read


A mastermind session: personal development in Czech
🟡 Today, we skipped the Czech lesson. And it was great! My women’s speaking group tried something new: a mastermind session. Each of them shared something she’s currently dealing with : work, family, relationships, ...and the others offered questions, support, and perspective. There were no grammar points, no set topic. Just 4 real conversations, each for one of them. All in Czech. I didn’t correct anything. I just helped with a word if needed and let the group do the rest
Eliška Boušková
Dec 18, 20252 min read


Czech TV feels impossible to understand?
🟡 You've been learning Czech for years. You've tried watching Czech films, Netflix series, ČT24. But it always ends the same. They talk too fast, too mumbly, too native. So you turn it off. Again. But what if it didn’t have to be like that? What if you had a guide, right there with you? Someone who paused the video and said: “Here’s what they just said. Here’s why. And here’s how you can say it too.” Tadáááá! That’s what I created for you. 🥳 A 30-second Czech clip, turned
Eliška Boušková
Dec 16, 20251 min read


Someone started 'tykat' her right away, without asking.
🟡 Tykání can feel friendly… or it can feel like a slap. At our last Zoom call in my women’s speaking group , we touched on a topic that sparked a big discussion: tykání and vykání. One woman shared a story about someone who started 'tykat' her right away, without asking. Was it because she’s younger? New to the neighbourhood? Or because she’s a foreigner? Whatever the reason, when someone in the Czech Republic starts tykat you without permission, it can be a subtle way of sa
Eliška Boušková
Dec 16, 20252 min read


It's a safe space where expat women can speak Czech about real things
🟡 We just had another Zoom call with my amazing Speaking group for women . Today, each participant presented something important from her life, and then they discussed it together. And here’s what came up in our final reflection: - I learned the difference between the expressions „jsem ráda, že…“ (I’m glad that…) and „těším se na…“ (I’m looking forward to…). - I learned the words „chumelenice“ (snowstorm) and „vliv“ (influence). - I learned the phrase „je potřeba se trochu c
Eliška Boušková
Dec 16, 20251 min read


We met offline to bake Christmas cookies in Czech!
🟡 Christmas cookies, Czech only, and zero awkward silence. Not long ago, a small group of Czech learners came to my home in Prague for an offline Christmas cookie-baking afternoon. Some participants already knew each other, others were meeting for the first time. And honestly… when everyone arrived and immediately started talking, laughing, and getting to know one another (in Czech!), I almost felt bad about interrupting them to actually start baking. 😄 But we eventually go
Eliška Boušková
Dec 16, 20251 min read


It's part language learning, part women's group and all parts wonderful.
🟡 For expat women who've been learning Czech for years and want to use Czech in meaningful conversations and build relationships in Czech. - Do you struggle to speak Czech confidently in everyday situations? - Do you feel excluded from conversations with native speakers? - Do you feel overwhelmed trying to balance learning with work and family? - Do you find it hard to practice speaking Czech consistently? Then you will LOVE this group. "This group has given me so much! We
Eliška Boušková
Dec 16, 20251 min read


People struggle with Czech for years and often believe it’s their fault.
🟡 I recently started working with two new clients. They are completely different people, and yet they have so much in common. We’re still at the beginning, we’ve only had two lessons so far. But already, I can see something very familiar, something I see with my clients again and again. 1. Both of them have been learning Czech for years. They’ve tried courses, textbooks, apps, and podcasts. And still, they feel like none of it really fits together. 2. Real conversations with
Eliška Boušková
Dec 16, 20252 min read


🌟 You don’t need perfect Czech to make a real impact.
One of my amazing clients, Solée from the US, recently shared something that really stayed with me. She's currently part of my 10-week...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 9, 20251 min read


You have a dream of feeling at home in Czech… but something’s holding you back.
You speak English at work. You hang out with other expats. You’ve studied Czech. Maybe even with teachers, apps, Duolingo, and textbooks....
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read


Czech learners, have you ever sat in a room full of Czech speakers and felt completely invisible?
You smile, nod, catch a few words here and there… but deep down, you feel like a stranger in your own home. Many expats in the Czech...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read


"I've been learning Czech for years… so why can’t I understand real conversations?"
You study, you know the rules, and you memorize vocabulary. But when you hear Czechs chatting in a pub, on the street, or in a Facebook...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read


"I try to speak Czech, but when someone replies fast, I don't understand anything!"
You’re not alone — and it’s completely normal! Fast, authentic Czech is full of connected words, swallowed endings, slang, and colloquial...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read


Dreaming of feeling confident when speaking Czech?
✨ Dreaming of feeling confident when speaking Czech? ✨ Dreaming of finally joining conversations with your Czech colleagues, in-laws, or...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read


Overwhelmed by Czech?
Overwhelmed by Czech? Maybe you’re trying to clean all the windows at once. I live in a beautiful, 100-year-old apartment in Prague. One...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read


“I want to learn Czech” is the worst goal you can set. Why?
“I want to learn Czech” is the worst goal you can set. Why? It’s like trying to reach a destination but constantly changing the route, so...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read


Do you feel excluded from conversations with native Czech speakers?
Have you been learning Czech for so long, but when it comes to real conversations, you feel completely lost? I hear this from people who...
Eliška Boušková
Apr 5, 20252 min read
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