thelernen logothelernen
Start for free

7 Czech reading texts for A2, with translation

Short Czech texts for level A2: 7 stories, about 35 minutes of reading. Every sentence carries its English translation, and each text ends with comprehension questions. Read them right here — no sign-up needed.

Visit to the doctor

A2 · 5 min

Ivana kašle už dva týdny a v noci nemůže spát.
Ivana has been coughing for two weeks and cannot sleep at night.

Objednala se ke svému praktickému lékaři.
She made an appointment with her GP.

V Česku se člověk nejdřív registruje u praktika, teprve pak jde ke specialistovi.
In Czechia you first register with a GP, and only then go to a specialist.

V čekárně čekala skoro hodinu.
She waited in the waiting room for almost an hour.

„Co vás trápí?“ zeptal se doktor.
"What is troubling you?" the doctor asked.

„Kašlu a bolí mě na hrudi.“
"I have a cough and my chest hurts."

Doktor ji poslechl a napsal jí recept na sirup.
The doctor listened to her chest and wrote her a prescription for a syrup.

„Kdyby to za týden nepřešlo, přijďte znovu.“
"If it has not passed in a week, come back."

Check yourself

  1. Who do you see first in Czechia?
    Show answer

    Your GP

  2. How long did she wait?
    Show answer

    Almost an hour

  3. What did the doctor prescribe?
    Show answer

    A syrup

Visiting Prague Castle

A2 · 5 min

V neděli šla Sofia poprvé na Pražský hrad.
On Sunday Sofia went to Prague Castle for the first time.

Nahoru vyjela tramvají a dolů šla pěšky.
She took the tram up and walked down.

Vstup do areálu je zdarma, ale do katedrály se platí.
Entry to the grounds is free, but you pay to enter the cathedral.

Před katedrálou stála dlouhá fronta turistů.
There was a long queue of tourists in front of the cathedral.

Sofia poslouchala průvodce a rozuměla asi polovině.
Sofia listened to the guide and understood about half.

Nejvíc se jí líbila Zlatá ulička s malými domky.
She liked the Golden Lane with its little houses best.

Na zpáteční cestě se zastavila u vyhlídky na město.
On the way back she stopped at a viewpoint over the city.

Praha odtud vypadala úplně jinak než z ulice.
From there Prague looked completely different from how it does at street level.

Check yourself

  1. What costs money at the castle?
    Show answer

    Entering the cathedral

  2. How much of the guide did Sofia understand?
    Show answer

    About half

  3. What did she like most?
    Show answer

    The Golden Lane

Traditional Czech pub culture

A2 · 5 min

Kolegové pozvali Dmytra po práci do hospody.
His colleagues invited Dmytro to the pub after work.

V české hospodě si člověk nemusí objednávat pořád znovu.
In a Czech pub you do not have to keep ordering again.

Když je sklenice prázdná, číšník přinese další pivo.
When your glass is empty, the waiter brings another beer.

Když už nechcete, položíte na sklenici tácek.
When you do not want any more, you put a beer mat on the glass.

Dmytro to nevěděl a vypil o dvě piva víc.
Dmytro did not know this and drank two beers too many.

Kolegové se smáli, ale nikdo se nezlobil.
The colleagues laughed, but nobody was annoyed.

Číšník píše všechno čárkami na papírek na stole.
The waiter writes everything down as tally marks on a slip on the table.

Na konci se platí najednou, ne každý zvlášť.
At the end you pay all together, not each person separately.

Check yourself

  1. How do you signal you want no more beer?
    Show answer

    Put a beer mat on the glass

  2. What happened to Dmytro?
    Show answer

    He drank two beers too many

  3. How does the waiter keep count?
    Show answer

    Tally marks on a slip of paper

Weekend at the cottage (chata)

A2 · 5 min

Skoro každá česká rodina má chatu nebo chalupu.
Almost every Czech family has a cottage of some kind.

Kolegyně pozvala Natalii na víkend za město.
A colleague invited Natalia out of town for the weekend.

Chata byla malá, dřevěná a bez teplé vody.
The cottage was small, wooden and had no hot water.

Ráno se topilo v kamnech a vařilo na plotně.
In the morning they lit the stove and cooked on the hob.

Odpoledne všichni pracovali na zahradě.
In the afternoon everyone worked in the garden.

Natalia poprvé v životě sbírala rybíz.
Natalia picked currants for the first time in her life.

Večer seděli u ohně a zpívali s kytarou.
In the evening they sat by the fire and sang with a guitar.

„Tomu se říká chataření,“ řekla kolegyně. „Je to náš národní sport.“
"This is called chataření," the colleague said. "It is our national sport."

Check yourself

  1. What was the cottage like?
    Show answer

    Small, wooden, no hot water

  2. What did Natalia do for the first time?
    Show answer

    Picked currants

  3. What is "chataření" called in the story?
    Show answer

    The national sport

Charles University student life

A2 · 5 min

Andrij studuje první ročník na Karlově univerzitě.
Andrij is in his first year at Charles University.

Přednášky jsou velké, semináře malé.
The lectures are big, the seminars small.

Na začátku nerozuměl, co znamená „zápočet“ a co „zkouška“.
At first he did not understand what "zápočet" and "zkouška" mean.

Zápočet je podmínka, zkouška je známka.
A zápočet is a prerequisite, a zkouška is a graded exam.

Spolužačka mu vysvětlila, jak celý systém funguje.
A classmate explained to him how the whole system works.

Ve zkouškovém období se v knihovně sedí od rána do večera.
During the exam period people sit in the library from morning until evening.

Andrij tam chodí každý den hned po snídani.
Andrij goes there every day right after breakfast.

První zkoušku udělal na dvojku a byl spokojený.
He passed his first exam with a two and was satisfied.

Check yourself

  1. What is the difference between zápočet and zkouška?
    Show answer

    One is a prerequisite, the other is graded

  2. Who explained the system to him?
    Show answer

    A classmate

  3. Where does he study during the exam period?
    Show answer

    In the library

Train trip to Český Krumlov

A2 · 5 min

V sobotu jela Kateryna vlakem do Českého Krumlova.
On Saturday Kateryna took the train to Český Krumlov.

Jízdenku si koupila přes aplikaci, byla levnější než na nádraží.
She bought the ticket through an app; it was cheaper than at the station.

Cesta z Prahy trvala skoro tři hodiny.
The journey from Prague took almost three hours.

Ve vlaku si četla a dívala se z okna na pole a lesy.
On the train she read and looked out at fields and forests.

V Krumlově teče řeka kolem celého starého města.
In Krumlov the river flows around the whole old town.

Ulice jsou úzké a domy mají barevné fasády.
The streets are narrow and the houses have colourful facades.

Kateryna se ztratila, ale vůbec jí to nevadilo.
Kateryna got lost, but she did not mind at all.

Zpátky jela večerním vlakem a celou cestu spala.
She went back on the evening train and slept the whole way.

Check yourself

  1. Where did she buy the cheaper ticket?
    Show answer

    Through an app

  2. How long is the journey from Prague?
    Show answer

    Almost three hours

  3. What happened in Krumlov?
    Show answer

    She got lost and did not mind

Opening a bank account in Czechia

A2 · 5 min

Bez českého účtu je těžké dostat výplatu.
Without a Czech account it is hard to get paid.

Yuliia si na pobočku vzala pas a doklad o adrese.
Yuliia took her passport and proof of address to the branch.

Úřednice se ptala, jestli bude na účet chodit mzda.
The clerk asked whether a salary would be paid into the account.

Účet je zdarma, když na něj každý měsíc něco přijde.
The account is free if something is paid into it every month.

Yuliia podepsala smlouvu a dostala číslo účtu.
Yuliia signed the contract and got her account number.

Kartu jí poslali poštou za týden.
They sent her the card by post a week later.

Internetové bankovnictví si nastavila hned na pobočce.
She set up online banking right there at the branch.

Poprvé si sama zaplatila nájem převodem.
For the first time she paid her rent herself, by transfer.

Check yourself

  1. What did Yuliia bring to the bank?
    Show answer

    Passport and proof of address

  2. When is the account free?
    Show answer

    If money comes in every month

  3. How did she get the card?
    Show answer

    By post a week later

Read with the app

The same readers with tap-to-translate, audio and spaced repetition of every word you meet.

Open the app →

Other levels

Reading in other languages