Czech Culture and Etiquette: Traveler Guide to Customs and Manners

First impression and greeting

Czechs fit look reserved for first, but di formality na politeness, no be coldness. Firm handshake with direct eye contact na standard when you meet somebody, and you go repeat am when you dey leave.

• Talk Dobry den (good day) when you enter shop, restaurant or waiting room; e dey expected, and if you skip am e go sound rude.
• Use na shledanou (goodbye) when you dey comot.
• Stick to surname and title until dem invite you make you switch to first name. Academic titles like inzenyr or doktor get real weight.

Social etiquette and di house

If dem invite you go Czech house, na real sign of trust. Carry small gift: wine, correct chocolate, or odd number of flowers (even numbers na for funeral, and chrysanthemum dey signal mourning).

• Comot your shoe for door. Most hosts go give slippers.
• Wait make dem tell you where to sit and no start to chop or drink before host toast.
• When you dey toast with beer or slivovice (plum brandy), talk na zdravi, make eye contact with everybody, and no cross arm with anybody.

Do and don't

• Do keep your voice low for tram and Prague metro; loud tourists dey stand out.
• Do validate your tram or metro ticket for di yellow machine. Plainclothes inspectors go fine you on-the-spot, around 1,000 CZK.
• Don't confuse Czech with Russian, or call di kontri Czechoslovakia. Na Czech Republic, dem also dey call am Czechia, and e don independent since 1993.
• Don't dey loud negative about Czech beer. Pilsner Urquell from Plzen na national pride, and di kontri dey drink beer pass any other kontri per head.
• Don't put your leg for seat or jaywalk for front of police.

Pubs, dining and tipping

For traditional hospoda, you go often share long table, and fresh beer go come when your glass near finish unless you put beer mat on top to signal say you don done. Waiter dey keep tab for your table.

Tipping small but e still expected. Round up di bill or add around 10 percent. Hand di total straight to server and talk di amount you wan pay instead of leave coins for table. To talk di round figure as you dey pay na di local way.

Stay connected for Czech Republic

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