Czech etiquette: the unwritten rules from slippers to the last toast

You turn up at a Czech friend's flat with a good bottle and a firm handshake, and stand there in your shoes while your host studies the floor. Rule one: shoes off. Czechs are forgiving with newcomers, but a handful of small habits will save you the awkward moment, and a few of them will earn you a second invitation.

Most of Czech manners come down to one idea: respect the shared space, and say so out loud. Greet the room, thank the host, announce what you are paying. Czechs value being unmistakably polite more than being effusive.

At home

Take your shoes off at the door. Your host will usually offer slippers (pantofle or bačkory), and walking through in socks is fine too. Turning up with your own indoor shoes marks you out as a very organised person. Check your socks before you leave the house, because you will be on show.

Bring something small: wine, chocolates or flowers. If it is flowers, give an odd number, because even numbers are for funerals, and take the wrapping off before you hand them over. Younger people follow this loosely, but everyone knows it.

Be on time, give or take a few minutes. Half an hour late with no message is rude in most Czech circles. If you are held up, text. A host who has put a roast on will notice.

Wait for the host before you start eating. Dobrou chuť (enjoy your meal) is the signal, and you say it back. Keep your hands visible on the table, use knife and fork continental style, and finish what you take. A host who refills your plate is saying you are welcome, not testing your appetite. If you have had enough, say děkuji, už nemůžu (thank you, I can't manage more) and mean it firmly.

Greetings

Say dobrý den when you walk into a shop, pharmacy, waiting room or lift, even if nobody is there to hear it. Say na shledanou on the way out. Staff usually answer, and the whole exchange warms up. Shake hands when you meet someone, and look them in the eye while you do it. Cheek-kissing is for people who already know each other well.

Czechs use titles more than English speakers do. In formal emails and letters, academic titles such as Ing. or Mgr. go before the name. If someone introduces themselves with a title, use it until they tell you otherwise. When to say vy (formal "you") and when ty (informal) is a topic of its own, but the short rule is to start formal.

In pubs and restaurants

At a shared pub table, ask je tu volno? (is this seat free?) before you sit. In a restaurant with table service, wait to be seated. In a casual pub, take any free table unless a rezervováno sign says otherwise.

When you toast, say na zdraví and look the other person in the eye. Folk belief says looking away brings bad luck, and your friends will tease you if you forget. Clink with everyone at the table, not just the person next to you, and do it before the first sip.

To pay, say zaplatím, prosím, and tell the waiter whether it is together or separate. Tip by rounding up or adding around 10 per cent. Say the total you want to pay as you hand over the money ("two hundred") instead of leaving coins on the table.

In public

Stand on the right on escalators and leave the left free for people who walk. Give up your seat on trams and the metro to older people, pregnant women and anyone with small children. Czechs notice.

Many Czechs wait for the green man at a pedestrian crossing, even on a quiet street, and more so when children are watching. Crossing on red is an offence. Nobody will chase you, but a raised eyebrow is likely.

Keep the noise down in apartment buildings. Quiet hours generally run from 10 pm to 6 am, and your building's house rules may add to that, so read them. A note in the lift about a party is a courtesy and is taken as one.

What not to say

Do not call Czechia "Eastern Europe". Many Czechs see their country as Central European, and it is a sore point. Do not mix it up with Slovakia. And hold the Communism jokes until you know who you are talking to, because for many families it was personal.

Brisk is not rude

Czech service can feel brisk if you are used to the cheerful, scripted version. A waiter who does not smile on cue or ask how your meal is going is not being hostile. Conversation with strangers starts slowly, then warms up fast once someone decides you are fine.

Frequently asked questions

Do I really have to take my shoes off in a Czech home?

Yes. It is the norm in almost every household. Hosts usually offer slippers, and socks are fine.

How much should I tip in Prague?

Rounding up or adding around 10 per cent is normal in restaurants and pubs. Say the total you want to pay as you hand over the money.

Why odd numbers of flowers?

Even numbers are traditionally for funerals. Younger Czechs are relaxed about it, but older hosts will notice.

Should I bring a gift to dinner?

A small one, yes: wine, chocolates or flowers. It need not be expensive.

Is it rude to speak English in shops?

No, as long as you open with dobrý den and ask whether they speak English.

For your first Czech dinner, bring a small bottle of wine, take your shoes off before anyone asks, and hold eye contact through the first na zdraví. That alone puts you in the "knows how it works" group.