Do you know the Czech saying „řeknu to na rovinu“? It means I tell you straight. And now I tell you straight what you need to do to be successful in your study and how to reach progress in Czech. Because you don´t want to listen to general advice anymore and I don´t want to listen to general excuses😊.

3 tips for your progress in Czech

# Excuse 1: I don´t have time.

You have time! Would you like to go to fitness? You will because you will make time for this.  Would you like to watch a film? You will because you will make time for this. Would you like to meet your friends and have a beer together? You will because you will make time for this. All of us have the same time. And we invest it in such activities which are our priorities.

Czech study must become your priority and you have to make time for it. And pay attention to the fact that 1–2 lessons with a teacher a week is not enough! You need to devote yourself to Czech every day. Write down in your diary at what time you are going to study (in the morning/in the afternoon/in the evening?). 10–20 minutes are enough but daily! If you don´t want to invest time in your learning you don´t want to learn and your study won´t be effective. You´d better do something else.

# Excuse 2: I have a lot of work.

Me too. So let´s go back to priorities. Is Czech your priority? Do you want to speak good Czech, read a Czech book, and understand Czech people? Then your learning is as important as your job. And it means you have to make time and find enough energy for it. Don´t forget that every little success will motivate you to go on. It is necessary to study regularly to be successful. And it is necessary to make time for your learning to study regularly.

Do you like your job? You probably do when you go there every day. What more, you receive a salary. Studying is also working. Enjoy it even if it is difficult sometimes and your benefit isn´t financial.

# Excuse 3: I have a bad study book, a bad teacher, other course students are too fast, too slow…

Find a new teacher, buy a new book, change a course. It is your learning, only you are responsible for the way you are learning. Only 20 % of your studying can be influenced by a teacher or a book. Ask other students who are satisfied with their course who is their teacher, what book they use, and what kind of course they attend. Search for recommendations and write-ups on the internet, and social nets, and be active.

You know yourself as nobody else so you know whether a group or individual course will suit you. You can study by yourself, too, and e.g. once a week take a lesson with a teacher on the internet. He/she will talk to you in Czech, explain to you what you need, and advise you.

I work as a teacher for more than 20 years. I´m a lucky teacher, most of my students are active. They study, work hard, want to learn, and have the motivation, and a goal. I´m happy about them and glad to have the opportunity to help them. But their SUCCESS is primarily THEIRS, they reach it because they invested time and energy in their learning.

In the last 20 years, I have heard many excuses and these three are the most frequent. I don´t agree with them. Because I can see my students and it is clear it is possible.

Don´t be content with excuses. You will make it! Stop excuses. Get down to learning and take pleasure in every little success you reach. Do you need to whet your appetite for this? Here are a few examples showing it is possible:

• Hamed had to call the Ministry of Interior regularly and manage his visa. It was his nightmare. But once… (video)
• Genta had been living in Czechia for 6 years, she understood a bit but she couldn´t say a word. In 4 months her visa would expire. She wanted to stay here so she had to pass the A1 Czech exam for a permanent stay… (video)
• Michal went to Czechia for the first time. He was scared his Czech is not good enough... (video)
• Gwendolin had been considering her Czech to be bad for a long time. One day she was riding a bicycle and saw injured Czech children. She stopped and tried to help them… (video)
• Madhu had a bad experience in the Foreign Police Department But she didn´t get up and visit it again… (video)
• Akane explains how she achieved zero accent in her Czech pronunciation… (video)
• What can you use for learning? You can try these online materials and start right now.

Read also:

• 5 tips on how to make your Czech learning enjoyable
• Tomorrow I will finally start learning Czech
• 10 tips for your effective study

Czech version of this article

7th May 2019