Czech pronunciation: ř

Is Czech pronunciation a problem for you? I offer you another short training. Today´s topic: consonant ř.

Ř

Ř is a typical Czech consonant and sound. You can´t find it in any other language. Its pronunciation is often difficult for foreigners but don´t worry – good or bad pronunciation of Ř ≠ to speak Czech good or bad. But you can practise and you may be successful. Today, tomorrow, in a month…

Option 1

Put your teeth slightly together (don´t push, the air must go throughout and inside). Put your lips into a circle, your tongue is free. You keep this position and SLOWLY whisper TRRRRÝÝÝÝÝÝ. Practise in front of the mirror to check the position of your mouth. If you are patient you will hear TŘŘŘÍÍÍÍ, sooner or later.

Option 2

Try it with Anthony (video).

Words – training

Practise pronunciation of Ř. Listen to these words and repeat.

Audio

a) říkat, řeka, řada

b) dřevo, březen, hřiště

c) dobře, obřad, zavřít

d) tři, středa, přítel

e) čtyři, září, Jiří

f) talíř, kalendář, neteř

Sentence – training

Listen to this sentence and repeat. Ten times, twenty times… So many times until you pronounce the same way as the audio voice.

Audio

Přátelé vařili v přírodě řepu a dřevo kouřilo.

(Friends cooked beetroot in the countryside and wood was smoking.)

Czech pronunciation: how to practise more?

• Here you can find other sentences and audio. Listen and repeat.
• If you use Lída Holá books, here you can find all audio. Listen and repeat. E.g. Čeština expres 1.

Read also the other parts of this „pronunciation serial“:

• length mark and accent
• I/Y
• H/CH

Czech version of this article.