6 TV Series to Watch in Czech

It should come as no surprise that having fun when learning a language is much more successful than using textbooks.

Even though watching TV shows can feel like (or lead to) procrastination, it’s a great way to quickly expand your vocabulary and become familiar with idioms and popular phrases. It’s also the perfect listening practice if you’re not able to put yourself out there and communicate with native speakers.

You may also pause and rewind a Czech TV show at any time, as well as write down new words. There are plenty of famous shows you can watch dubbed on Netflix, but in this post, we’ll look at six entertaining Czech TV shows with English subtitles that are available on YouTube and Czech satellite television (HBOgo).

1.Ulice (The Street)

Channel: TV Nova

Subject: This show is about people who live in the Prague suburbs, their everyday lives, issues, relationships, and affairs. It is slow-paced and not very thrilling. It can become very interesting, humorous, well-written, and addictive once you find your favorite characters.

Phrases and vocabulary: The use of common, colloquial Czech language with no strong dialect is the show’s greatest advantage. It’s all about “true people” and “everyday life,” so your vocabulary can develop without you even realizing it.

• Greetings: dobrý den (“good day”), ahoj (“hello”), Jak se máš? (“How are you?”), etc.
• Formal and informal voice
• Basic phrases and questions: Kolik je hodin? (“What time is it?”), Dáš si něco? (“Would you like something [to drink]?” )

2.Pustina (The Wasteland)

Channel: HBO

Subject: Pustina is a suspenseful thriller that I’m sure you’ll want to binge-watch right away. A young girl goes missing under mysterious circumstances in a small, derelict village in the Northern Czech Republic.

Phrases and vocabulary: The vocabulary is pretty simple and there’s no confusing dialect.

• Greetings
• Occasional crime terms: únos (“abduction”), vražda (“murder”)
• Un-bleeped bleepy words

3. Terapie (In Treatment)

Channel: HBO

Subject: Terapie is a great Czech television series for Czech learners who don’t like action. This amazing TV show takes place only in the consulting room of psychologist Marek Posta (played by Karel Roden, one of the most respected Czech actors).

Phrases and vocabulary: More complex sentence structure; no dialect; great listening exercise—most characters enunciate properly and talk slowly.

4.Bez vědomí (The Sleepers)

Channel: HBO

Subject: The show takes place in 1989, just a few months after the Velvet Revolution, which ended Russia’s forty-year reign of dominance. A young woman and her husband return from exile in this suspenseful drama, only for her husband to go missing. Marie is caught in the middle of a conflict between State Security and dissidents. This Czech TV series is for you if you enjoy secrets, mystery, and dark drama. It’s not only a fantastic exhibition, but it’s also a fantastic way to learn about Czech culture.

Phrases and vocabulary: More complex sentence structure; basic colloquial Czech without dialect; great listening exercise—most characters enunciate properly and talk slowly.

5. Krkonošske pohádky (Fairy Tales of Krkonose Mountains)

Channel: YouTube

Subject: The main characters include a mystical person-protector of the mountains, Krakonoš, one rich and cocky landowner, and his three servants. One of the greatest Czech children’s TV shows ever, it’s sweet, it’s funny, and it’s heart-warming. And well-acted! It gives you also some cultural background since every Czech kid (and therefore adult) knows it!

Phrases and vocabulary: Basic vocabulary and sentence structure; no dialect.

6. Krajinou domova (Through the Nature of our Homeland)

Channel: Youtube

Subject: This is a documentary about Czech architecture and nature. You should not skip this if you want to improve your Czech while also learning about our beautiful country. It’s entertaining, educational, and stunning.

Phrases and vocabulary: No dialect; great professional enunciation; architecture- and nature-related vocabulary.