I can buy a ticket from a machine or on my phone, validate it in time and show it to the ticket inspector, ask the way politely and understand the answer, and read signs on doors and around town.
Tickets, directions, and signs
Tickets, directions, and signs
A ticket is jízdenka, in everyday speech lístek. You buy it from a machine at the stop or on your phone. A ticket usually runs for a set time: na třicet minut, na devadesát minut — the types are in the table.
Validate a paper ticket right away — označit: on the streetcar, on the bus, at the entrance to the subway. A ticket on your phone needs no validating. On public transportation there's kontrola, a ticket inspection: an inspector (revizor or revizorka) asks „Jízdenku, prosím“. With no stamp, you get a fine: pokuta.
Ask a passerby for directions with vy: start with „Promiňte“ or „Prosím vás“. To ask the way is zeptat se na cestu (se in second position). You know the answers: rovně, doleva, doprava, daleko. A map is mapa.
The signs are in the table. On a door SEM means “pull” and TAM “push”; TLAČIT: push, TÁHNOUT: pull. On a restroom door: WC, DÁMY — women, PÁNI — men; OBSAZENO — occupied, VOLNO — vacant. On a street sign, jednosměrná means one-way traffic.
Watch out:
• páni (men, on a door) and paní (Ms., lady) differ only by the mark: in páni it's over the a, in paní over the i.
• TAM on a door means “push”, not “pull” (literally it's “there”).
• ×Jedu na tramvaji → Jedu tramvají.
Ticket
A paper ticket is validated right away; a ticket on your phone isn't.
| In Czech | What it is |
|---|---|
| automat na jízdenky | machine at the stop |
| jízdenka v mobilu | ticket on your phone, no need to validate |
| časová jízdenka | ticket for thirty or ninety minutes |
| zlevněná jízdenka | discount ticket (children, seniors) |
Signs
On a door, SEM means pull toward you, TAM means push away. Only the mark tells PÁNI and paní apart.
| Sign | What it means |
|---|---|
| VCHOD | entrance |
| VÝCHOD | exit |
| NOUZOVÝ VÝCHOD | emergency exit |
| SEM | toward you |
| TAM | away from you |
| TLAČIT | push |
| TÁHNOUT | pull |
| OTEVŘENO | open |
| ZAVŘENO | closed |
| OBSAZENO | occupied |
| VOLNO | vacant |
| WC | restroom |
| DÁMY | women |
| PÁNI | men |
Lesson notes
Tickets, directions, and signs
A ticket is jízdenka, in everyday speech lístek. You buy it from a machine at the stop or on your phone. A ticket usually runs for a set time: na třicet minut, na devadesát minut — the types are in the table.
Validate a paper ticket right away — označit: on the streetcar, on the bus, at the entrance to the subway. A ticket on your phone needs no validating. On public transportation there's kontrola, a ticket inspection: an inspector (revizor or revizorka) asks „Jízdenku, prosím“. With no stamp, you get a fine: pokuta.
Ask a passerby for directions with vy: start with „Promiňte“ or „Prosím vás“. To ask the way is zeptat se na cestu (se in second position). You know the answers: rovně, doleva, doprava, daleko. A map is mapa.
The signs are in the table. On a door SEM means “pull” and TAM “push”; TLAČIT: push, TÁHNOUT: pull. On a restroom door: WC, DÁMY — women, PÁNI — men; OBSAZENO — occupied, VOLNO — vacant. On a street sign, jednosměrná means one-way traffic.
Watch out:
• páni (men, on a door) and paní (Ms., lady) differ only by the mark: in páni it's over the a, in paní over the i.
• TAM on a door means “push”, not “pull” (literally it's “there”).
• ×Jedu na tramvaji → Jedu tramvají.