Your First Czech Adventure
Starts Here!
Experience the language firsthand. Enjoy listening and reading Czech short stories
in this e-book. Excellent for beginners & elementary learners.
What awaits you:
- 20 short stories with an entertaining twist
- 60 common verbs
- 140 essential words
- Audio recordings at both natural and slow pace
- Vocabulary lists
- Engaging and light exercises
Everybody loves stories...
My students often ask me about where to find Czech stories suitable for beginners. While children's stories are typically recommended, they often find them either too simplistic or overly verbose.
That's why I put together a collection of very short yet captivating stories presented in the form of conversations. Say hello to "My First Czech Adventure"—the perfect solution for those who look for material in Czech that's easy to read and learn from.
Starting with Czech?
If you're at the beginning of your journey to learn Czech, this e-book offers a great opportunity for you to explore the language without feeling overwhelmed by grammar rules. In fact, grammar is hardly mentioned throughout the book. However, if grammar is something that helps you process the language, you will find additional information at the back of the book.
My First Czech Adventure is tailored for absolute beginners and elementary learners. Nevertheless, I believe even those with more advanced proficiency levels will find it enjoyable and beneficial.
Every chapter starts with a short story, presented in the form of a conversation, followed by a corresponding vocabulary list. The e-book is equipped with audio files: you can listen to each conversation at both natural and slow paces. You can study the vocabulary along with audio recordings as well.
What vocabulary will you find?
Although My First Czech Adventure is primarily designed for lower levels, you will not find all the typical phrases you can learn in beginner textbooks (also because this is not a textbook). You'll be surrounded by authentic Czech conversations, which will give you the opportunity to witness real-life interactions and learn words and phrases in context.
In these conversations, you'll find yourself in various public spaces such as the subway, train station, store, post office, or park. You will hear vocabulary related to purchasing train tickets, making payments at the checkout, ordering food at a restaurant, asking a shop assistant for help, collecting packages, or simply engaging in a conversation with with someone in line.
Every story emphasizes 10 key words and phrases and three verbs, which you'll practice through a series of gentle exercises. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to learn numbers, the alphabet, or days of the week.
In each chapter, you can listen to...
A recording of the story at a natural pace. Different voices and background noise will make you feel as if you were right there!
A recording of the story at a slow pace. This will allow you to listen to all the sounds and properly practice pronunciation.
A recording of the vocabulary list. Each word is pronounced in English, followed by its Czech translation at a natural pace, then at a slow pace.
What others say about 'My First Czech Adventure'
Nicely made and well structured book. I found it very entertaining and can recommend it not only for beginners. The focus on everyday spoken language works very well.
I have been learning Czech since October 2023, mainly with Duolingo but in combination with a few other courses plus many YouTube videos. Finding Zuzka on YouTube was like discovering a treasure! Not only have I listened to her a lot, but I also bought several products she offers, including “My First Czech Adventure.” This series of short conversations was exactly what I needed! Duolingo audio is not always clear, but Zuzka’s speech is extremely clear and has helped me to correct some wrong impressions I had concerning pronunciation, especially intonation and how words connect “seamlessly.” These two things were sources of frustration until now. The choice of slower or normal speed is also very helpful because everything goes too fast for a beginner. I will listen to the Czech adventures until I am completely comfortable with them. It is the next best thing to being in a Czech setting! I recommend it 100%.
I’m an absolute beginner and I have no notion of how to write, pronounce, or even use the Czech language. I have started to work in ‘Czech adventure.’ It really easy and is not overwhelming. My focus at the moment is to know as many basic words so I can beter understand sentences. I think that this book is a good starter for Czech language.
I find this e-book very useful, with a very good balance, explaining only the grammar that is strictly necessary, giving the tools to understand without overwhelming the student. By inserting the same words in several contexts, one does not even have to actively repeat vocabulary.
What else is waiting for you?
My First Czech Adventure will take you for a memorable journey into the Czech speaking environment. From the comfort of your home, you'll be able to listen to authentic Czech conversations.
For example, you'll learn how to say in Czech:
That doesn't exist.
Take a look!
Do not get on.
That seat is mine.
We'll share the pizza half and half.
or: Go ahead.
Everything is bite-sized!
I prepared small lessons and light exercises to help you process what you've learned. In my experience, the simpliest exercises will make your learning most memorable. Take a glimpse at these snapshots of the book. Do you like them? Well, there are plenty more where they came from!
This is what you can look forward to:
There are 179 pages with 20 short stories, accompanied by lists of useful phrases and exercises to practice the vocabulary. If you would like to learn more, the Appendix offers more information. This extra information is optional and not essential for understanding the conversations.
You have the freedom to choose your learning path—whether you pick the direct and brief route or prefer a journey with pit stops along the way. Both paths are the right ones, as long as you feel happy and are enjoying your learning journey.
Take a peek inside!
This book presents authentic language that doesn't always consists of simple sentences. What is easy about this book is that the stories are brief (some very brief). Also, the book will guide you and highlight which words and phrases are crucial to focus on. While it might be challenging at the beginning, with each chapter and each story, the words will gradually become more familiar to you.
Give it a try! Click on the image to the right to view the conversation in it. Click here to listen to the recording of the dialogue 15 at a natural pace.
Let's take a closer look inside
The electronic version offers the convenience of direct links to audio files. References to specific pages throughout the e-book make it easy to use.
However, printing this e-book and converting it into a hard copy is an excellent option for you to get serious about studying. You will be able to download the book in the highest print quality available. Watch the video to get a sense of the printed textbook.
An adventure worth your time
Investing in this e-book isn't just about acquiring language materials; it's about investing in your language learning journey. Each page was designed to maximize your learning experience without overwhelming you with excessive information. Audio recordings, which you can also download and listen to any time and anywhere, are an important aspect of this e-book. With the participation of 11 individuals in the recording process, we made sure that your learning adventure will be worth your time and money.
After all, what price can one put on the satisfaction of mastering a new language and opening doors to new cultures and experiences?
If you find out the book is not what you were hoping for, there is a 14-day money-back guarantee. Write an email to info@czechbyzuzka.com and ask for a refund. But I sincerely hope that won't be the case.
My expertise
I have over 15 years of experience in language teaching. Besides the advantage of being a native Czech speaker, I've received valuable feedback from a diverse range of learners regarding my teaching methods and the exercises I develop.
Although I love grammar (it seems that grammar is all I ever talk about in my video on YouTube, right?), I understand that sometimes it can get in the way. There are moments when it's better to set aside the urge to understand why on the side and simply focus on memorizing.
I tried my best to prepare a book that will surround you with the language: the way it looks, the way it sounds, the way it feels, and not just its grammar rules.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
