Ways to say it
| Czech | IPA |
|---|---|
| ahoj | /aˈɦoj/ |
| čau | [ˈt͡ʃau̯] (narrow) |
| čus | [ˈt͡ʃus] (narrow) |
| nazdar | [ˈnazdar] (narrow) |
| zdar | [ˈzdar] (narrow) |
These terms are used as friendly, informal greetings among friends, family and peers. Many of these forms, such as ahoj and čau, are versatile and can be used both when meeting someone to say "hi" and when leaving someone to say "bye".
Which one should you use?
ahoj is the most common and standard informal greeting. čau is also used for both "hi" and "bye", much like the Italian "ciao". čus is a highly informal, slangy variation of čau primarily used by younger people. nazdar is another informal option for "hi", while zdar serves as a shortened, very casual version of nazdar, often found in specific social circles or among men.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
All the forms provided are informal or slang. For formal situations, such as when speaking to strangers, elders or in professional settings, you should use Dobrý den (Good day). If you are greeting someone specifically in the morning, use Dobré ráno (Good morning) and for the evening, use Dobrý večer (Good evening).
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈɦoj/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using informal forms like ahoj or čau with strangers, elders or in professional environments. Use Dobrý den instead.
Did you know?
- The greeting ahoj was popularized in the 1920s by Czech sailors who adapted the English nautical call 'ahoy'.
- In some rural areas, the greeting zdar is still used by hunters as a specific professional greeting to wish a 'successful hunt'.
- The greeting nazdar is traditionally viewed as more masculine and is rarely used by women when greeting other women.
Examples in context
- Zdar Bille, jak je?Hi, Bill. How are you?This sentence shows how to use the casual form zdar in a greeting.Tatoeba #4469307 by lipao, translation #30313 by Zifre
- Ahoj, jmenuji se Mary. Jak vám mohu pomoci?Hi, my name is Mary. How can I help you?This sentence demonstrates the use of ahoj in an introduction.Tatoeba #7354112 by Ergulis, translation #3962133 by Hybrid
- Ahoj!Hi.This sentence shows ahoj as a simple standalone greeting.Tatoeba #373338 by lipao, translation #538123 by CM
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomáš and Tereza meet at a cafe.
- TomášAhoj, Terezo!Hi, Tereza!
- TerezaAhoj, Tomáši. Jak se máš?Hi, Tomáš. How are you?
- TomášMám se dobře, díky.I am doing well, thanks.
- TerezaTo je dobře.That is good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries ahoj, čau, čus, nazdar, zdar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahoj, nazdar, čau, čus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
