According to the online Atlas of the Czechs, 72% of the country’s population think those who come to live there should adapt to local customs and the language. However, a recent study by Preply has found that Czech is the “most challenging” European language to acquire, with its 26 dialects and accents, and correspondingly expensive private language lessons (as much as €73 an hour).
On the back of this, Education First has found that in the Czech Republic, only 45% of the population can speak some English; while 30% can speak no English at all, according to a 2020 study; and just 7% can speak English at an “advanced” level.
While this can make visiting the country tricksy for those who are used to communicating in English as a linga franca, it’s not exactly good news for Czechs either, since information from Grafton Recruitment in 2021 revealed that four out of 10 jobs in the country require a second language.
