Czech

Why Study Czech?

Czech is the language spoken by about 10 million citizens of the Czech Republic and another 2 million or so worldwide. Czech is a Slavic language from the West-Slavic group, which also includes Polish and Slovak. The Midwest and Great Plains regions of the United States is home to many Americans of Czech heritage.

The Czech Republic is located in the heart of Europe, between Germany to the west, Austria to the south, Slovakia to the east, and Poland to the north. Its capital Prague, one of the jewels among European cities, is located on the Vltava River, which flows northward into the Elbe River. Prague is home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, Charles University.

Along with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and others, the Czech Republic joined the European Union in May, 2004. Czechs are particularly known for their brilliant art, architecture, literature, and theater, which express a strong national identity.