Adrian’s MAGIC 3-part system for Czechs (and cheeky people from the Tatras) to improve their
pronunciation J


1)           Voiced consonants at the ends of words, not unvoiced

a)            V not f, g not k, d not t, z not s

b)           Careful with written s at the end of a word. If it is from a plural, 3^rd person verb,
or possessive, it will sound like Z after a vowel or voiced consonant, e.g. he sayZ that he iZ
happy.

c)            Of is pronounced OV


2)           Recognize longer and shorter vowels ;)

a)           A as in SAX not sex, sAlary not celery

b)           Diphthongs e.g. house, buy, neat, how

or

Double vowels e.g. street, fool    ALE!  Bacha na book, good etc.

c)            Silent E at the end of a short word lengthens the previous vowel e.g. take, like

d)           Silent consonants e.g. walk, night, though (also r at the end of a syllable in British
English e.g party = pah-ty)

e)           Shorter vowels in:

articles (the, a, an)

1-syllable prepositions (to, of, for, with, at etc.)

helping verbs (I have done, He has been, I am going)

that when it means “že“.

THAT = tohle, tento     LONG

TH’T = že, ktery           SHORT


3)           In a longer Latin or French or Greek word, choose one syllable to love ;)   e.g.
accommodation. ;    Greek words: -Ology, -Ometre, -Ography



(Individual problem sounds: Theta (th)  and  w (should be ů not v), r)





That = to, ten, etc.     thAt

That  = ktery, že        th’t