Speaking (Ústní zkouška)
The oral exam is a short face-to-face interview with an examiner, usually in three moves: personal questions about you (bydlení, práce, studium, rodina, volný čas), a short monologue where you describe a picture or a familiar topic, and a role-play in which you must ask and answer questions - buying something, ordering in a restaurant, asking for directions, making an appointment. The examiner is testing whether communication succeeds, so a simple accurate sentence beats a complicated broken one.
Answer, then add one sentence
One-word answers get minimum credit. 'Bydlím v Brně.' becomes 'Bydlím v Brně, v malém bytě se ženou a dcerou.' The second sentence is where the vocabulary and grammar marks are hiding.
Questions you must both understand and produce
Kde bydlíte? Odkud jste? Co děláte? Jak se máte? Kolik je hodin? Kolik to stojí? Kdy…? Jak dlouho…? Proč…? Můžete mi říct…? Notice the vykání forms - bydlíte, jste, máte - used with the examiner unless they offer 'Můžeme si tykat?'.
Functional phrases for role-plays
Chtěl bych / Chtěla bych…, Dám si…, Kolik stojí…?, Můžu platit kartou?, Zaplatím, prosím, Jak se dostanu na…?, Prosím, můžete to zopakovat?, Nerozumím. The last two are repair strategies: using them keeps the conversation alive instead of ending in silence.
Grammar that is heard immediately
Gender in the past and conditional: byl jsem / byla jsem, chtěl bych / chtěla bych. Adjective-noun agreement in the accusative: ten modrý svetr, tu bílou košili, to červené tričko. Mít rád plus accusative: Mám rád českou hudbu.
Worked example
Examiner: 'Dobrý den, co si přejete?' You: 'Dobrý den, chtěla bych tu bílou košili. Kolik stojí?' - 'Čtyři sta korun.' - 'Dobře, vezmu si ji. Můžu platit kartou?' A female candidate uses chtěla bych; the demonstrative, adjective and noun are all feminine accusative (tu bílou košili); the price is asked, the decision made, and payment checked. Answering just 'Košile' would fail the communicative purpose even though the word is correct.
Traps that cost marks
- Replying ano/ne or with a single noun to every question.
- Addressing the examiner with ty, or slipping into English when a word is missing.
- Silencing yourself with a memorised monologue that does not match the picture or task.
- Confusing Kdy (when) with Jak dlouho (how long).
- Ignoring pronunciation basics: stress on the first syllable, long vowels held, final devoicing (led sounds like let).