How to Practice Czech Reading for the CCE Exam
So, you can survive small talk in a café. But now the CCE exam wants you to read Czech and not just menu Czech. We’re talking texts with full sentences, no pictures, and enough háčky to make your eyes water. Don’t worry. Reading in Czech doesn’t mean tackling Kundera on day one. With the right habits (and a few fun tricks), you’ll actually start to enjoy it, yes, even those test tasks!
How Reading Works in the CCE Exam
The Reading section of the CCE exam isn’t about understanding every single Czech word. It’s about catching the main idea, key details, and overall message. Both A2 and B1 levels test your ability to survive real-life Czech texts, from emails and adverts to articles and short stories. Here’s what you can expect in each.
A2 Level (Permanent Residence)
At A2, you’ll read short everyday texts: ads, notices, short emails, or short articles.
Time: 40 minutes
Structure: 4 tasks, 20 questions
Task types: True/False, multiple choice, and matching exercises
You might read a short message from a friend, a simple train timetable, or a hotel announcement.
The goal: understand basic facts and context: who, what, where, and when. You don’t have to understand every single word!
B1 Level (Citizenship)
At B1, reading means longer and more detailed texts: newspaper articles, short stories, or formal letters.
Time: 50 minutes
Structure: 4 tasks, 25 questions
Task types: True/False, multiple choice, matching, and short answers
Here, you’ll need to understand opinions, reasons, and tone, not just the main idea. You might read a short blog post, a product review, or a newspaper piece about travel or culture.
The goal: show that you can follow independent communication understand real Czech in real-life contexts.
Why Reading Matters
Reading in Czech is like eating your vegetables. It’s not always your first choice, but it’s so good for you. It quietly builds your grammar, expands your vocabulary, and helps you recognize patterns without memorizing charts. Each text you read makes Czech feel more familiar and one day you’ll realize you’ve just finished a whole article without opening Google Translate.
How to Practice Reading (Without Falling Asleep)
Reading in Czech doesn’t have to feel like homework or torture. The secret is to mix useful practice with things you actually enjoy: stories, news, blogs, even recipes, so your brain learns without realizing it’s studying.
Start Easy: Children’s Books & Comics (A2)
Forget Babička. Start with Pejsek a kočička, Mach a Šebestová, or Čtyřlístek. These stories use short sentences, repetition, and pictures that make guessing meaning easy.
Tip: Read out loud. It trains your pronunciation and rhythm, too.
Read What You’d Read in English
At B1, move from fairy tales to reality: news, lifestyle blogs, short articles.
Try iDNES.cz, Seznam Zprávy, or Deník N.
Don’t torture yourself with politics if you don’t care. Start with culture, travel, or sport.
Example: You like food? Read Czech recipes on Cuketka.cz. You’ll learn more useful verbs than from any grammar table.
Use Simplified Readers (Zjednodušená četba)
These are books rewritten for learners at levels A1–B2.
They explain difficult words right on the page.
They include short exercises and sometimes audio.
Search keywords like zjednodušená četba or české knihy pro cizince on Czech bookstore sites like Martinus or Knihy Dobrovský.
Make News Your Czech Habit
No time for novels? Read short articles daily.
One headline = one mini Czech lesson.
Try children’s news on Déčko Zprávičky if adult news feels too fast.
Even reading the first paragraph counts. It’s about consistency, not quantity.
Read Czech on the Internet
Swap your English scrolling for Czech blogs and websites.
Fashion or travel blogs: Loudavým krokem, Cestuj s batohem.
Lifestyle or food: Kitchenette.cz, Hana Michopulu.
These posts are short, conversational, and full of real-life Czech you’ll actually use.
Re-Read Your Favorite Book (in Czech)
Already know Harry Potter or The Little Prince by heart? Perfect. Read it again in Czech! You’ll know the story, so you can focus on the language.
Don’t Translate Everything
The CCE exam doesn’t care if you know every word, only that you understand the message. When you hit a new word, look at the context, not the dictionary.
Fun Ways to Build a Reading Habit
Make it visible: keep a Czech book on your nightstand or open news tabs on your phone.
Create a mini ritual: read one page with your morning coffee.
Highlight new words: note them with gender (ten, ta, to).
Sticky note magic: write new words and stick them on your fridge. Tear them off when they feel easy.
Reward yourself: after 10 Czech pages, treat yourself to a větrník or Pilsen.
They said learning Czech should be rewarding. So I took it literally. One page Czech, one bite větrník, one sip pivo. Perfect system.
Common Reading Pitfalls
Translating every single word, you’ll lose the flow.
Reading texts far above your level, you’ll lose motivation.
Ignoring what you actually enjoy, you’ll lose interest.
Solution: read what you like, at your level, every day.
Ready for More?
For even more reading ideas, vocabulary tricks, and real-life resources, check out the Painless Czech Guidebook. And if you want a structured plan with daily tasks to prepare for the exam, grab one of my study sheets:
Reading in Czech isn’t punishment. It’s how you sneak grammar, vocabulary, and culture into your brain without pain. One page at a time.
