Red, red, red

Welcome to SoundCzech, our Czech language series in which you can learn Czech phrases and idioms through song lyrics. Today, we will focus on all things red. The Czech word for red is červená.

The song we will be listening to is “Zavři oči když se červenám” or “Close your eyes when I blush” by Ilona Csáková. To blush or turn red in the face in Czech is červenat se. Have a listen.

If you are referring to the color red, you use the feminine form, červená, as the Czech word for color, barva, is also a feminine noun. The months June and July both carry the word red in their root: červen and červenec. And as those two months tend to be pretty hot and sunny, you might turn red as a lobster, or červený jako rak if you are outside for too long. Which might be a bit more permanent than just blushing, like our singer. Have another listen.

A number of fruit and vegetables also carry the word red in them, such as červený rybíz, red-currant, or červená řepa, beets. And a robin in Czech is a červenka, possibly because of its red feathers. But careful, in Czech, the word red is not used to talk about red or ginger hair, instead you say zrzavé vlasy.

And if the sky turns a beautiful pink color just before sunset, we call it červánky. Which hopefully, we will see quite a lot of this June and July. And with that I leave you. Thank you for listening and Na shledanou.