Bedeutung
To be extremely lucky
Kultureller Hintergrund
The devil (čert) is a beloved character in Czech culture, often seen as more of a trickster than a purely evil being. This makes idioms involving 'hell' feel less taboo. There is a shared tradition of 'lucky' supernatural beings (like gnomes or devils) that influence daily life, leading to similar idioms across the region. In a highly secular society, 'peklo' is used as a linguistic intensifier for both good and bad things (e.g., 'je to peklo' = it's hell/terrible). The movie 'Z pekla štěstí' (1999) is a cult classic fairytale that popularized the phrase for younger generations.
Use it for relief
It's most natural when you feel relieved that something bad didn't happen.
Watch the 'z'
Don't forget the 'z'. Saying 'mít pekla štěstí' is grammatically incorrect.
Bedeutung
To be extremely lucky
Use it for relief
It's most natural when you feel relieved that something bad didn't happen.
Watch the 'z'
Don't forget the 'z'. Saying 'mít pekla štěstí' is grammatically incorrect.
The 'Klika' alternative
If you want to sound even more like a local, swap 'štěstí' for 'kliku'.
Fairytale vibes
Using this phrase makes you sound like you understand Czech storytelling traditions.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word in the genitive case.
Měl jsem z _____ štěstí.
The preposition 'z' requires the genitive case 'pekla'.
Which sentence means 'You are incredibly lucky'?
Select the best option:
The correct idiom uses 'mít' + 'z pekla' + 'štěstí'.
Match the situation to the response.
Situation: You found your lost passport 5 minutes before leaving for the airport.
This is a perfect example of extreme luck in a stressful situation.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Vyhrál jsi v loterii? B: Jo, _____.
Winning the lottery is a classic case of 'luck from hell'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality of Luck
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenMěl jsem z _____ štěstí.
The preposition 'z' requires the genitive case 'pekla'.
Select the best option:
The correct idiom uses 'mít' + 'z pekla' + 'štěstí'.
Situation: You found your lost passport 5 minutes before leaving for the airport.
This is a perfect example of extreme luck in a stressful situation.
A: Vyhrál jsi v loterii? B: Jo, _____.
Winning the lottery is a classic case of 'luck from hell'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
12 FragenNo, it's not rude, but it is informal. You can use it with friends and family safely.
It's better for big things. For small things, just say 'mám štěstí'.
'Štěstí' is more general, 'klika' is more idiomatic and informal. They are interchangeable here.
Not really. We don't say 'mít z nebe štěstí'. We only use 'hell'.
Use the past tense: 'Měl jsem z pekla štěstí'.
Because the preposition 'z' always takes the genitive case.
Only if the atmosphere is very relaxed. Otherwise, use 'měl jsem velké štěstí'.
Yes, it's a very common dramatic line in Czech cinema.
No, the luck is very good. 'Hell' only describes the intensity.
You can say 'mít z prdele kliku'. Use with caution!
It might be a bit too informal. Better to use it with people you know.
Yes, 'štěstí' is a neuter noun.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Mít kliku
synonymTo be lucky
Mít smůlu
contrastTo have bad luck
Do třetice všeho dobrého
similarThird time's the charm
Sednout na lep
contrastTo fall for a trap
Být v sedmém nebi
similarTo be in seventh heaven
Mít z prdele kliku
specialized formTo be lucky as hell (vulgar)
