Přeji si nový telefon.

In Czech, the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

• přeji = I wish
• So já is not necessary.

You can say Já si přeji nový telefon, but that usually adds emphasis, such as:

• Já si přeji nový telefon. = I’m the one who wants a new phone.

In a neutral sentence, leaving out já is more natural.

Si is a short form of the reflexive pronoun, and here it means something like for myself.

So:

• přeji = I wish
• přeji si = I wish for / I want for myself

It does not usually get translated word-for-word in natural English, but it is an important part of the Czech expression.

Compare:

• Přeji vám hezký den. = I wish you a nice day.
• Přeji si nový telefon. = I wish for a new phone.

In the second sentence, si shows that the wish is directed toward the speaker.

Přát is the infinitive, meaning to wish.

In the sentence, you need the verb in the 1st person singular present tense:

• přát = to wish
• přeji = I wish

So Přeji si nový telefon uses the correctly conjugated form for I.

A learner may also see přeju, which is a common spoken variant of přeji.

Not exactly.

• Chci nový telefon = I want a new phone
  This is more direct and straightforward.
• Přeji si nový telefon = I wish for a new phone / I would like a new phone
  This can sound a bit softer, more thoughtful, or sometimes more formal.

So both can refer to the same basic idea, but the tone is different.

A native speaker might use:

• Chci nový telefon in everyday direct speech
• Přeji si nový telefon when talking about a wish, for example a birthday or Christmas wish

It is in the accusative case, because it is the direct object of the verb.

The speaker is wishing for a new phone, so telefon is the thing being wished for.

In this particular phrase, the accusative looks the same as the nominative because:

• telefon is masculine inanimate
• masculine inanimate nouns often have the same form in nominative and accusative singular

So:

• nominative: nový telefon
• accusative: nový telefon

Even though the form looks unchanged, the grammatical case is still accusative.

The adjective nový must agree with telefon in:

• gender
• number
• case

Telefon is:

• masculine
• singular
• inanimate
• accusative here

For a masculine singular inanimate noun in the accusative, the adjective form is the same as the nominative:

• nový telefon

If the noun were different, the adjective would change too. For example:

• nová kniha = a new book
• nové auto = a new car

Yes. Přeju si nový telefon is a very common spoken form.

Both are correct:

• přeji si = a bit more standard or formal
• přeju si = more common in everyday speech

Many learners first meet přeji in textbooks because it is the standard form, but in real conversation přeju is extremely common.

Czech word order is fairly flexible, but different orders change the emphasis.

The neutral order is:

• Přeji si nový telefon.

Other orders are possible, for example:

• Nový telefon si přeji.
  This puts more emphasis on new phone.
• Já si přeji nový telefon.
  This emphasizes I.
• Nový telefon přeji si is much less natural.

A good rule for learners is: use Přeji si nový telefon as the normal default order.

Yes, but it has a certain tone.

Přeji si nový telefon is natural, especially when talking about a wish list, birthday wishes, Christmas presents, or personal wishes in general.

In very casual everyday speech, many people would more often say:

• Chci nový telefon. = I want a new phone.
• Chtěl(a) bych nový telefon. = I’d like a new phone.

So Přeji si nový telefon is correct and natural, but it may sound a little less blunt and sometimes a little more deliberate than Chci nový telefon.

The hardest part for many English speakers is ř.

A rough breakdown:

• přeji sounds approximately like przheh-yi or pshreh-yi, but no English spelling matches it perfectly.
• ř is a special Czech sound, something like a rolled or fricative r mixed with zh.

A practical learner tip:

1. First learn to say r clearly.
2. Then try adding a zh sound at the same time.
3. Don’t worry if it is not perfect at first; ř is famously difficult.

Also note:

• ej in přeji sounds like the vowel in say, but shorter
• the final i is pronounced

So the word has two syllables: pře-ji.

You can use it for a personal wish in general, not only for presents. However, in practice it is especially common in contexts like:

• birthday wishes
• Christmas wish lists
• talking about things one would like to have

So Přeji si nový telefon works well if you are expressing a wish for a possession. In other contexts, Czech may more naturally use other verbs, depending on the exact meaning, such as chtít or doufat.