Vyplňte formulář podle dokladu.

Vyplňte is the imperative form of the verb vyplnit, meaning to fill in / to complete.

More specifically, it is:

• 2nd person plural imperative: Fill in ...! when speaking to several people
• also used as the polite/formal imperative to one person: Please fill in ...

So in signs, instructions, and official language, vyplňte is very common.

Vyplň is the informal singular command, used with one person you address as ty.

Vyplňte is used:

• for more than one person
• or for formal/polite address to one person

Since this kind of sentence appears on forms, notices, and official instructions, Czech usually uses the more polite/formal vyplňte.

This is about aspect, which is very important in Czech.

• vyplnit = perfective = to fill in completely, to finish the action
• vyplňovat = imperfective = to be filling in, to fill in repeatedly, or to focus on the process

In an instruction like this, Czech normally prefers the perfective imperative because the goal is a completed result: the form should end up filled in.

So:

• Vyplňte formulář. = Fill in the form. / Complete the form.

Using vyplňujte would sound more like focusing on the ongoing process, and it is less natural in a simple instruction like this.

Because formulář is the direct object of the verb vyplňte.

The verb vyplnit takes the accusative case:

• vyplnit co? = to fill in what?
• formulář

Formulář is a masculine inanimate noun, and in the singular accusative, it looks the same as the nominative:

• nominative: formulář
• accusative: formulář

So even though it is the object, its form does not change here.

Podle usually means:

• according to
• based on
• in accordance with

So podle dokladu means something like:

• according to the document
• based on the ID/document
• using the document as the source

In this sentence, it means you should fill in the form so that the information matches what is written in the document.

Because the preposition podle requires the genitive case.

The basic noun is:

• doklad = document, ID, proof, certificate, record

After podle, it changes to genitive singular:

• doklad → dokladu

So:

• podle dokladu = according to the document

This is a very useful pattern to remember:

• podle + genitive

For example:

• podle plánu = according to the plan
• podle zákona = according to the law
• podle pasu = according to the passport

Doklad is a broad word. Depending on context, it can mean:

• document
• ID
• proof
• certificate
• record

In a sentence like this, it often means an official document that contains personal data, such as:

• an ID card
• a passport
• another official identification document

So the idea is: fill in the form using the information from the official document.

Yes, it sounds formal and official.

That comes mainly from:

• the imperative vyplňte
• the context words formulář and doklad

This is exactly the kind of sentence you might see:

• at an office
• at a border crossing
• in a hospital
• at a hotel reception
• on an official form or instruction sheet

Yes, Czech word order is flexible, but the original order is the most neutral for an instruction.

Original:

• Vyplňte formulář podle dokladu.

Other possible orders include:

• Formulář vyplňte podle dokladu.
• Podle dokladu vyplňte formulář.

These alternatives are grammatically possible, but they shift emphasis:

• Formulář vyplňte... emphasizes the form
• Podle dokladu... emphasizes the document/source of information

The original version is the most natural neutral instruction.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

VY-plnyte FOR-moo-larzh POD-leh DOK-lah-doo

A few useful notes:

• Czech stress is usually on the first syllable of each word.
• ň in vyplňte is a soft ny sound.
• ř in formulář is a special Czech sound; learners often pronounce it approximately as rzh, which is fine at first.
• á is a long vowel in formulář.
• u in dokladu is also pronounced clearly, not reduced.

Not literally, but in English we often translate this kind of formal imperative with please.

Czech official instructions often use the imperative without adding a separate word for please:

• Vyplňte formulář...

It can still be polite because -te already marks formal or plural address.

If someone wanted to sound even more explicitly polite in spoken Czech, they might say:

• Prosím, vyplňte formulář podle dokladu.

But on signs and written instructions, the shorter version is completely normal.