Polish Language Lesson #1

It’s common for Polish people to speak English apart from our native language. So when in restaurants, on the Krakow main square or in the malls you will manage not knowing the Polish language when you want to speak to people. However, it’s a good thing to know some basic words and sentences in the official language used in Poland. Sometimes it may happen that

The Polish language is the second hardest in the world. 1st place takes Chinese. But don’t worry! We are here to help you. Thanks to us you’ll get amazing skills. So let’s start! In brackets, there is a simplified pronunciation.

1. Dzień dobry = Good morning (jane doh-brih)
2. Do widzenia! = Goodbye! (doh vee-dzen-ya)
3. Dobry wieczór = Good evening (doh-brih vyeh-choor)
4. Cześć / Hej = Hi (cheshch) – can be used both to say hi and goodbye
5. Jak się masz? = How are you? (yahk shao mash) – this one is informal, great during friends meeting, but not too good for starting the conversation with older people, when you should call them by „sir or madam”.
6. Jak tam? = What’s up? (yack taam)
7. Dziękuję = Thank you (jen-koo-yeh)
8. Dzięki = Thanks (jen-kee) – informal
9. Proszę = Please / Here you are (proh-sheh) – This one you can use in response to „thank you” or when you want to order something in the restaurant or in the shop. It’s very polite especially when foreign customers are trying to say it.
10. Przepraszam = I’m sorry / excuse me (psheh-prah-shahm) – the best to use on the bus or tram when you want to cross to the door, also when you try to go through the crowd or the best to start asking about something, for example „Excuse me, how can I go to the shopping center”.
11. Tak – yes (tahk)
Nie – no / not (nyeh)
12. Nie wiem = I don’t know (nyeh vyem)
13. Nie mówię po polsku. = I don’t speak Polish (nyeh moo-vyeh poh pohl-skoo)
14. Na zdrowie!= Bless you!/ Cheers! – In the literal sense, it means “for health” – usually used using during drinking alcohol or when somebody sneezes. Don’t be a surprised when you sneeze and somebody will have a face like “If you know what I mean” and will give you a glass of vodka.
15. Nie rozumiem. = I don’t understand (nyeh roh-zoo-myem)
16. Jesteś piękna. = You’re so beautiful (yea-stech pienh-cna) – to a woman/girl
Jesteś przystojny. = You’re handsome – to a man/boy
17. Co to jest ? = What is it? – (cho to yest)
18. Bardzo = Very (bar-jo)
19. Miło Cię poznać. = Nice to meet you! (me-lou che pohsnach)
20. Lubię cię = I like you (lou-bieh chie)
21. Kocham cię = I love you! (ko-ham chie)