Language

There's no getting away from it - Polish is a tough language, any early attempts at which will have you sounding like you're whispering, gargling and choking simultaneously. Many Poles, particularly the younger ones, speak a little English, but that's no excuse not to learn at least a few of those tortuous tongue-twisters, so we've included. at the bottom of this page, a brief guide to get you started. For those who wish to get more involved, there are a host of excellent language schools, many of them providing translation services, which may be necessary if you plan to stay any length of time in the city.

There are a whole range of Polish words which look pretty similar to their English equivalents, so signs such as POLICJA, RESTAURACJA, HOTEL and TAXI are hardly going to tax most travellers, but here are a handful of others that may be useful:

Kawiarnia - Cafe
Herbaciarnia - Tea House
Ksiegarnia - Book Shop
Mieso - Butchery
Nabial - Dairy products
Sklep - Shop
Prasa - Newsagent
Dworzec - Station
Lotnisko - Airport

The Polish language uses the Latin alphabet as in English, however you will find a few extra letters, (formed from Latin letters but with an additional slash or hook), bringing the total to 32. A few letters you won't find are: q, v, and x. The only exception to this rule are direct translations from other languages (e.g. "fax') and, of course, slang and marketing-language.

We've recently added our new audio pronunciation guide (right) to help with those tricky Polish pronunciations! If you've got some good ideas on how to make our language section better, let us know!

Click to listen

Yes
Please
How much does this cost?
Do you speak English?
How much does beer cost?

No
How are you?
Cheers!
Two beers please!
I lost my passport - can you help me?

Hello
Goodbye
Thank you
Do you have a sister?
Drop by tonight and I'll show you my stamp collection

Warsaw language tips

Fantastyczny strona.
Mam yedno pytanie dla Agnieska! Czy ty mnie kochasz
tak yak ya ciebie?

reviewed by Bernard Darnley from United Kingdom on Aug.24.2011

Work hard, practice-practice and practice some more. Always remember that "Perfekcja" is the result of hard graft.
By the way if any polish person wants to share my love of language and learning, please feel free to get in touch with. I promise not to "bite your head off".
Thats just a bit of english colloquialism. Keep the faith, regards Bernard

reviewed by Bernard Darnley from United Kingdom on Aug.10.2011

If you need help with polish, I can help you for your english.

reviewed by Irek from Poland on Jun.07.2011

awesome site! needing help learning Polish. Troche rozumiem po polsku, but I plan to visit with my son soon. Any one with pointers, tips, or just willing to help please email me : Saralizzybeth@gmail.com

Dziekuje!

reviewed by Sara from United States on May.31.2011

The questions are fine, but then you memorize them and cant understand the answer... but thank God my wife is Polish... had a great time there, cant wait to go back

reviewed by Ernest Barteldes from United States on May.06.2011

How do you spell the word love in Polish? Anyone?

reviewed by Staci from United States on Oct.06.2010

I work @ Penn Medicine, The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, Neurology. I also enjoy the "arts & sciences," which encompasses
many different facets of Gay Life in NJ, USA (New Brunswick, New Jersey/NJ) &
NYC/New York City). I am do for a visit to Poland again & explore the Gay Polish Culture. I would like to do advanced degree work in Nursing @ the University of Warsaw. My E-mail address is: Grafvonrosenberg@aol.com & USA Cell Phone # is: (732)485 - 5468.

reviewed by Bobby Rosenberg from United States on Sep.12.2010

I am currently a nurse @ The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, PA, in Neurology. I am planning to return to Warsaw in 2011, & hope to visit the city once more & experience the Gay Community. My family is orginally from the Polesie region - Brzesc Litewski nad Bugiem. I plan on studying @ the University of Warsaw, Nursing. I love Poland, & all that it has to offer. I want to get involved in the Gay Community.

reviewed by Bobby from United States on Sep.12.2010

I am a postgraduate student of Polish Studies and Classics at the University of Warsaw. Also, I used to study both of these programmes at UCL during the Erasmus exchange in London.
I have experience working as a Polish tutor for more than 3 years.
I provide all materials for:
- basic, intermediate and advanced general Polish classes for children and adults
- business Polish for professionals
- legal Polish for solicitors/paralegals
- CV, cover letters

If interested, please send an e-mail to tuition.mb@hotmail.com

reviewed by Polish tuition from Poland on Sep.09.2010

I forgot to mention I need that person to be a private tutor not from a tutor from a company.

Thank you.

reviewed by Research from Germany on Sep.07.2010

Does anyone know a Polish Teacher (who's native tongue is Polish) in Warsaw?? I know it can't be that hard to find but I'm finding it quite difficult.

reviewed by Research from Germany on Sep.07.2010

heyyy my good friend is polish and i just wanted to write on this comment box!

reviewed by Laura from Aruba and Netherlands Antilles on Sep.02.2010

Imani/US
Well done Imani you come across as a perfectionist.I have been trying to come to terms with the complexities of Polish grammer. Have a terrific time in

reviewed by Bernard Darnley from United Kingdom on Aug.09.2010

Imani/US

reviewed by Bernard Darnley from United Kingdom on Aug.09.2010

I'm black and polish, which people find quite an unusual mix. However, i speak both english and polish fluently which seems to amaze everyone. My mother and I are planning a trip to Katowice, Polska for next summer. And i'm very excited. I'm just doing some last minute research to make sure that my polish grammar is as good as can be!

reviewed by Imani Fox from United States on Jul.25.2010

I speak fluent and affluent Polish with an Irish accent, ale czazem nie rozumiem wszstko. Wole movic po polsku i czytam gazety Polski,teraz (Adam Mickiewicz)"Pan Tadeuz". Pomoc! Dziekuje bardzo. Bernard

reviewed by Bernard Darnley from United Kingdom on May.17.2010

berry cantika. In Polish, "I miss you" are "Bardzo za tob± têskniê." The "i love too" are "Te¿ ciê kocham." I hope I helped.

reviewed by Cami from United States on May.08.2010

hi there.. help me to translate " i love you too" and " i miss you much ",

thanks

reviewed by berry cantika from Indonesia on Apr.26.2010

i love polish language

reviewed by Jorien from Belgium on Apr.16.2010

i can speak fluent polish hahah

reviewed by aby from United States on Mar.30.2010

hi i want to improve my language that,s why i,m looking for native speaker. I,m studying English in Warsow, I can teach you Polish. please help

reviewed by aneta from Poland on Mar.28.2010

How do you write a thank you for card for someone who threw you a baby shower? in Polish.Please help :)

reviewed by Monika from United States on Mar.20.2010

how do you say will you go out with me in polish i really wanna ask my soon to be girl in polish pleaze help (:

reviewed by im romanian (: from United States on Mar.19.2010

This was really, well it was helpful, i learned how to say some things in polish. Even though im only 15 i wanna talk to my girlfriend in polish and i learned how to say good-bye, hello, how are you, i love you, you know...simple things.

reviewed by Alexandru Magda from United States on Mar.19.2010

Need to display the written text instead the voice only

reviewed by iis rosanti from Indonesia on Feb.25.2010

Its great.... But i want to learn polish

reviewed by ASIRI from Sri Lanka on Feb.22.2010

Your grandmother was probably saying 'Ja Cie Kocham' which means 'I love you'
:)

reviewed by Answer for Jon from United States on Feb.15.2010

Great site. Does anyone know the word "Yatchekuchem"? My grandmother used to say it all the time and I don't know the translation. Thanks, Jon

reviewed by jon from United States on Feb.14.2010

Great site

reviewed by jon from United States on Feb.14.2010

Whats with the stamp thing? Is it common to collect stamps in poland?

reviewed by goober from United States on Jan.22.2010

My boyfriend is from poland. I learned alot so far but since im english its extreamly hard for me to pronounce polish words..Practice does make perfect. Ive been learning for about 5 months and ive learned so much. Polish is a beautiful language.

reviewed by tessa from United States on Jan.13.2010

I suck at polish (for a school project)!!!!!

reviewed by L0v3rJ081eS from Canada on Jan.12.2010

Hi there Donald - 'welcome to the family' would be 'witamy w rodzinie' (said like: vee-TAH-mih vroh-GEE-njeh)

reviewed by K from Poland on Nov.16.2009

I need help!!How do you say"Welcome to do family" in polish? My future sun in law is from poland and i would like to tell him that when i will meet him first time!!!

reviewed by Donald Bajzat from United States on Nov.16.2009

I need halp!!

reviewed by Donald Bajzat from United States on Nov.16.2009

lots of people whant to no polish
yak sea mush means how are you doing
dozze a te means are you good
and jendroby means helo

reviewed by briustia from Poland on Oct.12.2009

"You look great" = "¦wietnie wygl±dasz"

reviewed by Shoreline from Poland on Oct.09.2009

How do you say. You look great in Polish?

reviewed by Iain from Canada on Oct.08.2009

i love you = kocham cie :)
also... i didnt mean to put my below comment lol... i thought it was the sign up bit :S.. :)

reviewed by Ears from United Kingdom on Sep.22.2009

Tak, Dobrze... thus far

reviewed by Ears from United Kingdom on Sep.22.2009

My first visit Poland is ticking now.I tried learning Polish by listening to a CD in my car. Polish seems to be friendly. Thanks for your advice.

reviewed by LIKA from Japan on Sep.11.2009

could someone please tell me how to say I love you in polish with how to pronounce it, thanks

reviewed by Janusz from United States on Sep.02.2009

I went to Lublin City for a couple of days, beautiful, unexplored City, but they don't have a motorway between WARSAW and LUBLIN yet, so trip took about 1.5 hour.

They have got cheap regional lager called "Perla", alcohol, food, weed... are much cheaper than in Warsaw.

I recommend this site:

http://kultura.lublin.eu/0.html?locale=en_GB


it's available in English, Polish, Ukrainian and Spanish:)

ps. ppl in Lublin, in general speak British-English:):):):)

reviewed by ManchesterChav from United Kingdom on Aug.29.2009

polish is very difficult i think. i hope i'll find people who can speak english :)

reviewed by antidote from Turkey on Jul.24.2009

Polish is a very difficult language! But it's also very beautiful. It's worth the effort to learn the basics even.

reviewed by Jean from France on Jun.28.2009

I think polish is really good language.I'll be in warsaw in a few months and I really wonder there.I wonder people,language,culture...almost everything

reviewed by elias from Turkey on Jun.26.2009

I will visit warsaw and krakow this fall for my first time with my old friend. Please let me know the words which I need at least.

reviewed by LIKA from Japan on May.20.2009

The more languages u know - the more u a Human. Our languages are very similar, so, think, in 2-3 months, I'll manage with Polish. One thing is if u DO wish to know or only seem to be.
Best regards from Ukraine and welcome to Chernivtsi !

reviewed by Nadin from Ukraine on May.15.2009

It's encouraging to know that even you have difficulty pronouncing some Polish words. As for me, I tried my best when I went to Poland, and I can say proudly that I managed to pronounce correctly (that's what I think at least) such complicated street names as Plac Trzech Krzy¿y (Three Crosses Square).I have been learning Polish for about 8 months and I do my best to understand it and speak Polish fluently.
I think we will have a great time learning Polish here :)

reviewed by Ewa from Canada on May.13.2009

Tout d'abord, la langue polonaise n'a jamais de difficulté à la compréhension mutuelle, et des locuteurs non-natifs ne peuvent généralement pas distinguer facilement les variations régionales./First, the Polish language has never difficulty in mutual understanding, and non-native speakers often can not easily distinguish regional variations.

reviewed by Sylwia from France on May.13.2009

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