Many people come to Poland to learn Polish or study. Regardless of the level of education you’re trying to obtain, Polish classroom phrases will come in handy. It’s also good to know them for cultural reasons, for instance, to understand better what’s happening in Polish movies or series. Of course, it’d also be very useful to know them for general Polish language learning.

The knowledge of the most common Polish phrases used in the classroom is also very helpful in understanding more about the country’s culture. The way that teachers and students interact allows you to better understand the levels of formality in the Polish language.

Please note that Polish is a gendered language, and genders will be marked in this blog post as follows:

• m – masculine
  
• f – feminine
  
• n – neuter  

Without further ado, let’s discuss the most common Polish phrases used in the classroom!

Table of Contents

1. Basic Classroom Greetings
2. Understand Instructions from Teachers
3. Ask for Clarification from Teachers and Classmates
4. Explain Absence and Tardiness
5. Talking About Favorite Subjects
6. Check for School Supplies
7. Final Thoughts

1. Basic Classroom Greetings

Greetings are a part of everyday life. When you live in Poland, the skill of saying hello no matter the time of day can come in very handy. In the classroom environment, there are certain special greetings you should memorize: 

• Dzień dobry. – Good Day.
  
  You can simply say Good Day when entering the classroom. However, people, especially children, use a special greeting to show their respect for the teacher:
  
  Dzień dobry, Pani (Profesor). – Good Day, teacher. (literally: Mrs Professor)
  
  Dzień dobry, Panie Profesorze. – Good morning, teacher. (literally: Mr Professor)
  
  Dzień dobry, Panu. – Good morning, teacher.
  
  This form is also used at higher learning institutions. It’s worth noting that the required level of formality will depend on the personal preferences of a lecturer or rules at a given institution.

• Cześć! / Siema! – Hi!
  
  Ex. Siema is a slang word for cześć.
  To say “hi” to fellow students, we use the expressions above. Both can also be used to say “bye.”

• Co tam? – What’s up?
  
  We can also ask someone how they’re doing informally by using the above expression.


• Do jutra! – See you tomorrow!
  
  Another informal expression used to say goodbye only. 

Now that you know how to say hello in different ways, you may also want to learn three ways to say “Bye” in Polish. All of them are basic Polish phrases.  

2. Understand Instructions from Teachers

There are a number of instructions teachers use to communicate with their students. Traditionally, teachers in Poland require a fair amount of obedience. What can look harsh to an English speaker is related to the cultural straightforwardness of Polish, where words of politeness aren’t always used.

• (A teraz) słuchajcie uważnie. – (And now) listen carefully. 
  
  A phrase often used by teachers before important details of a lesson come.


• Proszę o ciszę! – Be quiet, please.
  
  Cisza! – Silence!
  
  Both phrases could be used by Polish teachers to regain control of a classroom where children or students are behaving badly.


• To bardzo ważne. – It’s very important.
  
  Classroom phrases for teachers in Polish differ from teacher to teacher, but many like to underline the importance of something in this way.


• Nie ma się z czego śmiać. – There’s nothing funny here.
  
  Polish children can laugh when uncalled for like any other children. That’s why Polish teachers will sometimes use this expression.


• Wyciągamy karteczki. – We’re taking out pieces of paper.
  
  Polish classroom words and phrases also include the ones related to tests. Many tests in Polish schools are announced, and then they’re called klasówka. When teachers want to check whether students are learning systematically, they also prepare unannounced tests called kartkówka.

• Any questions? – Czy są jakieś pytania?
  
  This isn’t a request per se, but it’s a phrase worth noting as teachers often ask them after concluding a topic or before finishing a lesson.

Classroom phrases for teachers in Polish, include the top 5 pet phrases. Check them out with our lesson. You can also learn more about learning strategies with the power of a good Polish teacher.  

3. Ask for Clarification from Teachers and Classmates

If you’re a foreign student, you may not understand everything that a teacher or classmate asks from you. That’s why our Polish classroom phrases for students include asking for clarification from others: 

• Nie rozumiem. – I don’t understand.
  
  Example:
  
  A: Jaka jest Pańska godność? – What is your name, Sir? (literally: What’s your dignity?)
  
  B: Nie rozumiem. – I don’t understand.

• Czy może Pan/Pani powtórzyć? – Can you repeat that, Sir/Madam?
  
  Czy możesz powtórzyć? – Can you repeat that?
  
  Example:
  
  A: Jak leci? – How is it going?
  
  B: Nie rozumiem. Czy możesz powtórzyć? – I don’t understand. Can you repeat that?

• Chciałam zgłosić nieprzygotowanie. – I wanted to say I’m not prepared.
  
  In Polish schools, some teachers ask children to answer questions orally and be graded while standing in front of the classroom. The questions usually revolve around what was discussed during the last few lessons. A student is allowed to tell the teacher that they’re not prepared a few times during the term. However, they need to say it before the teacher asks them to answer questions. When a student wants to express that, they use the phrase above.  

• Mam pytanie. – I have a question.
  
  When you want to ask a question to a teacher you usually raise your hand to get their attention before you do that.


• Co powiedział nauczyciel? – What did the teacher say? (when the teacher is a man)
  
  Co powiedziała nauczycielka? – What did the teacher say? (when the teacher is a woman)
  
  If you don’t understand what the teacher said, you can ask about that. Of course, there are slang words that children and teenagers use for teachers such as belfer (m) / belferka (f) or facet (m) / facetka (f).

These Polish words and phrases may come in handy during Polish lessons. To learn clarification phrases for other situations, visit our lesson “Can You Say It Again in Polish?”.

4. Explain Absence and Tardiness

Polish children, teenagers, and older students are great at coming up with excuses for their absence and tardiness. That’s something that students seem to have in common all around the world. Here are some Polish classroom words and phrases that can come in handy when you need an excuse yourself: 

• Źle się czułem (m) / czułam (f). – I wasn’t feeling well.
  
  Example: Nie przyszłam na zajęcia, bo źle się czułam. – I didn’t come to class, because I was feeling unwell. (when the speaker is a woman)
  
  Nie przyszedłem na zajęcia, bo źle się czułem. – I didn’t come to class, because I was feeling unwell. (when the speaker is a man)

• Przepraszam za spóźnienie, uciekł mi autobus. – Sorry I’m late. I’ve missed the bus.
  
  Przepraszam za spóźnienie, zaspałem (m) / zaspałam (f). – Sorry I’m late. I’ve overslept.
  
  Przepraszam za spóźnienie, straciłem (m) / straciłam (f) poczucie czasu. – Sorry I’m late. I’ve lost track of time.

• Nie mam pracy domowej, bo zjadł mi ją pies. – I didn’t bring my homework, my dog ate it.
  
  Of course, some students would try this excuse. However, telling the teacher that one is unprepared is also an option to avoid consequences, as long as the student hasn’t used up their limit.


• Przepraszam, nie zrobiłem (m) / zrobiłam (f) pracy domowej. –  I’m sorry, I didn’t do my homework.


• Zapomniałem (m) / Zapomniałam (f) książki / zeszytu. – I’ve forgotten my book/notebook.

What excuses did you use at school, or were you too cool for school and played truant often? Let us know in the comments section. 

5. Talking About Favorite Subjects

There are some people who simply don’t or didn’t like school. But even they usually had at least one favorite subject. The most common Polish phrases used in the classroom include those to speak about people’s preferences in that respect: 

• matematyka – math


• chemia – chemistry
  
  Ex. Jestem dobra z matematyki i chemii. – I’m good at math and chemistry.

• fizyka – physics
  
  Ex. Nie rozumiem fizyki! – I don’t understand physics.


• historia – history
  
  Historia nie jest trudna, ale jest dużo dat do zapamiętania. – History isn’t difficult, but there are many dates to remember.


• (język) polski – Polish
  
  Polski jest fajny poza gramatyką. – Polish is cool, apart from the grammar.


• (język) angielski – English
  
  Ex. Angielski jest łatwy. – English is easy.

• geografia – geography
  
  Ex. Geografia Europy jest skomplikowana. – European geography is complicated.


• biologia – biology
  
  Biologia nie jest obowiązkowa w mojej szkole. – Biology isn’t obligatory at my school.


• WF (wychowanie fizyczne) – PE (physical education)
  
  Lubię sport, ale nie lubię WFu. – I like sports, but I don’t like PE.


• Mój ulubiony przedmiot to [subject]. – My favorite subject is [subject].
  
  Ex. Mój ulubiony przedmiot to (język) polski. – My favorite subject is Polish.


• Nie lubię [subject]. – I don’t like [subject].
  
  Ex. Nie lubię fizyki. – I don’t like physics.


• Jestem dobry (m) / dobra (f) z [subject]. – I’m good at [subject].
  
  Jestem dobry z matmy. – I’m good at maths.
  
  Ex. Matma is a slang word for matematyka.


• Jestem słaby (m) / słaba (f) z [subject]. – I’m bad at [subject].
  
  Ex. Jestem słaby z WFu – I’m bad at PE.


• Mam dobre / złe oceny z [subject]. – I have good/bad grades in [subject].
  
  Ex. Mam złe oceny z geografii. – I have bad grades in geography.

If you’d like to learn more Polish vocabulary on this topic, here’s a lesson on talking about school subjects in Polish. You may also want to learn more about the education system in Poland. 

6. Check for School Supplies

It’s equally important to be able to speak about school supplies. Some of them are similar to the ones you can find in the office. Here’s a list of Polish classroom phrases for students:

• zeszyt – textbook


• książka – book
  


• długopis – pen


• pióro – fountain pen
  


• ołówek – pencil


• plecak – backpack


• kalkulator – calculator
  


• Zgubiłem (m) / Zgubiłam (f) mój (m) / moje (n) / moją (f) [supply]. – I’ve lost my [supply].
  
  Here the choice is between the form for a male and female speaker, and then the form of the word “my” has to be in agreement with the gender of the noun used.
  
  Ex. Zgubiłem mój długopis. – I’ve lost my pen. (said by a man)
  
  Zgubiłam moje pióro. – I’ve lost my fountain pen. (said by a woman)
  
  Zgubiłam moją książkę. – I’ve lost my book. (said by a woman)

• Potrzebny mi nowy (m) / nowa (f) / nowe (n) [supply]. – I need a new [supply].
  
  Ex. Potrzebny mi nowy kalkulator. – I need a new calculator.


• Widziałeś (m) / widziałaś (f) mój (m) / moje (n) / moją (f) [supply]? – Have you seen my [supply].
  
  Ex. Widziałaś mój plecak? – Have you seen my backpack? (When a woman is asked).

Note that our list of Polish words and phrases doesn’t have a name for uniform (mundurek szkolny). That’s because they’re not obligatory in Poland.

Do you know by now what’s in your school bag? If you still have doubts, review our lesson on this topic by clicking on the link and learning even more basic Polish phrases. 

7. Final Thoughts 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about all the Polish classroom words and phrases. They’ll come in handy whether you’re taking a Polish course, attending a Polish school, or living in Poland. Perhaps it made you remember the times when you were at school yourself.

Knowing classroom phrases for teachers in Polish, as well as these for students, is just the beginning of the road. To truly speak the language, you should use a platform that has countless recordings from native speakers and a large Polish lessons database to help you learn Polish vocabulary and much more. PolishPod101 is exactly that kind of platform. Try it out today and learn Polish with us! 

Vocabulary related to animals is among the most important items for beginners to study. Especially if you’re an animal lover, learning about specific animals living in Poland and memorizing the Polish names of animals from your own country can be a fun way to broaden your language skills. 

Polish animals don’t differ much from those you would find in other European countries. Are you curious what they are? Keep reading and learn tons of useful words for talking about animals in the Polish language.

Table of Contents

1. Pets
2. Farm Animals
3. Various Land Animals
4. Marine / Aquatic Animals
5. Bugs and Insects
6. Birds, Reptiles & Amphibians
7. Animal Body Parts
8. Animal-Related Expressions
9. Final Thoughts

1. Pets

Can you guess what the most common pets in Poland are? Yep. Cats and dogs—no surprise there! 

Here are some related terms:

• “cat” – kot
• “kitten” – kotek 
• “dog” – pies  
• “doggy” – piesek 
• “puppy” – szczeniak

While cats and dogs are the most popular pets in the country, Poles also keep a variety of other furry critters: 

• “mouse” – mysz
• “hamster” – chomik
• “rabbit” – królik

These animals are particularly popular among people who don’t want a big responsibility. They’re also pets that parents of young children decide to have. This is because a small child may not be ready for a big commitment or the duties related to owning a dog or cat. 

Some Polish people enjoy more exotic pets. Some of these animals can easily be found in a pet store, while others require more effort to buy. These more exotic animals can sometimes be dangerous, so it’s important that the owner is careful about how and where they keep them. Examples of exotic animals you might find in Polish homes include: 

• “parrot” – papuga
• “lizard” – jaszczurka
• “snake” – wąż
• “chameleon” – kameleon
• “spider” – pająk
• “tarantula” – tarantula
• “fish” – rybki

Let’s not forget about other important terms and expressions related to keeping pets: 

• “dog food” – karma dla psa
• “cat food” – karma dla kota
• “bird food” – karma dla ptaków
• “cage” – klatka 
• “terrarium” – terrarium 
• “aquarium” – akwarium 
• “bowl” – miska 
• “lead” / “leash” – smycz 
• “muzzle” – kaganiec 
• “cat litter” – kuweta

If you plan on owning a pet in Poland, knowing the right vocabulary is essential. Do you already have animals and are thinking about transporting them to Poland? It’s understandable that you don’t want to leave your pet behind, but remember that there are several rules you’ll need to follow along the way! Whether you’re moving to Poland for work, love, or some other reason, make sure to plan your relocation in advance; some processes may take longer than expected. 

Would you like to know what you can find inside a Polish home, apart from animals? Click on the link to find out. Don’t forget to also have a look at our lesson How Many Pets Do You Have in Poland? to remember the vocabulary better and to learn about the accusative case in Polish. 

2. Farm Animals

Apart from animals living at home, there are also domesticated animals that live on farms. Parts of Poland are very urbanized, but there are still many spaces set aside for agriculture. 

The most popular type of farm animals in Poland are cattle (bydło):

• “cow” – krowa 
• “bull” – byk 
• “pig” – świnia
• “sheep” – owca
• “goat” – koza
• “horse” – koń

Another group of animals living on the farm is poultry (drób). Many Poles associate being in the countryside with the sound of a rooster calling out bright and early in the morning. 

• “chicken” – kurczak 
• “hen” – kura 
• “rooster” – kogut 
• “duck” – kaczka 
• “goose” – gęś

Speaking of poultry, would you like to learn some Polish cooking vocabulary?

3. Various Land Animals

Many people think that there are no wild animals in Poland, but Polish mountains and forests are home to many of them. Some of these animals can even be dangerous! For instance, experts warn about wild boars, which can cause a threat to humans if not treated with respect. 

Here are the names of some of these wild animals in Polish: 

• “fox” – lis 
• “deer” – jeleń 
• “boar” – dzik 
• “hare” – zając 
• “wolf” – wilk 
• “bear” – niedźwiedź 
• “owl” – sowa 
• “viper” – żmija 
• “lynx” – ryś 

You can learn the names of a couple of other wild animals in Poland by exploring our lesson What Kind of Polish Animal is That? 

There are many animals that you can only encounter in zoos, which you can find in a number of large Polish cities. Here, people can appreciate species that don’t naturally live in the country. These animals include: 

• “lion” – lew 
• “tiger” – tygrys 
• “camel” – wielbłąd 
• “hyena” – hiena 
• “elephant” – słoń 
• “crocodile” – krokodyl
• “giraffe” – żyrafa
• “monkey” – małpa
• “hippopotamus” – hipopotam

Do you often go to the zoo? Next time you go, try to name all the creatures you see by their Polish names. 

4. Marine / Aquatic Animals

Poland does not have access to an ocean, but it does have a sea. Here are the names of common animals you might find in the Baltic Sea and around Polish lakes:

• “carp” – karp
• “seal” – foka
• “swan” – łabędź
• “crab” – rak
• “beaver” – bóbr
• “stork” – bocian
  
  Do you know where children come from? White storks bring them, of course! That’s the story Polish parents often tell their offspring. Another version is that babies can be found in cabbage. You can learn more about the white stork (including the strange sound it makes) on our website!


• “seagull” – mewa

While there are relatively few aquatic animals in Poland, you should still learn the names of these animals in the Polish language: 

• “shark” – rekin
• “whale” – wieloryb
• “dolphin” – delfin
• “octopus” – ośmiornica
• “stingray” – płaszczka
  

You can learn even more words for marine animals in our entertaining lesson, which encourages you to learn with pictures! 

5. Bugs and Insects

There are many bugs and insects in Poland. Like people elsewhere in the world, Poles often complain about them, though many bugs are actually an important part of the ecosystem. Here are the Polish names for some of them:

• “ant” – mrówka
• “fly” – mucha
• “ladybug” – biedronka
• “spider” – pająk
• “grasshopper” – konik polny
• “bug” – robak
• “beetle” – żuk
• “worm” – dżdżownica
• “caterpillar” – gąsienica
• “butterfly” – motyl

If you’re particularly interested in bugs, visit the website Insects of Poland to learn more! 

6. Birds, Reptiles & Amphibians

There’s a number of birds that fly in the Polish skies. Here are the most common ones: 

• “bird” – ptak
• “dove” – gołąb
• “woodpecker” – dzięcioł
• “eagle” – orzeł
• “crow” – kruk
• “hawk” – jastrząb

You can learn even more vocabulary for birds in our lesson Birds of a Feather Flock Together.

Our next two groups of animals in the Polish language are reptiles (gady) and amphibians (płazy).

• “frog” – żaba
• “toad” – ropucha
• “turtle” / “tortoise” – żółw
• “alligator” – aligator

7. Animal Body Parts

Now that you’ve learned a long list of animals in Polish, you might want to learn the names of animal body parts. Knowing these terms will allow you to better describe the animals you encounter! 

• “wing” – skrzydło
• “beak” – dziób
• “tail” – ogon
• “paw” – łapa
• “horns” – rogi
• “feather” – pióro
• “fur” – sierść
• “claws” – pazury / szpony

It’s great that you can now speak about animal body parts! However, do you know what to call all the body parts that we humans have? 

8. Animal-Related Expressions

Polish has many expressions related to animals. This is a common trait of many languages, but the exact attributes given to animals often differ from country to country. Have a look at some of the most common idioms and sayings: 

• zły jak osa – “as angry as a wasp”
• uparty jak osioł – “as stubborn as a donkey”
• mądry jak sowa – “as smart as an owl”
• zdrowy jak ryba – Literally: “as healthy as a fish” / Meaning: “fit as a fiddle”
• żyć jak pies z kotem – Literally: “to live together like cats and dogs” / Meaning: “to not get along”
• mieć węża w kieszeni – Literally: “to have a snake in your pocket” / Meaning: “to be stingy”
• jak ryba w wodzie – Literally: “like fish in water” / Meaning: “to be comfortable somewhere”

If you’d like to learn more idioms related to animals, remember to click on the link and visit our lesson on the topic. 

9. Final Thoughts

Learning how to talk about pets and other animals is an important aspect of studying Polish. Today you’ve learned which animals live in Poland, what animals people keep at home, as well as the Polish animal names for creatures that live elsewhere. What’s your favorite animal, and what is it called in Polish? Let us know in the comments! 

Learning vocabulary is an important element of mastering the language. Unfortunately, you’ll need more than that to understand and communicate with Polish people. 

If you really want to be able to claim that you speak the language, you should use a tool that gives you more than just vocabulary. PolishPod101 is a great platform that offers you more structure than most other Polish learning programs. You’ll get access to countless recordings from native speakers as well as a personalized learning path.

There’s no better time to start improving your Polish than today. Create your free lifetime account and start learning with us!

When you start your language-learning journey with Polish, managing to have a conversation with a native speaker is one of the most rewarding experiences. This is why it’s important to work on your conversational skills early on. 

What’s the best way to do this? By learning the top ten Polish questions with answers, of course!

Once you learn these, you’ll be prepared for whatever may appear in a simple conversation in Poland. Read on and learn how to ask a question in Polish (and answer it yourself)!

Table of Contents

1. What’s your name?
2. Where are you from?
3. Do you speak Polish?
4. How are you?
5. Where do you live?
6. What did you say?
7. How old are you?
8. “What is it?” and “Who is it?”
9. Are you hungry/thirsty?
10. How much is it?
11. Final Thoughts

1. What’s your name?

The Polish word for “question” is pytanie. 

The first and most important pytanie for conversations is “What’s your name?” In Polish, the way one asks this question depends on the level of formality. The rule of thumb is to use the formal version unless the person you’re speaking with is your age, your family member, or anyone else in an informal context. 

Formal Questions and Answers 

There’s a number of Polish questions you can ask to learn someone’s name. To just ask about their first name, you can say:

• Jak ma pani na imię? (“What’s your name, Ma’am?”)
• Jak ma pan na imię? (“What’s your name, Sir?”)

The answer would be:

• Mam na imię [name]. (“My name is [name].”)

You could also begin by giving your name, and then ask for theirs:

• Mam na imię [name], a pan/pani? (“My name is [name], and yours, Sir/Ma’am?”)

When you want to ask a question in Polish about someone’s name and surname in a formal context, you can say: 

• Jak się pani nazywa? (“What’s your name [and surname], Ma’am?”)
• Jak się pan nazywa? (“What’s your name [and surname], Sir?”)

There’s also another way of asking the same question. It’s slightly old-fashioned, but some people in Poland still use it, particularly in places that have to do with public administration: 

• [Jaka jest] pani godność? (“[What’s] your name and surname, Ma’am?”)
• [Jaka jest] pańska godność? (“[What’s] your name and surname, Sir?”)

Both types of questions would be answered with: 

• Nazywam się [name and surname]. (“My name [and surname] is {name and surname}.”)

If appropriate, you can also add a follow-up question, as follows:

• Nazywam się [name], a pan/pani? (“My name and surname is [name and surname], and yours, Sir/Ma’am?”)

Informal Questions and Answers

Polish language questions in the informal context are similar to those in the formal context. With certain exceptions, the main difference is that formal questions use the conjugated form of the third person singular, while informal questions use the second person singular. Compare: 

Formal

• Jak ma pani na imię? (“What’s your name, Ma’am?”)
• Jak ma pan na imię? (“What’s your name, Sir?”)

Informal

• Jak masz na imię? (“What’s your name?”)

You can answer this question with or without the follow-up question a ty? (“and you?”). Here are examples of how it would look to use the follow-up: 

• Mam na imię [name], a ty? (“My name is [name], and yours?”)
• Jestem [name], a ty? (“I’m [name], and you?”)

When asking informally about someone’s name and surname, you’d ask and answer:

• Jak się nazywasz? (“What’s your name and surname?”)
• Nazywam się [name and surname]. (“My name and surname is [name and surname].”)

Of course, there’s more to introductions than just giving your name. These lessons may come in handy:

• Self-Introduction: Basic Greetings in Polish
• Self-Introduction
• Introducing Yourself

2. Where are you from?

Another very useful Polish question is “Where are you from?” Here are Polish questions and answers for talking about nationality.

Formal Questions and Answers 

Below you can find the most popular way of asking this question in a formal context: 

• Skąd pani pochodzi? (“Where do you come from, Ma’am?”)
• Skąd pan pochodzi? (“Where do you come from, Sir?”)

The answer to this question is: 

• Pochodzę z Poland. (“I come from Poland.)

As always, you can also add a follow-up question: A pan/pani? (“And you, Ma’am/Sir?”).

Here’s a dialogue showcasing a different way to ask and answer the question:

• Jakiej jest pani narodowości? (“What’s your nationality, Ma’am?”)
• Jakiej jest pan narodowości? (“What’s your nationality, Sir?”)
• Jestem [nationality]. (“I’m [nationality].”)

Informal Questions and Answers

When asking this question in informal contexts, there’s one more possible way to answer. We’ll group each question and answer pair here for ease of reference:

• Skąd pochodzisz? (“Where do you come from?”)
• Pochodzę z Poland. (“I come from Poland.”)

• Skąd jesteś? (“Where are you from?”)
• Jestem z Poland. (“I’m from Poland.”)

• Jakiej jesteś narodowości? (“What’s your nationality?”)
• Jestem [nationality]. (“I’m [nationality], and you?”)

If you’re still unsure how to talk about your home country, go to our lesson “Where are you from?” and deepen your knowledge. 

3. Do you speak Polish?

Asking about someone’s language skills is a good conversation starter. Here are some Polish questions that will help you do that. 

• Czy mówi pani/pan po Polish? (“Do you speak Polish, Sir/Ma’am?”) [formal]
• Czy mówisz po Polish? (“Do you speak Polish, Sir/Ma’am?”) [informal]

• Tak, mówię po Polish. (“Yes, I speak Polish.”)
• Nie, nie mówię po Polish. (“No, I don’t speak Polish.”)

• Czy zna pani/pan Polish? (“Do you speak Polish, Sir/Ma’am?”)
• Czy znasz Polish? (“Do you speak Polish?”)

• Tak, znam Polish. (“Yes, I know Polish.”)
• Nie, nie znam Polish. (“No, I don’t know Polish.”)

How would you ask “Do you speak English?” in Polish? Click on the link and check your comprehension of this topic.

4. How are you?

Asking people how they’re doing is something we do in English a lot. It’s also one of the basic questions in Polish, but it’s not used in every interaction like it is in English. When asking these kinds of questions to Polish people, expect for them to share more than just “Fine, thanks.”

Formal Questions and Answers

• Jak się pani/pan ma? (“How are you, Ma’am/Sir?”)

The answer in this case would be: 

• Dziękuję, dobrze. (“Well, thank you.”)
• Mam się dobrze, dziękuję. (“I’m well, thank you.”)

Informal Questions and Answers

There are many more basic Polish questions about someone’s well-being for informal contexts: 

• Jak się masz? (“How are you?”)
• Co dobrego? (“What’s good?”)
• Co u Ciebie? (“How are you doing?”)
• Co tam? (“What’s up?”)
• Co słychać? (“How’s it going?”)

There’s also a number of answers that can be given, depending on how much you want to share with the person you’re talking to: 

• Dobrze, dzięki. (“Good, thanks.”)
• Spoko, dzięki. (“Cool, thanks.”)
• Jakoś leci. (“It’s going.”)
• Nie narzekam. (“I can’t complain.”)
• A, daj spokój. (“Agh, give me a break.”)

The last answer often begins a list of complaints or bad things that have recently happened to that person. 

5. Where do you live?

Other common conversation questions in Polish are those for asking where someone lives.

Formal Questions and Answers

Formal questions in Polish about one’s address are usually asked in official situations, such as in a bank, at a post office, or at a police station: 

• Gdzie pan/pani mieszka? (“Where do you live, Sir/Ma’am?”) 
• Jaki jest pański/pani adres zamieszkania? (“What’s your address, Sir/Ma’am?”)

• Mieszkam w [city]. (“I live in [city].”)
• Mój adres to ulica [street name] [street number]. (“My address is [street number] [street name].”)

Informal Questions and Answers

There are two ways you can ask this in informal contexts:

• Gdzie mieszkasz? (“Where do you live?”)
• Jaki jest twój adres? (“What’s your address?”)

You can expect these answers:

• Mieszkam na ulicy [street name] [street number]. (“I live on [street number] [street name].”)
• Mój adres to ulica [street name] [street number]. (“My address is [street number] [street name].”)

Did you know that “Where do you live?” is one of the top 25 Polish questions? Check out our lesson to learn even more. 

6. What did you say?

Knowing how to ask for clarification is very handy for beginners who may not always understand what’s being said. 

Formal Questions and Answers

Here are the formal questions in Polish:

• Przepraszam, co pan/pani powiedziała? (“What did you say, Sir/Ma’am?”)
• Czy może pan/pani powtórzyć? (“Can you repeat, please, Sir/Ma’am?”)

• Przepraszam, nie dosłyszałem, czy może pan/pani powtórzyć? (“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said, can you repeat, please, Sir/Ma’am?”) [if the speaker is a man]
• Przepraszam, nie dosłyszałam, czy może pan/pani powtórzyć? (“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said, can you repeat, please, Sir/Ma’am?”) [if the speaker is a woman]

Here’s a number of possible answers to these questions: 

• Oczywiście. (“Certainly.”)
• Już powtarzam. (“I’m repeating now.”)

Informal Questions and Answers

• Co powiedziałeś/powiedziałaś? (“What did you say?”) [asked to a man and a woman, respectively]

Be careful! This question, depending on the tone, may be considered aggressive.

• Co? (“What?”)

The question above is a very common, though not extremely polite, thing to say, making it one of the most important Polish question words. 

• Sorry, nie dosłyszałem, możesz powtórzyć? (“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said, can you repeat, please?”) [said by a man]
• Sorry, nie dosłyszałam, możesz powtórzyć? (“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said, can you repeat, please?”) [said by a woman]

• Weź, powtórz. (“Come again.”)

Here are two possible answers:

• Jasne. (“Sure”)
• Zaczekaj chwilę. (“Hold on a second.”)

7. How old are you?

During an initial chat, you may want to ask about your interlocutor’s age. 

Formal Questions and Answers

In the formal context, questions about age are often asked during doctor’s appointments, for other health-related services, and in official situations. 

• Ile ma pan/pani lat? (“How old are you, Sir/Ma’am?”)
• W jakim jest pan/pani wieku? (“What’s your age, Sir/Ma’am?”) 

• Mam 30 lat. (“I’m 30 years old.”)
• Mam 22 lata. (“I’m 22 years old.”)

You can see there’s a difference between the word for “years” in the examples above. To better understand how that word would change with different numbers, check out our lesson “Talking About Your Age.”

Additionally, a man could be asked: 

• Kiedy się pan urodził? (“When were you born, Sir?”)
• Jaka jest pańska data urodzenia? (“What’s your birth date?”)

And answer:

• Urodziłem się [day] [month] [year]. (“I was born on [day] [month] [year].”)

The same dialogue with a woman would look like this:

• Kiedy pani się urodziła? (“When were you born, Ma’am?”)


• Jaka jest pani data urodzenia? (“What’s your birth date?”)

• Urodziłam się [day] [month] [year]. (“I was born on [day] [month] [year].”)

Informal Questions and Answers

When having a friendly chat, you’ll probably be more interested in learning someone’s age than getting their actual birthdate. So, the informal question would be as follows:

• Ile masz lat? (“How old are you?”)
• W jakim jesteś wieku? (“What’s your age?”)
• Mam [number] lat/lata. (“I’m [number] years old.”)

A related and often-asked informal question is: 

• Kiedy masz urodziny? (“When’s your birthday?”)
• 20 lipca. (“On the 20th of July.”)

8. “What is it?” and “Who is it?”

The two most important “wh-” questions in Polish are “What is it?” and “Who is it?”

Formal and Informal Polish Questions with Answers

The most commonly used “wh-” questions in Polish, these can come in handy when you’re confused (which happens often in a foreign country):

• Przepraszam, czy wie pan/pani co to jest? (“Excuse me, do you know what it is, Sir/Ma’am?”)
• Przepraszam, czy wie pan/pani kto to jest? (“Excuse me, do you know who it is, Sir/Ma’am?”)

• Wiesz co to jest? (“Do you know what it is?”) [informal]
• Wiesz kto to jest? (“Do you know who it is?”) [informal]
• Co/kto to jest? (“What/who is it?”) [informal]

The answer would be a simple: 

To jest + [noun in the nominative case mianownik or the person’s name]. (“This is [noun or a name].”)

Would you like to learn more about Polish sentence patterns? Read our article about it! You can also read a list of other question pronouns (Polish question words) on WikiBooks.

9. Are you hungry/thirsty?

I’m sure you would agree that communicating your basic needs and asking about the needs of others are among the most common questions and answers in Polish, and any other language.

Formal Questions and Answers

Here are some ways of asking these questions in Polish formally, and answering them likewise: 

• Chciałby pan coś zjeść? (“Would you like to eat something, Sir?”)
• Chciałaby pani coś zjeść? (“Would you like to eat something, Ma’am?”)

• Dziękuję, nie jestem głodny/głodna. (“Thank you, I’m not hungry.”) [answered by a man and a woman, respectively]
• Dziękuję, niedawno jadłem/jadłam. (“Thank you, I’ve just eaten.”) [answered by a man and a woman, respectively]

• Jest pan głodny? (“Are you hungry, Sir?”)
• Jest pani głodna? (“Are you hungry, Ma’am?”)

• Nie, nie jestem głodny/głodna, dziękuję. (“No, I’m not hungry.”) [answered by a man and a woman, respectively]
• Tak, chętnie bym coś przekąsił/przekąsiła. (“Yes, I’d like to have a snack.”) [answered by a man and a woman, respectively]

As you may already know, Poland is known for great food. If you’re not quite familiar with the Polish cuisine yet, check out this complete guide. 

• Chce się panu/pani pić? (“Would you like to drink something, Sir/Ma’am?”)
• Jest pan spragniony? (“Are you thirsty, Sir?”)
• Jest pani spragniona? (“Are you thirsty, Ma’am?”)

• Nie, dziękuję, proszę się nie kłopotać. (“No, thank you, please don’t go to any trouble.”)
• Tak, chętnie napiłbym/napiłabym się wody. (“Yes, I’d like some water, please.”) [answered by a man and a woman, respectively]

Informal Questions and Answers

Here’s how to have a similar dialogue informally:

• Chcesz coś zjeść? (“Do you want to eat something?”)
• Jesteś głodny/głodna? (“Are you hungry?”)

• Dzięki, nie jestem głodny/głodna. (“Thanks, I’m not hungry.”) [answered by a man and a woman, respectively]
• Nie, nie jestem głodny/głodna. (“No, I’m not hungry.”) [answered by a man and a woman, respectively]

• Chce ci się pić? (“Would you like to drink something?”)

• Nie, dzięki. (“No, thanks.”)
• Chętnie! (“Sure!”)
• Jasne! (“Okay!”)

The last three answers could also be used to answer the questions about eating. 

10. How much is it?

Some of the most common questions and answers in Polish that every beginner should learn are those for asking the price. This question is most likely to be asked in a formal context. 

Formal Questions and Answers

• Przepraszam, ile to kosztuje? (“Excuse me, how much does it cost?”)
• Przepraszam, po ile te jabłka? (“Excuse me, how much for these apples?”)

Would you like to practice how to ask “How much does it cost?” in Polish and learn more Polish question words? Go to our lesson “Asking how much something costs.”

• To kosztuje [number] złotych/złote. (“It costs [number] PLN.”)
• [Number] złotych/złote. (“[Number] PLN.”)

Are you still a bit shaky on the Polish numbers? These lessons may help you:

• Counting 1 to 10
• Counting from 10 to 100
• Counting from 100 to 10000 

11. Final Thoughts

Today you’ve learned common questions and answers in Polish. These are the top Polish questions you need to know for conversations with Polish people. Which question do you think you’ll use the most? Let us know in the comments section! 

If you’re set on truly learning Polish and knowing more than just how to ask questions in Polish, you should get an account with PolishPod101! You’ll be able to use hundreds and hundreds of Polish audio and video lessons, get access to unique materials and tools, and get your daily dose of Polish delivered straight to your inbox with 365 mini-lessons. 

Check it all out with a free trial!

Polish language exams may not be as popular and well-known as the English ones. This doesn’t mean, however, that Polish-learners have no way to prove their language proficiency. 

So what exams are available for people learning Polish? Is there a Polish test for beginners? If so, how does one prepare for the Polish A1 exam? 

Patience, grasshopper. You’ll find the answers to all of these questions—and much more—in this article.

Table of Contents

1. General Information About the Polish Language Test
2. What’s Inside the Test?
3. Preparation for the Polish Exam
4. Final Thoughts

1. General Information About the Polish Language Test

The British have FCE, CAE, and CPE. The French have DELF and DALF. The Polish, unfortunately, don’t use an acronym for the Polish language test. You’ll need to remember a slightly longer name: egzamin certyfikatowy z języka polskiego jako obcego (“certificate examination in Polish as a foreign language”). 

A- Test Levels

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) recognizes six levels of language fluency. The Polish exam for adults is currently available only at higher levels: B1 (intermediate), B2 (upper-intermediate), and C1 (advanced). This means that there’s no official Polish test for beginners yet.

Don’t despair! There may not be a Polish A1 exam for you to take at the moment, but the first Polish A2 exam is planned for the end of 2020. See the official website for a full list of exam sessions in 2020. 

The most popular of the general Polish language proficiency tests is the B1 Polish language exam, and there’s a good reason for this. Passing the B1 Polish exam is a requirement to: 

• Obtain Polish citizenship (obywatelstwo polskie)
• Get a Polish permanent residence permit (zezwolenie na pobyt stały) 
• Study in Poland (studium w Polsce) 

However, you may want to get a higher-level certificate to improve your CV, increase your chances of getting hired in Poland, or simply for personal satisfaction. 

→ Before you move to Poland, remember to check out our lesson about the top five things you need to know about Polish society. 

B- Test Structure

The Polish language certification exam consists of two parts: a written section and an oral one. They usually take place on two different days, but you can ask to take both on the same day. This would be useful, for instance, if you live far away from the exam center.

The written part is divided into four sections: 

• Listening
• Text comprehension
• Grammar
• Writing 

The length of the written exam is around 190 minutes. The oral exam is no longer than 15 minutes. 

To pass the exam, you need to obtain at least a fifty percent score on each component. If you need some motivation to learn enough Polish for the test, go to our lesson on the top five reasons to study Polish!

C- How and Where to Take the Test

There are numerous centers where the Polish language exam can be taken, after you register and pay the exam fee. You can find more information about the exam centers here. 

2. What’s Inside the Test?

In the following sections, we’ll outline what you can expect to see in each section of this Polish exam for foreigners. This will allow you to better prepare for the test, and study appropriately! 

A- The Polish Listening Exam

The listening comprehension (rozumienie ze słuchu) component is taken with the written part of the exam. After 25 minutes, the test sheets are collected and you have a short break. 

What to Expect

This part of the exam is aimed at checking your listening comprehension skills. You’ll listen to a number of recordings and follow the instructions to answer the questions. Usually, you’ll hear each recording twice, but occasionally, only one listening is allowed.

The instructions will clearly state what you’re supposed to do in a given task. You can expect a variety of different exercises here, such as multiple-choice, true-or-false, and filling in the blanks. You may also be asked to provide your answer in writing. 

Useful Tips:

• Prepare for this part of the exam by listening to various materials and taking notes. 
• During the exam, read the answers before the recording begins, if possible. 
• Remember to answer the questions or mark your answers in the way specified in the instructions. 

Are you looking for some exercises to practice your listening skills? PolishPod101.com has a series of listening comprehension exercises just for beginners. The first installment of this series is “At the Jewelry Store.”

B- The Polish Reading Exam

The reading comprehension (rozumienie tekstów pisanych) section is the second part of the exam. This time, you’ll have 45 minutes to complete the tasks. The exam sheets are collected after this duration of time.

What to Expect

The purpose of the reading component of the Polish certificate exam is to test your general and specific understanding of the written language. You can expect the following types of exercises: multiple-choice, true-or-false, and written answers. 

Useful Tips:

• Don’t rush through the texts. Some questions may be tricky. 
• If you have any time left, reread the text and check your answers again.
• Don’t panic. You don’t need to understand every word to understand the text. 

You can start practicing the skills necessary to pass this part of the exam with the first lesson in our reading comprehension series: “Buying a Train Ticket.”

C- The Grammar Portion of the Test

The grammar—or more specifically, the grammatical correctness (poprawność gramatyczna)—portion of the test lasts for 45 minutes. After this time, the worksheets will be collected.

What to Expect?

Polish grammar (gramatyka języka polskiego) is feared by many students. You shouldn’t be too scared of this part of the exam, though. When you study hard, correct forms will come naturally to you. 

The types of questions you can expect are: multiple-choice, filling in the blanks, paraphrasing, formation of words, and proper verb forms. 

Useful Tips:

• When preparing for the exam, study verb conjugations carefully.
• Be particularly careful with subject-verb agreement as well as with adjectives and possessive pronouns.
• When you don’t know the answer, let your linguistic instinct lead you. You know more than you think you do!

Our Painless Polish Grammar page will certainly help you with the grammar component of the Polish language exam. 

D- The Polish Writing Exam

Expressing oneself through writing (wypowiedź pisemna) is the last (and longest) part of the written exam. You have 75 minutes to complete it.

What to Expect

You’ll have to complete certain tasks aimed at checking your writing skills in Polish. The topics are general and examiners aren’t interested in checking your knowledge. They just assess your Polish writing skills.

Usually, there are three different sets to choose from. Each set contains two tasks that you’ll have to complete in a given amount of time. When the worksheets are taken away, you’re done for the day!

Useful Tips:

• Keep the word limit in mind. It’s there for a reason, and you may lose points or even be disqualified if you ignore it. 
• Choose the set of tasks you feel best prepared for.
• Remember to reread what you’ve written and correct any mistakes you find. 

What’s the easiest way to start writing and improve on your own? Click on the link to find out. 

E- The Polish Speaking Exam

The Polish oral exam (egzamin ustny) is the shortest part of the exam, at only 15 minutes long. As previously mentioned, it’s usually taken on a different day than the written exam. 

What to Expect

The test consists of three different tasks. The first two are monologues and the third one is a discussion with a member of the jury. There are different sets available, but you choose them at random without looking at them. Once you have your set, you’ll have approximately 5 minutes to prepare.

Before you start the actual exam, you’ll have a short, general conversation with a jury. After that, you can present what you’ve prepared in any order you choose. The jury is allowed to ask you questions. 

Useful Tips:

• If you’re stressed, speak slower. You’ll make fewer mistakes. 
• Don’t panic if you forget a word. Simply describe what you mean. 
• Try to use synonyms and different grammatical structures.

Before you register for the Polish as a second language exam, remember to learn the one hack for speaking real-life Polish. 

3. Preparation for the Polish Exam

You already know where to find specific information about the test, such as Polish B1 exam dates and locations. You’ve also read about the exam structure and know more about what to expect. Last but not least, we’re going to give you some recommendations on how to prepare for this exam.

Do Mock Tests

The best way to prepare for an exam is by taking mock tests. Doing so will give you practical knowledge about the test. 

When you know what to expect, and are thus unlikely to be surprised, it’s much easier to manage stress. You can find some sample tests on the official website of the certificate. 

Listen to More-Experienced Students

Try to get advice on the test from people who’ve already passed it. If you don’t have access to anyone like this, simply look for testimonials and articles online. 

Work on Your Vocabulary

The more words you know, the less probable it is that you’ll get stuck. You’ll find useful vocabulary in Polish series, movies, and books, as well as in our vocabulary lists. 

Speak, Listen, and Read

There are countless possibilities to speak, listen, and read Polish. Find a language partner online or in real life, listen to Polish podcasts, or read newspapers. 

Get a Tutor

You can improve your fluency with a language partner, but speaking and writing are difficult skills to master without proper help from a professional. 

Kill two birds with one stone by getting an account with PolishPod101.com. With our Premium PLUS option, you’ll not only get access to countless learning materials, but also to our MyTeacher program with one-on-one tutoring.

4. Final Thoughts

There’s no Polish test for beginners, but with a bit of work you can definitely manage to get a higher certificate in the Polish language. Remember to start preparing way in advance and don’t forget to register. If you’re prepared, you’re unlikely to fail. However, in the unlikely event that you do, you may find some consolation in this article.

The Polish A1 exam may not be available yet, but who knows what the future holds? If you don’t want to wait, get your free lifetime account with PolishPod101.com today. This way, you can work on your Polish vocabulary and other Polish skills to ace a higher level of the official Polish proficiency test. 

Is there anything you still want to know about Polish language proficiency tests? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll do our best to help you out!

Memorizing useful sentence patterns in English and Polish will help you speak Polish with more confidence. Once you know them, it’ll be easier for you to form simple Polish phrases and sentences of your own. Let’s start with the basics, though. Do you know how to say “sentence pattern” in Polish? Wzór zdania.

In this article, you’ll see more than ten sentence patterns in Polish with numerous examples. Soon, creating your own sentences in this language will be no problem for you!

Table of Contents

1. Polish Sentence Pattern: A is B
2. Using Adjectives for Description
3. The Polish Sentence Pattern for Expressing Wants
4. What Do You Need?
5. Expressing Likes in Polish
6. Please: Politely Asking Someone to Do Something
7. Asking for Permission
8. What…?: How to Ask About Something
9. When…?: Asking Questions About Time
10. Where is…?: Asking Questions About Location
11. Who…?: Asking Questions About People
12. Final Thoughts

1. Polish Sentence Pattern: A is B

Let’s start with one of the most common Polish sentence patterns: that for linking two nouns. Here are some examples:

• Marek jest moim bratem. (“Marek is my brother.”)

This Polish sentence structure requires the narzędnik (“instrumental”) case after the conjugated form of the verb być (“to be”). If you’re not sure what the forms are for this case, use this tool. 

• Mój brat jest prawnikiem. (“My brother is a lawyer.”)

As you can see, the first noun stays in the basic case (the form you’ll find in a dictionary), which is called mianownik (“nominative”). The second one requires the narzędnik (“instrumental”) case. 

• Ten prawnik jest znanym ekspertem. (“This lawyer is a well-known expert.”)

Remember that the narzędnik (“instrumental”) case is required for both the adjective znany and the noun ekspert. 

• Moi rodzice są bardzo hojnymi ludźmi. (“My parents are very generous people.”)
• Ten dom jest prezentem od moich rodziców. (“This house is a present from my parents.”)

Here, the narzędnik (“instrumental”) case applies to the noun prezent. However, the phrase moich rodziców is in the genitive case (dopełniacz) because it’s required by the preposition od (“from”). Here’s a list of hints to help you correctly predict the grammatical case on the basis of prepositions. 

Alternatively, you can avoid using the instrumental case altogether, and use a Polish sentence pattern with the same meaning that requires mianownik (“nominative”):

• Marek to mój brat. (“Marek is my brother.”)
  • Literally: “Marek this my brother.”
• Ten prawnik to znany ekspert. (“This lawyer is a well-known expert.”) 
  • Literally: “This lawyer this a well-known expert.“
• Ten dom to prezent od moich rodziców. (“This house is a present from my parents.”)
  • Literally: “This house this a present from my parents.“

If you need more vocabulary for talking about your family in Polish, click on the link for a listening comprehension exercise. 

2. Using Adjectives for Description

This easy Polish sentence pattern is used for describing things. Have a look at the following Polish sentence examples with the conjugated forms of the verb być (“to be”):

• (Ja) jestem zmęczona/zmęczony. (“I’m tired.”) 
  • For a female and male speaker, respectively

In Polish, personal pronouns are usually dropped when it’s clear from the context who the speaker is. 

Film był ciekawy. (“The movie was interesting.”)

• Bluzka, którą kupiłaś/kupiłeś jest droga. (“The shirt that you’ve bought is expensive.”) 
  • For a female and male speaker, respectively

This sentence includes a relative pronoun który (“that”). The nominative case is która for feminine nouns such as bluzka, but in this sentence, it requires the accusative case (biernik) as it answers the question “What (did you buy)?” You can learn more about Polish cases in this article about Polish grammar.   

You can also use the structure you know from the first Polish sentence pattern, to jest. When you use this pattern with adjectives, like in the example below, you can’t drop the verb:

• To jest pyszne! (“This is delicious!”)

Don’t forget to visit our page about high-frequency adjectives to expand your vocabulary.  

3. The Polish Sentence Pattern for Expressing Wants

Talking about what you want is very important when you’re trying to communicate in a foreign language. Here are some examples of how to do this:

• Chcę coś zjeść. (“I want to eat something.”)

The simplest way to express what you want is to use the conjugated form of the verb “to want” (chcieć) and the infinitive of the verb expressing the desired action. (P.S.: Need some advice on getting what you want in Poland?)

• Chcę pójść do kina. (“I want to go to the cinema.”)
• Nie chcę być niegrzeczna. (“I don’t want to be impolite.”)

In Polish, we negate by simply saying nie (“no”) in front of the verb (or the first verb, if there are two of them in a given sentence). Did you know that Polish allows the double negative? 

• Chciałabym o tym porozmawiać. (“I’d like to talk about it.”)
  • The speaker is a woman.

We can also say “I’d like to” by using the Polish conditional form of the verb chcieć (“to want”). It makes the sentence more polite.  

• Chciałbym mieć więcej wolnego czasu. (“I’d like to have more free time.”) 
  • The speaker is a man.

Are you unsure about the forms of the conditional mood in Polish? No problem. Check out the cooljugator. In addition, you can learn about the conditional mood on Wikipedia. 

4. What Do You Need?

The basic Polish sentence patterns for talking about needs express “I need” and “I have to” with forms of the verb potrzebować (“to need”). Familiarize yourself with the examples below:

• Potrzebuję dziś samochodu. (“I need the car today.”)

• Nie potrzebujesz mojej pomocy. (“You don’t need my help.”)
• Potrzebujemy pieniędzy. (“We need money.”)

The meaning of both “have to” and “must” is usually expressed by a conjugated form of musieć:

• Muszę to zrobić. (“I must do it.”)
• Tym razem muszę się z Tobą zgodzić. (“This time I have to agree with you.”)

5. Expressing Likes in Polish

Expressing likes comes in handy when introducing ourselves to others, as well as in many other life situations. Here are some examples of great Polish sentences for beginners: 

• Lubię cię. (“I like you.”)

This is one of the simplest Polish sentence patterns for expressing likes. The conjugated form of the verb lubić (“to like”) can be followed by an object in the accusative case (biernik) or another verb in the infinitive. 

• Lubię gotować. (“I like cooking.”)
• Lubię francuskie filmy. (“I like French movies.”)
• We wtorkowe wieczory lubię chodzić na spacery. (“On Tuesday evenings, I like to go for walks.”)
• Nie lubię truskawek. (“I don’t like strawberries.”)

Remember that adding nie (“no”) in front of the appropriate form of lubić is enough to express your dislike. 

Would you like to learn more verbs to express likes and dislikes in Polish? Check out our article about verbs in Polish. 

6. Please: Politely Asking Someone to Do Something

Asking people to do things in a polite way is a useful skill, even for complete beginners. Here are some of the Polish sentence patterns that will help you do exactly that with the use of the word proszę (“please”) and the required verb in the infinitive: 

• Proszę cię. (“Please.”) 
  • Literally: “I ask you.”
• Proszę, usiądź. (“Sit down, please.”)
• Proszę, uspokój się. (“Please, calm down.”)
• Proszę, podaj mi sól. (“Pass me the salt, please.”)

This is the simplest way of asking for things in Polish. You can see a more complicated structure below: 

• Proszę, żebyś przestał tak się zachowywać. (“Please, stop behaving in this way.”)
  • Literally: “I ask you to stop behaving in this way.”

To learn how to ask about a bill, head to our survival phrases lesson “Check, please.”

7. Asking for Permission

An easy Polish sentence pattern used for asking permission requires the conjugated form of the verb móc (“can” or “to be able to”):

• Czy mogę wejść? (“Can I come in?”)
• Czy mogę ci coś powiedzieć? (“Can I tell you something?”)
• Czy mogę odejść od stołu? (“Can I leave the table?”)
• Czy mogę poprosić o szklankę wody? (“Can I ask for a glass of water?”)

Remember that using czy is optional for forming questions in the spoken language, as a question is often expressed through a rising intonation. 

• Czy mógłbym poprosić cię do tańca? (“Could I ask you to dance?”) 
  • For male speakers

The form of the verb móc used in conditional is considered more polite, just like in the case of the verb chcieć discussed in an earlier section.

• Czy mogłabym prosić o napój bez słomki? (“Could I ask for a drink without a straw?”)
  • For female speakers

To find out how to ask “Can I Take Your Picture in Poland?” don’t forget to go to our survival phrases lesson about this topic. 

8. What…?: How to Ask About Something

“What is this?” and related questions use an easy Polish sentence pattern, which is incredibly useful for a beginner. Have a look at the following examples to learn how to construct your own sentences: 

• Co to jest? (“What’s this?”)
• Co robisz? (“What are you doing?”)
• Co się stało? (“What’s happened?”)
• Co mogę dla ciebie zrobić? (“What can I do for you?”)
• Co to za zwierzę? (“What animal is that?”)

Be careful, though. To say “What’s your name?” in Polish, you’d say: Jak masz na imię? This question is on our list of the top 25 Polish questions, so we recommend you check it out. 

9. When…?: Asking Questions About Time

Sentence patterns in English and Polish often differ, but this one is rather similar. You should use the word kiedy (“when”) to form questions about time:

• Kiedy masz urodziny?/Kiedy są twoje urodziny? (“When is your birthday?”)
• Kiedy wyjeżdżasz? (“When are you leaving?”)
• Kiedy jedziesz na wakacje? (“When are you going on holiday?”)

• Kiedy masz czas się spotkać? (“When do you have time to meet?”)

As we’ve promised, it’s quite a simple Polish sentence pattern.

10. Where is…?: Asking Questions About Location

Were you glad that the sentence patterns for “when” questions are very similar in Polish and English? Then we have some more good news for you! This is also true for the “where is” question pattern. Have a look below to learn how to ask about location or position in Polish: 

• Gdzie jest toaleta/łazienka/WC? (“Where is the restroom?”)
• Gdzie jest wyjście? (“Where’s the exit?”)
• Gdzie jest Adam? (“Where’s Adam?”)
• Gdzie jest posterunek policji? (“Where’s a police station?”)
• Gdzie jest najbliższy przystanek autobusowy? (“Where is the nearest bus stop?”)

In case you need more help with the word gdzie, we suggest looking at the following pages:

• Polish in Three Minutes: Asking Where
• Where is the Closest Store?
• Where in Poland Do You Live?

11. Who…?: Asking Questions About People

Sentence patterns in English and Polish can differ when it comes to “who” questions with Kto…? Carefully study the examples below: 

• Kto to jest? (“Who is it?”) 
  • Literally: “Who this is?”

Note that some “Who is…?” questions in Polish can be in reverse order of the English versions. Here’s another example in the past tense: 

• Kto to był? (“Who was it?”) 
  • Literally: “Who this was?”

• Kto tam? (“Who’s there?”) 
  • Literally: “Who there?”

In this question, the verb disappears entirely. However, it’s a correct and natural way of asking the question in Polish. 

• Kto ma tyle pieniędzy? (“Who has so much money?”)
• Kto mógłby pomóc mi z pracą domową? (“Who could help me with [my] homework?”)

In the last two examples, the order is exactly the same in the two languages. You’ll be safe as long as you don’t count on it. To learn more about the Polish word order, read our article about it.  

12. Final Thoughts 

How many sentence patterns are there in Polish? Many. But what’s more important is that today you’ve learned the most useful Polish sentence patterns that will help you form your own sentences. As you’ve seen, Polish and English sentence patterns can be quite different from each other. Remain mindful of that, and you’ll learn to speak Polish correctly. 

Which sentence pattern do you find the most useful? Let us know in the comments section.

Learning sentence patterns is important to get you speaking Polish. On its own, however, it’s not enough to allow you to have valuable conversations. If you really want to work on your Polish, you need a proper plan of action. We’ve gathered many resources for people like you on PolishPod101.com: you’ll find thousands of lessons with recordings from native speakers on our website. Get your free lifetime account today!

You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Polish! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Polish keyboard.

Table of Contents

1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Polish
2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Polish
3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer
4. How to Change the Language Settings to Polish on Your Computer
5. Activating the Polish Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet
6. Polish Keyboard Typing Tips
7. How to Practice Typing Polish

1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Polish

Learning a new language is made so much easier when you’re able to read and write/type it. This way, you will:

• Get the most out of any dictionary and Polish language apps on your devices
• Expand your ability to find Polish websites and use the various search engines
• Be able to communicate much better online with your Polish teachers and friends, and look super cool in the process! 

2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Polish

It takes only a few steps to set up any of your devices to read and type in Polish. It’s super-easy on your mobile phone and tablet, and a simple process on your computer.

On your computer, you’ll first activate the onscreen keyboard to work with. You’ll only be using your mouse or touchpad/pointer for this keyboard. Then, you’ll need to change the language setting to Polish, so all text will appear in Polish. You could also opt to use online keyboards instead. Read on for the links!

On your mobile devices, it’s even easier—you only have to change the keyboard. We also provide a few alternatives in the form of online keyboards and downloadable apps.

3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer

1- Mac

1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Check the option “Show Keyboard & Character Viewers in Menu Bar.”

3. You’ll see a new icon on the right side of the main bar; click on it and select “Show Keyboard Viewer.”

2- Windows

1. Go to Start > Settings > Easy Access > Keyboard.

2. Turn on the option for “Onscreen Keyboard.”

3- Online Keyboards

If you don’t want to activate your computer’s onscreen keyboard, you also have the option to use online keyboards. Here are some good options:

• Typeit
• LEXILOGOS

4- Add-ons of Extensions for Browsers

Instead of an online keyboard, you could also choose to download a Google extension to your browser for a language input tool. The Google Input Tools extension allows users to use input tools in Chrome web pages, for example.

4. How to Change the Language Settings to Polish on Your Computer

Now that you’re all set to work with an onscreen keyboard on your computer, it’s time to download the Polish language pack for your operating system of choice:

• Windows 8 (and higher)
• Windows 7
• Mac (OS X and higher)

1- Windows 8 (and higher)

1. Go to “Settings” > “Change PC Settings” > “Time & Language” > “Region & Language.”
2. Click on “Add a Language” and select “Polish.” This will add it to your list of languages. It will appear as Polski with the note “language pack available.”
3. Click on “Polski” > “Options” > “Download.” It’ll take a few minutes to download and install the language pack.
4. As a keyboard layout, you’ll only need the one marked as “Polish – Polski.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts.

2- Windows 7

1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Clock, Language, and Region.

2. On the “Region and Language” option, click on “Change Keyboards or Other Input Methods.”

3. On the “Keyboards and Languages” tab, click on “Change Keyboards” > “Add” > “Polish.”

4. Expand the option of “Polish” and then expand the option “Keyboard.” Select the keyboard layout marked as “Polish.” You can ignore other keyboard layouts. Click “OK” and then “Apply.”

3- Mac (OS X and higher)

If you can’t see the language listed, please make sure to select the right option from System Preferences > Language and Region

1. From the Apple Menu (top left corner of the screen) go to System Preferences > Keyboard.

2. Click the Input Sources tab and a list of available keyboards and input methods will appear.

3. Click on the plus button, select “Polish,” and add the “Polish” keyboard.

5. Activating the Polish Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet

Texting and searching in Polish will greatly help you master the language! Adding a Polish keyboard on your mobile phone and/or tablet is super-easy.

You could also opt to download an app instead of adding a keyboard. Read on for our suggestions.

Below are the instructions for both iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets.

1- iOS

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.

2. Tap “Keyboards” and then “Add New Keyboard.”

3. Select “Polish” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by tapping and holding on the icon to reveal the keyboard language menu.

2- Android

1. Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > On-screen Keyboard (or “Virtual Keyboard” on some devices) > Samsung Keyboard.

2. Tap “Language and Types” or “ + Select Input Languages” depending on the device and then “MANAGE INPUT LANGUAGES” if available.

3. Select “Polski” from the list.

4. When typing, you can switch between languages by swiping the space bar.

3- Applications for Mobile Phones

If you don’t want to add a keyboard on your mobile phone or tablet, these are a few good apps to consider:

• Gboard
• Microsoft SwiftKey

6. Polish Keyboard Typing Tips

Typing in Polish can be very challenging at first! Therefore, we added here a few useful tips to make it easier to use your Polish keyboard.

1- Computer

• You can type accents by pressing and holding “Crtl,” then pressing the basic letter (for example: “Crtl” + “a” to type ą).
• Another option is pressing ~ (tilde symbol) and then the basic letter (for example a for ą).

2- Mobile Phones

• When using a Polish keyboard, press and hold the core letter (for example: a) to get access to its Polish version (in this case: ą).

7. How to Practice Typing Polish

As you probably know by now, learning Polish is all about practice, practice, and more practice! Strengthen your Polish typing skills by writing comments on any of our lesson pages, and our teacher will answer. If you’re a PolishPod101 Premium PLUS member, you can directly text our teacher via the My Teacher app—use your Polish keyboard to do this!

Learning vocabulary is very important, but to improve your language skills, you need to know certain grammar rules too. For example, to be able to speak Polish properly, you have to learn the rules of Polish verb conjugation. 

You may be wondering what a verb conjugation is. Don’t worry! We’ve prepared this article so that even an absolute beginner can learn the basic Polish verb conjugation rules.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

1. Verb Conjugation: Introduction
2. Conjugation Verb Groups
3. The Conjugation of “To Be” in Polish
4. Polish Verb Conjugation in the Past Tense
5. Let’s Talk About the Future
6. Polish Conjugation Practice
7. Final Thoughts

1. Verb Conjugation: Introduction

When a verb is conjugated, it means that it has different forms, depending on certain factors. In Polish, these factors are: tense, aspect, mood, person, number, and grammatical gender. In the following sections, we’ll be going over each of these Polish language conjugation factors.

1- Tense

In modern Polish, there are three tenses:

• The past tense (czas przeszły) — “I bought bread.” (Kupiłam chleb.)

• The present tense (czas teraźniejszy) — “I’m eating breakfast.” (Jem śniadanie.) 

The present tense can also be used for talking about your daily routine in Polish. 

• The future tense (czas przyszły) — “I’ll go away in a week.” (Wyjadę za tydzień.)

This is very different than English, which has an astonishing number of sixteen tenses. 

2- Aspect

Grammatical aspect is more prevalent in some languages than others. In Polish, there’s:

• An imperfective (niedokonany) aspect, used for uncompleted actions and actions that are habitual. The imperfective aspect exists in the past, present, and future tenses.

• A perfective (dokonany) aspect, used for completed actions. This one doesn’t exist in the present tense.

3- Mood

There are three moods in Polish:

• The indicative mood, used for statements

• The imperative mood, used for orders

• The conditional mood, which refers to possibilities

Today, we’ll focus on the indicative mood.

4- Person and Number

Grammatical person and number go together in Polish verb conjugation. There are six grammatical persons and two numbers in Polish. Have a look at the chcieć (“to want”) Polish conjugation in the present tense:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja chcę (“I want”)	my chcemy (“we want”)
ty chcesz (“you want”)	wy chcecie (“you want”)
on, ona, ono chce (“he, she, it wants”)	oni, one chcą (“they want”)

It’s important to remember that the personal pronoun is often dropped in Polish. That’s because the form of the verb is enough to tell who the subject is. A pronoun is used only when it’s needed to avoid ambiguities. 

Compare these examples:

• Chcę coś powiedzieć. (“I want to say something.”)

It’s clear that “I” is the subject because of the verb form.

• Chce coś powiedzieć. (“[He/she/it] wants to say something.”)

In this case, we would add the appropriate pronoun to indicate who the subject is, unless it’s easy to guess from the context. For instance, you could be standing next to a man, in which case the subject would remain understandable and the pronoun could be omitted. 

5- Gender 

In the singular, Polish has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. In the plural, there are two: masculine personal and non-masculine personal. For simplicity, we’ll be referring to the masculine personal gender as masculine, and the non-masculine gender as feminine. 

Gender can influence the form of the verb in some cases. The table above shows the conjugation of a verb in the present tense, where gender has no bearing. Nevertheless, there’s a number of cases where gender matters. For example, in the conditional mood and in the past tense.

Before we move on, keep in mind that this article focuses on Polish conjugation rules; if you’re looking for more verbs to learn, check out the resource 100 Most Common Polish Verbs for Beginners.  

2. Conjugation Verb Groups

Polish conjugation patterns are grouped according to what the first and second person singular look like. There are four main conjugation groups, but certain sources mention as many as eleven. 

1- Conjugation I

The first Polish conjugation pattern uses the ending -ę in the first person singular and -esz in the second person singular. Here’s the Polish conjugation table for the verb kopać, meaning “to kick” or “to dig”:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja kopię (“I kick”)	my kopiemy (“we kick”)
ty kopiesz (“you kick”)	wy kopiecie (“you kick”)
on, ona, ono kopie (“he, she, it kicks”)	oni, one kopią (“they kick”)

Example: Kopiemy czy nie? (“Are we digging or not?”)

Other verbs that conjugate according to this pattern include: 

• pisać (“to write”)
  Piszę list. (“I’m writing a letter.”)

• dawać (“to give”)
  Daję radę. (“I’m managing.”)

• nieść (“to carry”)
  Niosę walizki. (“I’m carrying suitcases.”)

• płakać (“to cry”)
  Nie płaczę. (“I’m not crying.”)

The examples above show you why you need to know the form of the first person singular to be able to predict the conjugation pattern. As you can see, the first person differs from the infinitive form in a way that’s difficult to predict. 

2- Conjugation II

Second conjugation verbs in the first person singular also end in -ę. Fortunately, the second person singular with -isz and -ysz endings come in handy here in differentiating the two. Here’s a Polish verb conjugation table for the second group, using the verb robić, meaning “to do” or “to make”:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja robię (“I do”)	my robimy (“we do”)
ty robisz (“you do”)	wy robicie (“you do”)
on, ona, ono robi (“he, she, it does”)	oni, one robią (“they do”)

Example: Robię pranie. (“I’m doing the laundry.”)

Some other verbs that conjugate according to the second conjugation pattern are: 

• płacić (“to pay”)
  Płacisz mi. (“You pay me.”)

• ganić (“to scold”)
  Ganisz swoje dzieci? (“Do you scold your children?”)

• wrócić (“to come back”)
  Wrócisz jutro? (“Will you come back tomorrow?”)

• suszyć (“to dry”)
  Suszysz pranie w mieszkaniu? (“Are you drying your clothes at your flat?”)

3- Conjugation III

The third Polish conjugation pattern uses the ending -(a)m in the first person singular, and the ending -a(sz) in the second person singular. Have a look at this Polish conjugation table of the verb grać (“to play”):

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja gram (“I play”)	my gramy (“we play”)
ty grasz (“you play”)	wy gracie (“you play”)
on, ona, ono gra (“he, she, it plays”)	oni, one grają (“they play”)

Example: Gram w tenisa. (“I play tennis.”)

Here are some additional verbs that follow the third conjugation pattern: 

• czytać (“to read”)
  Czytam książkę. (“I’m reading a book.”)

• mieć (“to have”)
  Nie mam dzieci. (“I don’t have children.”)

• padać (“to fall”)
  Pada śnieg. (“It’s snowing.”) [literally: “Snow is falling.”]

• wołać (“to call”) [when you want someone to come to you]
  Wołam Cię! (“I’m calling you!”)

4- Conjugation IV

The last Polish conjugation pattern uses -(e)m in the first person, and -(e)sz in the second person singular. Here’s a Polish verb conjugation table for the verb wiedzieć (“to know”):

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja wiem (“I know”)	my wiemy (“we know”)
ty wiesz (“you know”)	wy wiecie (“you know”)
on, ona, ono wie (“he, she, it knows”)	oni, one wiedzą (“they know”)

Example: Wiesz kto to? (“Do you know who this is?”)

The fourth conjugation group is the rarest one. Here are two more verbs conjugated according to this pattern: 

• jeść (“to eat”)
  Jem obiad. (“I’m eating lunch.”)

• umieć (“to know [how to do something]”)
  Umiem czytać. (“I can [know how to] read.”)

Remember that to know how to conjugate Polish verbs, you need the first (and preferably the second) form of the singular. 

3. The Conjugation of “To Be” in Polish

The form of the first person singular in Polish often differs from the infinitive, but no form is as different as that of the irregular verb “to be.” Here’s a Polish conjugation table for być (“to be”) in the present tense:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja jestem (“I am”)	my jesteśmy (“we are”)
ty jesteś (“you are”)	wy jesteście (“you are”)
on, ona, ono jest (“he, she, it is”)	oni, one są (“they are”)

Example: Jesteśmy szczęśliwi. (“We’re happy.”)

Perhaps not surprisingly, this verb in the past tense also has an unpredictable form. In the table below, you can find the right way to conjugate the Polish verb być in the feminine gender:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja byłam (“I was”)	my byłyśmy (“we were”)
ty byłaś (“you were”)	wy byłyście (“you were”)
ona była (“she was”)	one były (“they were”)

Example: Byłam na Ciebie zła. (“I was angry with you.”)

You can find the forms for the masculine gender below:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja byłem (“I was”)	my byliśmy (“we were”)
ty byłeś (“you were”)	wy byliście (“you were”)
on był (“he, she, it was”)	oni byli (“they were”)

The form for the third person singular ono (“it”) is było. 

Example: Byliśmy w domu. (“We were at home.”)

As you can see, the form for the Polish past tense conjugation is completely different. Now, let’s have a look at this verb in the future tense:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja będę (“I will be”)	my będziemy (“we will be”)
ty będziesz (“you will be”)	wy będziecie (“you will be”)
on, ona, ono będzie (“he, she, it will be”)	oni, one będą (“they will be”)

Example: Będziesz grzeczny? (“Will you be nice?”)

Remember to learn these forms by heart; it’s important to know how to conjugate the top ten Polish verbs, including this one. In fact, why don’t you learn with us the top 25 Polish verbs straight away? 

4. Polish Verb Conjugation in the Past Tense

The Polish past tense is useful for talking about past events and Polish history. What are the Polish verb conjugation rules for the past tense? We’ll have a look at some Polish verb conjugation tables, using the examples we’ve already discussed for the Polish present tense conjugations. The first conjugation table is applicable to feminine subjects:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja kopałam (“I kicked”)	my kopałyśmy (“we kicked”)
ty kopałaś (“you kicked”)	wy kopałyście (“you kicked”)
ona kopała (“she kicked”)	one kopały (“they kicked”)

Example: Kopałam piłkę. (“I was kicking the ball.”)

Masculine subjects require the following changes to their endings:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja kopałem (“I kicked”)	my kopaliśmy (“we kicked”)
ty kopałeś (“you kicked”)	wy kopaliście (“you kicked”)
on kopał (“he kicked”)	oni kopali (“they kicked”)

Example: Kopaliście doły. (“You were digging holes.”)

The form for neuter in the third person singular would be kopało.

Example: Dziecko kopało psa. (“The child was kicking a dog.”)

Now, look at the forms of the verb “to do” (robić) for feminine subjects:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja robiłam (“I did”)	my robiłyśmy (“we did”)
ty robiłaś (“you did”)	wy robiłyście (“you did”)
ona robiła (“she did”)	one robiły (“they did”)

For masculine subjects, we’ll have the same changes as in the previous masculine examples:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja robiłem (“I did”)	my robiliśmy (“we did”)
ty robiłeś (“you did”)	wy robiliście (“you did”)
on robił (“he did”)	oni robili (“they did”)

The forms of the first person singular for grać (“to play”) are grałam and grałem for feminine and masculine subjects, respectively. For wiedzieć (“to know”), the forms are wiedziałam and wiedziałem. Can you predict the rest of the forms in the past tense? Let us know your answers in the comments’ section!

1- Perfective and Imperfective Aspects

We mentioned aspects in the introduction, but it’s important to understand how they work in practice. The English verb “to buy,” for instance, has two equivalents in Polish: kupić and kupować. Kupić is a perfective verb, while kupować is imperfective. Compare: 

• Kupiłam chleb w tym sklepie. (“I bought bread in this shop.”) [female speaker]

It’s a completed, once-off action and an example of the perfective aspect.

• Kupowałam chleb w tym sklepie. (“I used to buy/had been buying bread in this shop.”) [female speaker]

The action here is not defined as completed, but repetitive. Maybe I used to buy bread in this shop, or I had been buying it, until something happened. The point is that, in the past, I repeatedly bought bread in this shop.

Have a look at another possible use of the imperfective form: 

• Kupowałam chleb w tym sklepie, gdy ktoś krzyknął. (“I was buying bread in this shop, when someone shouted.”) [female speaker]

As you can see, aspects are crucial in Polish. More often than not, there are (at least) two Polish verbs for one English one. How do you know which one is which? You have to learn it by heart. Fortunately, there are certain regularities, so you should be able to get the hang of it with practice. 

5. Let’s Talk About the Future

Are you wondering how to conjugate Polish verbs in the future tense? There are three ways to form the future tense in Polish: one for the perfective verbs, and two for imperfective verbs. Now, let’s look at some examples of the conjugation of Polish verbs for future tense.

1- Perfective Verbs in the Future Tense

I have some good news for you! In the case of perfective endings, the forms are very easy to predict when you know the rules of the Polish present tense conjugation. 

We’ve already discussed the conjugation of the verb robić (“to do” and “to make”) in the present. It’s an imperfective verb, as it has a present form. Another verb for “to do” is zrobić in the perfective aspect. You can find the forms in the Polish conjugation table below:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja zrobię (“I will do”)	my zrobimy (“we will do”)
ty zrobisz (“you will do”)	wy zrobicie (“you will do”)
on, ona, ono zrobi (“he, she, it will do”)	oni, one zrobią (“they will do”)

You can see that the perfective verbs follow the same Polish conjugation patterns as verbs in the present tense. 

Example: Zrobimy dla Ciebie pierogi. (“We’ll make pierogi for you.”)

Can you eat Polish food? If you don’t know what pierogi are or whether you can eat them, you should certainly check out our lesson about the top 5 Polish dishes. 

2- Imperfective Verbs in the Future Tense

There are two Polish future tense conjugation patterns for perfective verbs. We’re going to have a look at the forms for robić again for ease of comparison. 

First of all, you should remember that the future forms for imperfective verbs need a “helping” verb. This is one of the forms of the Polish “to be” conjugation in the future, which we discussed earlier. Here are two conjugations of Polish verbs in the future tense for imperfective verbs:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja będę robić (“I will do”)	my będziemy robić (“we will do”)
ty będziesz robić (“you will do”)	wy będziecie robić (“you will do”)
on, ona, ono będzie robić (“he, she, it will do”)	oni, one będą robić (“they will do”)

The first version requires the infinitive form of the second verb, which makes it very easy to use. There’s no difference in how often this version is used compared to the second version, so the former is a better choice for beginners.

The second pattern requires changes to the second verb, and these changes depend on the subject’s gender. For feminine subjects, this conjugation looks like this:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja będę robiła (“I will do”)	my będziemy robiły (“we will do”)
ty będziesz robiła (“you will do”)	wy będziecie robiły (“you will do”)
ona będzie robiła (“she will do”)	one będą robiły (“they will do”)

For the masculine gender, the conjugation pattern changes to:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja będę robił (“I will do”)	my będziemy robili (“we will do”)
ty będziesz robił (“you will do”)	wy będziecie robili (“you will do”)
on będzie robił (“he, she, it will do”)	oni będą robili (“they will do”)

For neuter, the third person singular would be ono będzie robiło. 

6. Polish Conjugation Practice

Today you’ve learned how to conjugate in Polish. Now it’s time for a bit of language practice with our quick quiz: 

1. Ja (kupować) ____________ dziś mleko.   

“I bought milk today.” (male speaker)

a) kupiłam
b) kupię
c) kupiłem
d) kupić

2. On (grać) _____________ w piłkę nożną.

“I play football.” 

a) wygram
b) grałam
c) gra
d) grasz

3. My (być) _______________ Polakami. 

“We are Polish.”

a) jestem
b) jesteście
c) jesteś
d) jesteśmy

4. Ty (zrobić) ______________ sałatkę. 

“You’ll make a salad.”

a) zrobię
b) zrobimy
c) zrobisz
d) robicie

5. Oni (chcieć) _____________ spać. 

“They want to sleep.”

a) chcą
b) chcemy
c) zrobimy
d) chcę

Now think about the answers…

Keep scrolling…

1. Ja (kupować) __kupiłem___ dziś mleko.   

“I bought milk today.” (male speaker)

Ja is the first person singular, so we need that form for the past tense in the masculine gender.

a) kupiłam – first person singular, past tense, feminine gender
b) kupię – first person singular, future tense
c) kupiłem – first person singular, past tense, masculine gender
d) kupić – infinitive, imperfective aspect

2. On (grać) ____gra_________ w piłkę nożną.

“He plays football.” 

On is the third person singular, so we need the form of the present tense. 

a) wygram – first person singular, future tense, the verb is wrong (wygrać)
b) grałam – first person singular, past tense, feminine gender
c) gra – third person singular, present tense
d) grasz – second person singular, present tense

3. My (być) ___jesteśmy________ Polakami. 

“We are Polish.”

a) jestem – first person singular, present tense
b) jesteście – second person plural, present tense
c) jesteś – second person singular, present tense
d) jesteśmy – first person plural, present tense

4. Ty (zrobić) __zrobisz_____ sałatkę. 

“You’ll make a salad.”

Ty is the second person singular, so we need its form in the future tense. 

a) zrobię – first person singular, future tense
b) zrobimy – first person plural, future tense
c) zrobisz – second person singular, future tense
d) robicie – second person plural, present tense, wrong verb (robić)

5. Oni (chcieć) ____chcą_____  spać. 

“They want to sleep.”

Oni is the third person plural, so we need the form of the present tense. 

a) chcą – third person plural, present tense
b) chcemy – first person plural, present tense
c) zrobimy – first person plural, future tense, wrong verb (zrobić)
d) chcę – first person singular, present tense

7. Final Thoughts

Today, you’ve learned all about how to conjugate Polish verbs in the present, past, and future, taking into account numerous variables. 

Now that you know the grammar rules of the chcieć Polish conjugation and others, you may want to learn some additional verbs to expand your vocabulary. We recommend you check out this list of the Top 20 Polish Verbs. 

If you’re ever in doubt when it comes to the right form of the verb, don’t guess. Use an online conjugation tool such as cooljugator instead. 

We hope you found this resource helpful. If you want to get access to many more Polish learning tools and materials, start a free trial with PolishPod101. Learn the language with audio and video lessons featuring real teachers, use our word of the day service, and more!

Before you go, please remember to let us know how well you managed to do on the test in the comments section! 🙂

A verb is a crucial part of any sentence. Today, we’re going to introduce you to the most commonly used Polish verbs, the basic rules governing their placement in a sentence, and their conjugation. By the time you finish this article, you’ll be able to see massive progress in your Polish-speaking abilities! 
Other similarly useful articles you should have a look at are: 100 Adjectives (link) and 100 Nouns (link).

Table of Contents

1. Using Polish Verbs in a Sentence
2. Polish Verb Conjugation Rules
3. Polish Verbs of Motion and Action
4. Verbs for Talking About Feelings, Thoughts, and Preferences
5. Polish Modal Verbs
6. Final Thoughts

1. Using Polish Verbs in a Sentence 

We’re not going to go into much detail, but it’s important that you understand certain concepts about Polish language verbs so that you can use them correctly.

A. Various Forms of Polish Verbs

Before we start introducing you to new Polish verbs, we’d like you to understand that they can have different forms. Polish verbs are modified depending on the:

• Tense

There are three modern Polish verb tenses: the past tense (czas przeszły), the present tense (czas teraźniejszy), and the future tense (czas przyszły). For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on one of the Polish verb tenses: the present tense. 

• Aspect

There are two aspects in Polish: imperfective (niedokonany) referring to incomplete actions, and perfective (dokonany) referring to complete actions. 

• Mood  

There are three moods of Polish verbs: indicative, imperative, and conditional. 

• Person and Number

Each person, depending on the number, has a form of the verb attributed to it. This is why personal pronouns are often dropped in Polish. If you’d like to know more about Polish pronouns, we’ve written a whole article about them (link). 

• Grammatical Gender

Some verb forms differ depending on the gender of the person to whom the verb is referring. This is relevant, for example, when creating forms in the past tense. 

B. Verb Placement in a Sentence

Where do you place a verb in an affirmative sentence in Polish? It’s quite easy, as Polish uses a similar sentence structure as English:

Subject + Verb + Object (SVO)

• “I’ve eaten a banana.”

Ja zjadłam banana. 

As we’ve mentioned before, pronouns in Polish are often dropped. This is why it would be more natural to get rid of the pronoun “I” (ja), and say:

• Zjadłam banana.

If you’re not a fan of bananas, find the name of your favorite fruit or vegetable on our food vocabulary list. Now, to form a question, we just have to add the word czy before this sentence:

• “Have I eaten a banana?”

Czy zjadłam banana? 

While in English, you use different words depending on the context, such as “does,” “do,” and “did,” in Polish you always use czy. Czy is also often dropped, especially in speech:

• Zjadłam banana? 

To learn more about questions in Polish, check out our list of “Top 25 Polish Questions You Need to Know.” 

2. Polish Verb Conjugation Rules 

Verbs in Polish are conjugated and there are four conjugation groups. So how does Polish conjugation work?

Well, Polish verb conjugation rules are a bit different than those in many other languages. Namely, the verbs aren’t grouped according to the verbs’ endings. To know a conjugation pattern, you need at least the first-person singular. 

It may come in handy to have a Polish verbs PDF with conjugation patterns. You can create one by choosing “Print” and “Save as PDF” from your browser settings on this page. Here are three other ways to convert a webpage to PDF. 

A. Conjugation I

Have a look at the first conjugation. It’s defined by the form of the first-person singular ending in –ę and the second-person singular ending in –esz. We’ll use the verb pisać (“to write”) as an example in the Polish verb conjugation chart below:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja piszę (“I write”)	my piszemy (“we write”)
ty piszesz (“you write”)	wy piszecie (“you write”)
On / ona / ono pisze (“he / she / it writes”)	oni, one piszą (“they write”)

• Ona pisze list. 

“She’s writing a letter.” 

Some other verbs that follow this conjugation pattern are: 

1- Nieść (“to carry”)

Niosę walizki. 

“I’m carrying the suitcases.” 

2- Kopać (“to kick”) or (“to dig”)

Kopię dół. 

“I’m digging a hole.”

3- Dawać (“to give”)

Dajemy prezent Annie. 

“We’re giving a present to Anna.”

4- Płakać (“to cry”)

Płaczę przez Ciebie. 

“I’m crying because of you.”

B. Conjugation II

The second conjugation is associated with different Polish verb endings: the first-person singular ending is –ę and the second-person singular ending is –isz or –ysz. We’ll examine this by looking at the Polish verb conjugation table for płacić (“to pay”):

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja płacę (“I pay”)	my płacimy (“we pay”)
ty płacisz (“you pay”)	wy płacicie (“you pay”)
on / ona / ono płaci (“he / she / it pays”)	oni, one płacą (“they pay”)

• Ja płacę! 

“I’m paying!”

Other verbs following the same conjugation pattern are: 

1- Ganić (“to scold”)

Dlaczego mnie ganisz? 

“Why are you scolding me?”

2- Suszyć (“to dry”)

Czy suszysz włosy? 

“Are you drying your hair?” 

3- Robić (“to do”)

No i co mi zrobisz? 

“And what will/can you do to me?”

4- Wrócić (“to come back”)

Nigdy nie wrócę! 

“I’ll never come back!”

C. Conjugation III

It’s time to learn more about the third conjugation pattern, where the first-person singular ends in -(a)m and the second-person singular in -(a)sz. Below, you’ll find the Polish verb conjugation table for czytać (“to read”): 

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja czytam (“I read”)	my czytamy (“we read”)
ty czytasz (“you read”)	wy czytacie (“you read”)
on / ona / ono czyta (“he / she / it reads”)	oni, one czytają (“they read”)

• Czytasz gazety? 

“Do you read newspapers?”

Other verbs following the same conjugation pattern include the following: 

1- Padać (“to fall”)

Pada deszcz. 

“It’s raining.” (Literally: “Rain is falling.”)

2- Grać (“to play”)

Gramy w bingo. 

“We’re playing bingo.” 

3- Mieć (“to have”)

Czy macie dzieci? 

“Do you have children?”

4- Wołać (“to call [someone to come])

Wołam i wołam! 

“I’m calling and calling!”

D. Conjugation IV

This is the fourth and final regular Polish verb conjugation you may encounter. The form of the first-person singular is -(e)m and the form of the second-person singular is -(e)sz. Have a look at its forms for the verb jeść (“to eat”):

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja jem (“I eat”)	my jemy (“we eat”)
ty jesz (“you eat”)	wy jecie (“you eat”)
on / ona / ono je (“he / she / it eats”)	oni, one jedzą (“they eat”)

• Jem gruszkę. 

“I’m eating a pear.”

Here are some other Polish verbs that fall under this pattern:

1- Umieć (“to know how to”)

Umiem liczyć. 

“I can count.” 

2- Wiedzieć (“to know”)

Wiem o Tobie sporo. 

“I know a lot about you.”

E. The Irregular Polish Verb “To Be”

The most important verb in any language, “to be,” is an example of an irregular Polish verb conjugation. To be (być) or not to be (czy nie być)? 

Find out in the table below:

SINGULAR	PLURAL
ja jestem (“I am”)	my jesteśmy (“we are”)
ty jesteś (“you are”)	wy jesteście (“you are”)
on / ona / ono jest (“he / she / it is”)	oni, one są (“they are”)

• Ona jest zła. 

“She’s angry.” 

The extremely important verb być is linked to a number of expressions. Click on the link to learn more about them. 

Are there any other Polish irregular verbs apart from the Polish verb “to be?” Yes and no. Most verbs that don’t follow a pattern from any Polish verb conjugation table we’ve included are only partial exceptions. A form, or forms, may be different, but the verb still mostly follows one of the conjugation patterns.

Polish verb conjugation rules require a lot of practice, but you can do it! If in doubt, you can always use one of the online conjugation resources, such as Cooljugator or Ba.bla, that give you a nice breakdown of forms according to Polish verb tenses and other variables.

3. Polish Verbs of Motion and Action

To kick off our Polish verbs list, this is a category of Polish verbs that’s very important. Verbs of motion and action (as well as those indicating the lack thereof) are the most common verbs in any language. Here’s a list of the most important ones with examples:

VERB	EXAMPLE
Iść (“to go”)	Idę do pracy.  “I’m going to work.”
Chodzić (“to walk”) This verb has many derivatives due to changes to the prefix. Click on the link to learn more about them.	Chodzę po domu.  “I’m walking around the house.”
Skakać (“to jump”)	Skaczesz wysoko.  “You jump high.”
Biegać (“to run”)	Biegam wolno.  “I run slowly.”
Łapać (“to catch”)	Łapię piłkę.  “I’m catching the ball.”
Uderzać (“to hit”)	Uderzasz w stół.  “You’re hitting the table.”
Rzucać (“to throw”)	Rzucę Ci piłkę.  “I’ll throw the ball to you.”
Czekać (“to wait”)	Czekasz na kogoś?  “Are you waiting for someone?”
Rysować (“to draw”)	Co rysujesz?  “What are you drawing?”
Nalewać (“to pour”)	Nalewasz nam soku.  “You’re pouring us some juice.”
Ciągnąć (“to drag”) / (“to pull”)	Ciągniesz za mocno.  “You’re pulling too hard.”
Pchać (“to push”)	Pcham wózek.  “I’m pushing a trolley.”
Podnosić (“to lift”) / (“to raise”)	Podnosisz głos niepotrzebnie.  “You’re unnecessarily raising your voice.”
Odłożyć (“to put down”)	Odłożę to na miejsce.  “I’ll put it in its place.”
Zamknąć (“to close”)	Czy zamkniesz drzwi?  “Will you close the door?”
Otworzyć (“to open”)	Otworzyłam słoik.  “I’ve opened a jar.”
Trzymać (“to hold”)	Trzymasz psa?  “Are you holding the dog?”
Stać (“to stand”)	Stoję w kolejce.  “I’m standing in a queue.”
Siedzieć (“to sit”)	Siedzisz przy stole.  “You sit at the table.”
Klaskać (“to clap”)	Klaszczę do rytmu.  “I’m clapping to the beat.”
Tańczyć (“to dance”)	Czy tańczysz tango?  “Do you dance tango?”
Machać (“move [in slang]”) / (“wave [with a hand]”)Leżeć (“to lie down”)	Leżę na podłodze.  “I’m lying down on the floor.”
Pić (“to drink”)	Piję colę.  “I’m drinking a Coke.”
Gotować (“to cook”)	Gotujesz kolację.  “You’re cooking dinner.”
Przygotowywać (“to prepare”)	Przygotowujesz konia?  “Are you preparing the horse?”
Budzić się (“to wake up”)	Budzę się rano.  “I wake up in the morning.”
Malować (“to paint”)	Maluję obraz.  “I’m painting (a painting).”
Narzekać (“to complain”)	Ciągle narzekasz.  “You’re complaining all the time.”
Latać (“to fly”)	Dokąd lecisz?  “Where are you flying to?”
Wspinać się (“to climb”)	Wspinam się po górach.  “I climb mountains.”
Przyjść (“to come”)	Rozciągasz się po jodze.  “You’re stretching after yoga.”
Przyjść (“to come”)	Czy przyjdziesz jutro?  “Will you come tomorrow?”
Uciekać (“to run away”)	Nie uciekam.  “I’m not running away.”
Wyjść (“to go out”) / (“to leave”)	Zaraz wyjdę z domu.  “I’ll leave the house in a minute.”
Zostać (“to stay”)	Zostajesz w szkole.  “You’re staying at school.”
Oglądać (“to watch”)	Oglądam telewizję. “I watch TV.”
Wąchać (“to smell”)	Wącham kwiaty.  “I’m smelling the flowers.”
Czyścić (“to clean”)	Czyszczę podłogę.  “I’m cleaning the floor.”
Próbować (“to try”) / (“to taste”)	Spróbujesz zupy?  “Will you taste the soup?”
Bawić się (“to play”)	Bawię się z dziećmi.  “I’m playing with the kids.”
Pytać (“to ask”)	Pytam go o zdanie.  “I’m asking him about his opinion.”
Odpowiedzieć (“to answer”)	Odpowiesz na moje pytanie?  “Will you answer my question?”
Mówić (“to speak”)	Mówię powoli.  “I speak slowly.”
Opowiadać (“to tell”)	Opowiadam historię.  “I’m telling a story.”

https://wordlist.languagepod101.com/wordlist/media/17388&v=medium.jpg (a list of verbs)

All of these Polish motion verbs examples are either in the first- or second-person singular so that you know which conjugation they’re likely to follow. If you would like a Polish verbs PDF, you can click “Print” on your browser and “Save as PDF” to have access to the article whenever you need it.

4. Verbs for Talking About Feelings, Thoughts, and Preferences

More useful Polish verbs are those used for talking about feelings, thoughts, and preferences. This section will cover the top Polish verbs you should know to talk about these subjects! 

Tell Me About Your Feelings in Polish

Here’s a number of useful verbs for talking about your feelings, both positive and negative, in Polish: 

VERB	EXAMPLE
Positive feelings:
Lubić (“to like”)	Lubię psy.  “I like dogs.”
Kochać (“to love”)	Kochasz mnie?  “Do you love me?”
Uwielbiać (“to adore”)	Uwielbiam festiwale filmowe!  “I love film festivals!”
Przepadać (“to really like”)	Przepadam za teatrem.  “I really like theatre.”
Cieszyć się (“to be happy [for]”)	Cieszysz się?  “Are you happy?”
Uśmiechać się (“to smile”)	Uśmiecham się często.  “I smile often.”
Śmiać się (“to laugh”)	Lubię, gdy się śmiejesz.  “I like when you laugh.”
Zakochać się (“to fall in love”)	Zakocham się!  “I’ll fall in love.”
Podziwiać (“to admire”)	Podziwiam Cię!  “I admire you.”
Dogadywać się (“to get on well”)	(Dobrze) dogaduję się z nim.  “I get on well with him.”  “Well” (dobrze) is often added for emphasis.
Czuć (“to feel”)	Czujesz to?  “Do you feel it?”
Woleć (“to prefer”)	Wolę zostać w domu.  “I prefer to stay home.”
Interesować się (“to be interested in”)	Interesuję się dinozaurami.  “I’m interested in dinosaurs.”
Pasjonować się (“to have a passion for”)	On pasjonuje się historią.  “He’s passionate about history.”
Negative feelings:
Nienawidzić (“to hate”)	Nienawidzę jej!  “I hate her!”
Bać się (“to be scared of”)	Boisz się?  “Are you scared?”
Złościć się (“to get angry”)	Złoszczę się bez powodu.  “I get angry without a reason.”
Kłócić się (“to have arguments”)	Kłócisz się z ojcem?  “Do you have arguments with (your) father?”
Denerwować się (“to be nervous about”)	Denerwuję się trochę.  “I’m a bit nervous about it.”
Brzydzić się (“to detest”) / (“to be disgusted by”)	Brzydzisz się karaluchów?  “Are you disgusted by cockroaches?”
Wyśmiewać się (“to laugh at”)	Wyśmiewasz się ze mnie.  “You’re laughing at me.”
Wstydzić się (“to be ashamed”) / (“to be embarrassed”)	Wstydzę się.  “I’m ashamed of myself.”
Czerwienić się (“to blush”)	Czy często się czerwienisz?  “Do you blush often?”
Zazdrościć (“to be jealous”) / (“to envy”)	Naprawdę mi zazdrościsz?  “Do you really envy me?”
Żałować (“to regret”)	Nie żałuję tego.  “I don’t regret it.”
Martwić się (“to worry”)	Za dużo się martwisz.   “You worry too much.”

We’ve only included negative verbs that are verbs in their own right. To express a negative feeling, you can also simply use the negation nie (“no”):

• Nie lubię truskawek. 

“I don’t like strawberries.”

That’s a lot of useful Polish verbs, right? 

What Do You Think About It?

Expressing your thoughts and opinions in Polish is important for effective communication. Here’s a number of essential Polish verbs that will come in handy when doing that: 

VERB	EXAMPLE
Myśleć (“to think”)	Myślę, więc jestem.  “I think, therefore I am.”
Sądzić (“to reckon”)	Sądzisz, że on to zrobił?  “Do you reckon he was the one who did it?”
Wierzyć (“to believe”)	Wierzę, że to nieprawda.  “I believe that it’s not true.”
Wątpić (“to doubt”)	Wątpisz w moje słowa?  “Do you doubt my words?”
Zgadzać się (“to agree”)	Nie zgadzam się z Tobą.  “I disagree with you.”
Zgadywać (“to guess”)	Zgaduję, nie wiem na pewno.  “I’m guessing, I don’t know for sure.”

5. Polish Modal Verbs

The last category of Polish verbs we’ll discuss today are modal verbs. They’re most often used in conjunction with another verb in the infinitive form.

VERB	EXAMPLE
Móc (“can”) / (“to be able to”)	Mogę Ci pomóc.   “I can help you.”
Musieć (“have to”) / (“must”)	Musisz coś zrobić!  “You must/have to do something.”
Chcieć (“to want”)	Chcę iść do kina.  “I want to go to the cinema.”
Powinno się (“should”)	Powinnam pójść do lekarza.  “I should go to the doctor.”

As you can see in the table, you only conjugate the modal verb. 

6. Final Thoughts

When you’ve just started learning a language, memorizing the most important Polish verbs is a great idea. Even if you don’t always know the correct forms, people will often be able to understand what you mean from the context. There are two other lists on PolishPod101 that you can use to learn the main verbs in Polish: 25 Most Commonly Used Verbs for Any Language and 50 Most Common Verbs. 
With PolishPod101, you can learn much more than just the verbs. Get your free lifetime account today and start exploring countless audio and video lessons with real teachers. We offer you more than 160 hours of learning, and the best part is that you can use this language-learning tool wherever you go.

One more thing before you close your browser: What’s your favorite Polish verb? Did we miss any important ones? Let us know in the comments section!

Do you remember the moment you fell in love with languages?

Do you desire to learn or advance in Polish quickly and effectively?

Then you need a Polish tutor.

A common question that first-time language-learners ask is “Where do I begin?” The answer? Guidance.

For native English-speakers who want to learn Asian languages, for example, timelines provided by the U.S. Foreign Service Institute can appear discouraging. However, defeating these odds is not unheard of. If you want to beat the odds yourself, one of the best learning options is a subscription to Premium PLUS from Innovative Language.

As an active Premium PLUS member of JapanesePod101.com and KoreanClass101.com myself, I have an enjoyable experience learning at an accelerated pace with at least thirty minutes of study daily. The following Premium PLUS features contribute to my success:

• Access to thousands of lessons
• A voice recorder 
• Spaced-repetition system (SRS) flashcards
• Weekly homework assignments
• A personal language instructor

As someone who decided to make Japanese her second language one year ago, I am extremely grateful for Premium PLUS.

Allow me to emphasize on how these Premium PLUS features strengthen my language studies.

Gain Unlimited Access to Audio and Video Lessons!

As a Premium PLUS member, I have full access to the lesson library and other Premium features. Best of all, I’m not limited to one level; I can learn to my heart’s content with upper-level courses.

There are lessons on various topics that tackle crucial language-learning elements, such as:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking
• Conversation

Specifically, there are pathways. Pathways are collections of lessons that center on a specific topic. Some Innovative Language sites, like JapanesePod101.com, even have pathways geared toward proficiency tests. For example, the JLPT N3 Master Course pathway.

Because of the abundance of lessons, I’ve found pathways in the lesson library to help me prepare for certain events. Thanks to the “Speaking Perfect Japanese at a Restaurant” pathway, I spoke fully in Japanese while dining in Japan. Additionally, I participated in conversations at language exchange meetups in South Korea after completing the “Top 25 Korean Questions You Need to Know” pathway.

Each lesson has lesson notes, which I read while simultaneously listening to the audio lesson. This strategy enables me to follow along on key points. Lesson notes generally contain the following:

• Dialogue
• Vocabulary
• Grammar points
• Cultural insights

As someone who’s constantly on-the-go, I heavily benefit from mobile access to lessons. Podcasts and lesson notes are available on the Innovative Language app and/or Podcasts app for iOS.

All lessons and their contents are downloadable. Prior to my flights to Japan and South Korea, I downloaded lessons on my iPhone. The apps make learning more convenient for me during my commutes.

Practice Speaking with the Voice Recording Tool!

Pronunciation is an essential ingredient in language-learning. Proper pronunciation prompts clear understanding during conversations with native speakers.

Prior to learning full Korean sentences, my online Korean language tutor assigned the “Hana Hana Hangul” pathway to me. It demonstrated the writing and pronunciation of Hangul, the Korean alphabet. Throughout this pathway, I submitted recordings of my Hangul character pronunciations to my language teacher for review.

I was given a similar task on JapanesePod101.com with the “Ultimate Japanese Pronunciation Guide” pathway. My Japanese language teacher tested my pronunciation of the Japanese characters kana. My completion of the two pathways boosted my confidence in speaking.

Speaking is one of the more challenging components of learning a language. The voice recording tool in particular was a great way for me to improve my speaking skills. Further, because the lesson dialogues are spoken by native speakers, I’m able to practice speaking naturally.

This feature is also available for vocabulary words and sample sentences. Being able to hear these recordings improves my pronunciation skills for languages like Japanese, where intonation can change the meaning of a word entirely. The voice recorder examines my speed and tone. I also follow up by sending a recording to my online language tutor for feedback.

A great way to boost one’s speaking confidence is to shadow native speakers. During the vocabulary reviews, it’s helpful for me to hear the breakdown of each word; doing so makes a word that was originally difficult to even read a breeze to say!

Some lessons create opportunities to speak your own sentences. For example, the “Top 25 Korean Questions You Need to Know” pathway presents opportunities to answer questions personally. This helps you gain the ability to give answers as the unique individual you are.

Example Scenario:

The host asks the following question:

어디에 살고 있습니까?

eodieseo salgo isseumnikka

“Where do you live?”

If you live in Tokyo, you would readily say the following:

도쿄에 살고 있습니다.

Tokyo-e salgo isseumnida.

“I live in Tokyo.”

Increase Your Vocab with Spaced-Repetition Flashcards and More!

Imagine having a conversation with a native speaker and hesitating because you lack a solid vocabulary base.

Premium PLUS offers various features to expand learners’ vocabulary, including Free Gifts of the Month. PolishPod101’s free gifts for April 2020 included an e-book with “400 Everyday Phrases for Beginners,” and the content is updated every month. When I download free resources like this, I find opportunities to use them with co-teachers, friends, or my language tutors.

An effective way to learn vocabulary is with SRS flashcards. SRS is a system designed for learning a new word and reviewing it in varying time intervals.

You can create and study flashcard decks, whether it’s your Word Bank or a certain vocabulary list. For example, if you need to visit a post office, the “Post Office” vocabulary list for your target language would be beneficial to study prior to your visit.

In addition to the SRS flashcards, each lesson has a vocabulary slideshow and quiz to review the lesson’s vocabulary.

There’s also the 2000 Core Word List, which includes the most commonly used words in your target language. Starting from the 100 Core Word List, you’ll gradually build up your knowledge of useful vocabulary. These lists can be studied with SRS flashcards, too.

With the SRS flashcards, you can change the settings to your liking. The settings range from different card types to number of new cards per deck. Personally, I give myself vocabulary tests by changing the settings.

After studying a number of flashcards, I change the card types to listening comprehension and/or production. Then I test myself by writing the translation of the word or the spoken word or phrase.

The change in settings allow me to remember vocabulary and learn how to identify the words. This is especially helpful with Japanese kanji!

Complete Homework Assignments!

Homework assignments are advantageous to my language studies. There are homework assignments auto-generated weekly. They range from multiple-choice quizzes to writing assignments.

Language tutors are readily available for homework help. Some writing assignments, for instance, require use of unfamiliar vocabulary. In such cases, my language teachers assist me by forwarding related lessons or vocabulary lists.

In addition to these auto-generated homework tasks, language tutors customize daily assignments. My daily homework assignments include submitting three written sentences that apply the target grammar point of that lesson, and then blindly audio-recording those sentences. My personal language tutor follows up with feedback and corrections, if needed.

Your language tutors also provide assignments upon requests. When I wanted to review grammar, my Korean teacher sent related quizzes and assignments. Thus, you are not only limited to the auto-generated assignments.

Every weekend, I review by re-reading those written sentences. It helps me remember sentence structures, grammar points, and vocabulary to apply in real-world contexts.

Furthermore, I can track my progress with language portfolios every trimester. It’s like a midterm exam that tests my listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Get Your Own Personal Language Teacher!

My language teachers cater to my goals with personalized and achievable learning programs. The tangible support of my online language teachers makes it evident that we share common goals.

Once I share a short-term or long-term goal with my teacher, we establish a plan or pathway that will ultimately result in success. I coordinate with my teachers regularly to ensure the personalized learning programs are prosperous. For example, during my JLPT studies, my Japanese language tutor assigned me practice tests.

Your language tutor is available for outside help as well. When I bought drama CDs in Japan, I had difficulty transliterating the dialogue. My Japanese teacher forwarded me the script to read along as I listened.

Additionally, I often practice Korean and Japanese with music. I memorize one line of the lyrics daily. Every time, I learn a new grammar point and new vocabulary. I add the vocabulary to my SRS flashcards, locate the grammar in the Grammar Bank, and study the associated lessons online.

I send my teachers the name of the songs, making them aware of my new goal. One time, my song for Korean was “If You Do” by GOT7. My Korean teacher revealed that she was a huge fan of GOT7 like me! For Japanese, it was “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA,” also known as the Dragonball Z theme song. My Japanese teacher excitedly told me that she sang the song a lot as a kid!

A remarkable thing happened to me in South Korea. I was stressed about opening a bank account with limited Korean. I sought help from my Korean teacher. She forwarded me a script of a bank conversation.

After two days, I visited the local bank. It all started with my opening sentence:

은행 계좌를 만들고 싶어요

eunhaeng gyejwaleul mandeulgo sip-eoyo.

I want to open a bank account.

Everything went smoothly, and I exited the bank with a new account!

The MyTeacher Messenger allows me to share visuals with my teachers for regular interaction, including videos to critique my pronunciation mechanisms. I improve my listening and speaking skills by exchanging audio with my teachers. In addition to my written homework assignments, I exchange messages with my language teachers in my target language. This connection with my teachers enables me to experience the culture as well as the language.

Why You Should Subscribe to Premium PLUS

It’s impossible for me to imagine my continuous progress with Japanese and Korean without Premium PLUS. Everything—from the SRS flashcards to my language teachers—makes learning languages enjoyable and clear-cut.

You’re assured to undergo the same experience with Premium PLUS. You’ll gain access to the aforementioned features as well as all of the Premium features.

Complete lessons and assignments to advance in your target language. Increase your vocabulary with the “2000 Core Word List” for that language and SRS flashcards. Learn on-the-go with the Innovative Language app and/or Podcasts app for iOS users.

Learning a new language takes dedication and commitment. The Premium PLUS features make learning irresistibly exciting. You’ll look forward to learning daily with your language tutor.

As of right now, your challenge is to subscribe to Premium PLUS! Complete your assessment, and meet your new Polish teacher.

Have fun learning your target language in the fastest and easiest way!

Subscribe to Posted by PolishPod101.com in Feature Spotlight, Learn Polish, Polish Language, Polish Online, Site Features, Speak Polish, Team PolishPod101 | Comment

Do you know your left from your right in Polish? Asking for directions can mean the difference between a heavenly day on the beach and a horrible day on your feet, hot and bothered and wondering how to even get back to the hotel. Believe me – I know! On my earlier travels, I didn’t even know simple terms like ‘go straight ahead’ or ‘go west,’ and I was always too shy to ask locals for directions. It wasn’t my ego, but rather the language barrier that held me back. I’ve ended up in some pretty dodgy situations for my lack of directional word skills.

This never needs to happen! When traveling in Poland, you should step out in confidence, ready to work your Polish magic and have a full day of exploring. It’s about knowing a few basic phrases and then tailoring them with the right directional words for each situation. Do you need to be pointed south in Polish? Just ask! Believe me, people are more willing to help than you might think. It’s when you ask in English that locals might feel too uncertain to answer you. After all, they don’t want to get you lost. For this reason, it also makes sense that you learn how to understand people’s responses. 

Asking directions in Poland is inevitable. So, learn to love it! Our job here at PolishPod101 is to give you the confidence you need to fully immerse and be the intrepid adventurer you are.

Table of Contents

1. Talking about position and direction in Polish
2. Getting directions in Polish
3. Conclusion

1. Talking about position and direction in Polish

Have you ever tried saying the compass directions of north, south, east and west in Polish? These words are good to know, being the most natural and ancient method of finding direction. In the days before GPS – before the invention of the compass, even – knowing the cardinal directions was critical to finding the way. Certainly, if you were lost somewhere in the mountain regions now and using a map to navigate, you’d find them useful. Even more so if you and a Polish friend were adrift at sea, following the stars!

In most situations, though, we rely on body relative directions – your basic up, down, left and right, forward and backwards. Most cultures use relative directions for reference and Polish is no exception. Interestingly, in a few old languages there are no words for left and right and people still rely on cardinal directions every day. Can you imagine having such a compass brain?

Well, scientists say that all mammals have an innate sense of direction, so getting good at finding your way is just a matter of practice. It’s pretty cool to think that we were born already pre-wired to grasp directions; the descriptive words we invented are mere labels to communicate these directions to others! Thus, the need to learn some Polish positional vocabulary. So, without further ado… let’s dive in.

1- Top – szczyt

If planting a flag at the top of the highest mountain in Poland is a goal you’d rather leave for  adrenaline junkies, how about making it to the top of the highest building? Your view of the city will be one you’ll never forget, and you can take a selfie  for Twitter with your head in the clouds. 

2- Bottom – dno

The ‘bottom’ can refer to the lower end of a road, the foot of a mountain, or the ground floor of a building. It’s the place you head for after you’ve been to the top!

What are your favorite ‘bottoms’? I love the first rung of a ladder, the base of a huge tree or the bottom of a jungle-covered hill. What can I say? I’m a climber. Divers like the bottom of the ocean and foxes like the bottom of a hole. Since you’re learning Polish, hopefully you’ll travel from the top to the bottom of Poland.

3- Up – góra

This is a very common and useful word to know when seeking directions. You can go up the street, up an elevator, up a cableway, up a mountain… even up into the sky in a hot air balloon. It all depends on how far up you like to be!

4- Down – dół

What goes up, must surely come down. This is true of airplanes, flaming arrows and grasshoppers – either aeronautics or gravity will take care of that. In the case of traveling humans who don’t wish to go down at terminal velocity, it’s useful to know phrases such as, “Excuse me, where is the path leading back down this mountain?”

5- Middle – środek

In Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s characters live in Middle-earth, which is just an ancient word for the inhabited world of men; it referred to the physical world, as opposed to the unseen worlds above and below it. The ancients also thought of the human world as vaguely in the middle of the encircling seas.

When we talk about the ‘middle’, we’re referring to a point that’s roughly between two horizontal lines – like the middle of the road or the middle of a river. While you’re unlikely to ask for directions to the ‘middle’ of anything, you might hear it as a response. For example, “You’re looking for the castle ruins? But they’re in the middle of the forest!”

6- Center – środek

In Polish, the words for “middle” and “center” are the same. Technically, “center” means the exact central point of a circular area, equally distant from every point on the circumference.  When asking for directions to the center of town, though, we don’t mean to find a mathematically-accurate pinpoint!

7- Front – przód

The front is the place or position that is seen first; it’s the most forward part of something.  In the case of a hotel, the front is going to be easy to recognize, so if you call a taxi and are told to wait “in front of the hotel”, you won’t have a problem. It’s pretty cool how just knowing the main Polish directional words can help you locate something if there’s a good landmark nearby.

8- Back – tył

I once rented a house in a charming little street that was tucked away at the back of a popular mall. It was so easy to find, but my boss took three hours to locate it from 300 meters away. Why? Well, because she spoke no English and I had no clue what the word for ‘back’ was. All she heard, no matter which way I said it, was “mall, mall, mall”.  As a result, she hunted in front of and next to the mall until she was frazzled. 

Knowing how to describe the location of your own residence is probably the first Polish ‘directions’ you should practice. This skill will certainly come in handy if you’re lost and looking for your way home. 

9- Side – strona

If the place you’re looking for is at the ‘side’ of something, it will be located to the left or the right of that landmark. That could mean you’re looking for an alleyway beside a building, or a second entrance (as opposed to the main entrance). 

As an example, you might be told that your tour bus will be waiting at the right side of the building, not in front. Of course, then you’ll also need to understand “It’s on the right” in Polish.

10- East – wschód

If you’re facing north, then east is the direction of your right hand. It’s the direction toward which the Earth rotates about its axis, and therefore the general direction from which the sun appears to rise. If you want to go east using a compass for navigation, you should set a bearing of 90°. 

We think of Asia as the ‘East’. Geographically, this part of the world lies in the eastern hemisphere, but there’s so much more that we’ve come to associate with this word. The East signifies ancient knowledge and is symbolic of enlightenment in many cultures.

11- West – zachód

West is the opposite to east and it’s the direction in which the sun sets. To go west using a compass, you’ll set a bearing of 270 degrees. 

If you were on the planet Venus, which rotates in the opposite direction from the Earth (retrograde rotation), the Sun would rise in the west and set in the east… not that you’d be able to see the sun through Venus’s opaque clouds. 

Culturally, the West refers mainly to the Americas and Europe, but also to Australia and New Zealand, which are geographically in the East. The Western way of thinking is very different to that of the East. One of the most striking differences is individualism versus collectivism. In the West, we grew up with philosophies of freedom and independence, whereas in the East concepts of unity are more important. 

Food for thought: as a traveler who’s invested in learning the languages and cultures of places you visit, you have an opportunity to become a wonderfully balanced thinker – something the world needs more of.

12- North – północ

North is the top point of a map and when navigating, you’d set a compass bearing of 360 degrees if you want to go that way. Globes of the earth have the north pole at the top, and we use north as the direction by which we define all other directions.

If you look into the night sky, the North Star (Polaris) marks the way due north. It’s an amazing star, in that it holds nearly still in our sky while the entire northern sky moves around it. That’s because it’s located nearly at the north celestial pole – the point around which the entire northern sky turns. Definitely a boon for lost travelers!

13- South – południe

South is the opposite of north, and it’s perpendicular to the east and west. You can find it with a compass if you set your bearings to 180 degrees. 

The south celestial pole is the point around which the entire southern sky appears to turn. In the night sky of the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross is a very easy to find constellation with four points in the shape of a diamond. If you come from the southern hemisphere, chances are your dad or mum pointed it out to you when you were a kid. You can use the Southern Cross to find south if traveling by night, so it’s well worth figuring it out!

14- Outside – na zewnątrz

This word refers to any place that is not under a roof. Perhaps you’ve heard talk about some amazing local bands that will be playing in a nearby town on the weekend. If it’s all happening outside, you’ll be looking for a venue in a park, a stadium or some other big open space. Come rain or shine, outside definitely works for me!

15- Inside – w środku

I can tolerate being inside if all the windows are open, or if I’m watching the latest Homeland episode. How about you? I suppose going shopping for Polish-style accessories would be pretty fun, too, and that will (mostly) be an inside affair. 

16- Opposite – przeciwny

This is a great word to use as a reference point for locating a place. It’s right opposite that other place! In other words, if you stand with your back to the given landmark, your destination will be right in front of you. 

17- Adjacent – obok

So, the adorable old man from next door, who looks about ninety-nine, explains in Polish that the food market where he works is adjacent to the community hall on the main road. ‘Adjacent’ just means next to or adjoining something else, so… head for the hall! 

While you’re marveling at the wondrous and colorful displays of Polish food, think about how all of these delicious stalls lie adjacent to one another. Having a happy visual association with a new word is a proven way to remember it!

18- Toward – w kierunku

To go toward something is to go in its direction and get closer to it. This word can often appear in a sentence with ‘straight ahead’, as in:

“Go straight ahead, toward the park.”

If you’ve come to Poland to teach English, you might have to ask someone how to find your new school. Depending on what town you’re in, you could simply head toward the residential area at lunch time. You’ll see (and probably hear) the primary school soon enough – it will be the big fenced building with all the kids running around the yard!

19- Facing – naprzeciw

If you look at yourself in a mirror, you’ll be facing your reflection. In other words: you and your reflection look directly at each other.  Many plush hotels are ocean-facing or river-facing, meaning the main entrance is pointed directly at the water, and the beach out front faces the hotel. 

20- Beside – obok

I know of a special little place where there’s a gym right beside a river. You can watch the sun go down over the water while working out – it’s amazing. What’s more, you can park your scooter beside the building and it will still be there when you come out.

21- Corner – róg

I love a corner when it comes to directions. A street corner is where two roads meet at an angle – often 90 degrees – making it easier to find than a location on a straight plane. 

“Which building is the piano teacher in, sir?”

“Oh, that’s easy – it’s the one on the corner.”

The key to a corner is that it leads in two directions. It could form a crossroads, a huge intersection, or it could be the start of a tiny one-way cobblestone street with hidden treasures waiting in the shadow of the buildings.

22- Distant – odległy

When a location is distant, it’s in an outlying area. This Polish word refers to the remoteness of the site, not to how long it takes to get there. For that reason, it’s a very good idea to write the directions down, rather than try to memorize them in Polish. Even better, get a Polish person to write them down for you. This may seem obvious, but always include the location of your starting point! Any directions you’re given will be relative to the exact place you’re starting from.

23- Far – daleko

This word has a similar meaning to the previous one, but it speaks more about the fact that it will take some time to get there. If you’re told that your destination is “far”,  you’ll no doubt want to go by public transport if you don’t have your own vehicle. Get your hands on a road map and have the directions explained to you using this map. Don’t hesitate to bring out the highlighters. 

24- Close – blisko

This word is always a good one to hear when you have your heart set on a very relaxing day in the sun. It means there’s only a short distance to travel, so you can get there in a heartbeat and let the tanning commence. Remember to grab your Nook Book – learning is enhanced when you’re feeling happy and unencumbered. Being close to ‘home’ also means you can safely steal maximum lazy hours and leave the short return trip for sunset! 

25- Surrounding – otaczać

If something is surrounding you, it is on every side and you are enclosed by it – kind of like being in a boat. Of course, we’re not talking about deep water here, unless you’re planning on going fishing. Directions that include this word are more likely to refer to the surrounding countryside, or any other features that are all around the place you’re looking for.

26- All sides – wszystkie strony

Another useful descriptive Polish term to know is ‘all sides’. It simply means that from a particular point, you will be able to see the same features to the front, back and sides of you. It doesn’t necessarily imply you’ll be completely surrounded, just more-or-less so. Say, for example, you’re visiting the winelands for the day. When you get there, you’ll see vineyards on all sides of you. How stunning! Don’t neglect to sample the local wines – obviously. 

27- Next to – obok

The person giving you directions is probably standing next to you. The place being described as ‘next to’ something is in a position immediately to one side of it. It could refer to adjoining buildings, neighbouring stores, or the one-legged beggar who sits next to the beautiful flower vendor on weekdays. ‘Next to’ is a great positional term, as everything is next to something! 

“Excuse me, Ma’am.  Where is the train station?”

“It’s that way – next to the tourist market.”

28- Above – nad

This is the direction you’ll be looking at if you turn your head upwards. Relative to where your body is, it’s a point higher than your head. If you’re looking for the location of a place that’s ‘above’ something, it’s likely to be on at least the first floor of a building; in other words, above another floor.

‘Above’ could also refer to something that will be visible overhead when you get to the right place. For example, the road you’re looking for might have holiday decorations strung up from pole to pole above it. In the cities, this is very likely if there’s any kind of festival going on.

29- Under – pod

Under is the opposite of above, and refers to a place that lies beneath something else. In the case of directions in Polish, it could refer to going under a bridge – always a great landmark – or perhaps through a subway. In some parts of the world, you can even travel through a tunnel that’s under the sea!

Of course, you might just be missing your home brew and looking for an awesome coffee shop that happens to be under the very cool local gym you were also looking for. Nice find!

2. Getting directions in Polish

The quickest and easiest way to find out how to get where you’re going is simply to ask someone. Most people on the streets of Poland won’t mind being asked at all and will actually appreciate your attempt to ask directions in Polish. After all, most tourists are more inclined to ask in their own language and hope for the best. How pedestrian is that, though?

I know, I know – you normally prefer to find your own way without asking. Well, think of it like this: you obviously need to practice asking questions in Polish as much as you need to practice small talk, counting, or ordering a beer. Since you can’t very well ask a complete stranger if they would please help you count to five hundred, you’ll have to stick with asking directions!

We spoke earlier about body relative directions and these tend to be the ones we use most. For example:

“Turn left.”

“Go straight.”

“Turn right.” 

Remember, too, that your approach is important. Many people are wary of strangers and you don’t want to scare them off. It’s best to be friendly, direct and get to the point quickly.  A simple ‘Hi, can you help me?” or “Excuse me, I’m a bit lost,” will suffice. If you have a map in your hand, even better, as your intentions will be clear. 

The bottom line is that if you want to find your way around Poland with ease, it’s a good idea to master these basic phrases. With a little practice, you can also learn how to say directions in Polish. Before you know it, you’ll be the one explaining the way!

3. Conclusion

Now that you have over thirty new directional phrases you can learn in Polish, there’s no need to fear losing your way when you hit the streets of Poland. All you need is a polite approach and your own amazing smile, and the locals will be excited to help you. It’s a chance for them to get better at explaining things to a foreigner, too. Most will enjoy that!

I advise keeping a few things handy in your day pack: a street map, a highlighter, a small notebook and pen, and your Polish phrasebook. It would be useful to also have the Polish WordPower app installed on your phone – available for both iPhone and Android. 

Here’s a quick challenge to get you using the new terms right away. Can you translate these directions into Polish?

“It’s close. Go straight ahead to the top of the hill and turn left at the corner. The building is on the right, opposite a small bus stop.”

You’re doing amazingly well to have come this far! Well done on tackling the essential topic of ‘directions’ – it’s a brave challenge that will be immensely rewarding. Trust me, when you’re standing at a beautiful location that you found just by knowing what to ask in Polish, you’re going to feel pretty darn good.

If you’re as excited as I am about taking Polish to an even deeper level, we have so much more to offer you. Did you know that we’ve already had over 1 billion lesson downloads? I know – we’re blown away by that, too. It’s amazing to be bringing the world’s languages to people who are so hungry for learning. Let me share some of our best options for you:

• If you haven’t done so already, grab your free lifetime account as a start. You’ll get audio and video lessons, plus vocabulary building tools. 
• My favorite freebie is the word of the day, which will arrive in your inbox every morning. Those are the words I remember best!
• Start listening to Polish music. I’m serious – it really works to make the resistant parts of the brain relax and accept the new language. Read about it here for some tips.
• If you enjoy reading, we have some great iBooks for your daily commute.
• If you have a Kindle and prefer to do your reading on a picnic blanket,  there are over 6 hours of unique lessons in Polish for you right there.

That’s it for today! Join PolishPod101 to discover many more ways that we can offer you a truly fun and enriching language learning experience. Happy travels!