How to Ask About Well-Being

Learn how to ask about well-being

Dialogue

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Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can Do Polish by PolishPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask about well-being in Polish.

For example, "How are you?" is

Jak się masz?

Karolina Kowalski is in the office breakroom.

She greets Jaroslaw Jablonski, a colleague, and asks about his well-being.

Before you listen to the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

Dobrze.

"fine"

Dobrze.

Listen to the conversation and focus on the question.

Ready?

Jak się masz?

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

Once more with the English translation.

Jak się masz?

"How are you?"

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Let's break down the conversation.

First, do you remember how Karolina asks,

"How are you?"

Jak się masz?

First is jak, "how." Jak. Jak.

Next is się masz, literally "yourself have" but translates as "you are doing." Się masz. Się masz.

Note, się masz is from the verb mieć się, "to be doing." Mieć się.

Together, it's Jak się masz? Literally "How yourself have," but it translates as "How are you?"

Jak się masz?

Note the rising intonation to indicate that it's a question. Jak się masz?

Let's take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Jarosław says,

"I'm fine, thank you."

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

"I'm fine, thank you." Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

First is mam się, literally "I have myself," but translates as "I am." Mam się. Mam się.

Note, mam się is a shortened form of ja mam się, "I am doing." In Polish, ja, "I," is often omitted when it’s understood.

Mam się is from the verb mieć się, meaning "to be in a state of." Mieć się.

Next is dobrze, "fine." Dobrze. Dobrze.

Together, it’s Mam się dobrze. Literally "I have myself fine," but translates as "I’m fine." Mam się dobrze.

Note, Mam się dobrze can translate as "I’m fine," "I’m well," "I’m good," "I’m okay," etc, but we’ll use "I’m fine" for this lesson.

Next is dziękuję, meaning "Thank you." Dziękuję. Dziękuję.

All together, it’s Mam się dobrze, dziękuję. Literally "I have myself fine, thank you" but translates as "I'm fine, thank you."

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

Note the question "Jak się masz?" is for informal situations.

For formal situations make the following adjustments:

when asking a man, replace masz with pan ma: Jak się pan ma?;

when asking a woman, replace masz with pani ma: Jak się pani ma?

Pan is a formal way to address a man, and pani is a formal way to address a woman.

Ma is the formal form of the verb mieć.

Jak się pan/pani ma? "How are you?" for formal situations. Jak się pan/pani ma?

Remember this variation. You'll see it again later.

In Polish, reflexive verbs are formed by adding the reflexive pronoun się, which has the same form for all persons. Sometimes the verb changes its meaning completely when it is used in the reflexive form such as mieć, "to have" and mieć się, "to be doing."

Let's look at some more examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Jak się masz?

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

Jak się masz?

"How are you?"

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Jak się masz?

Mam się dość dobrze, dziękuję.

Jak się masz?

"How are you?"

Mam się dość dobrze, dziękuję.

"I'm pretty good, thank you."

Jak się pan ma?

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

Jak się pan ma?

"How are you? "

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

"I'm good, thank you."

Jak się masz?

Mam się świetnie, dziękuję.

Jak się masz?

"How are you?"

Mam się świetnie, dziękuję.

"I'm great, thank you."

Jak się masz?

Dobrze. A ty?

Jak się masz?

"How are you?"

Dobrze. A ty?

"Fine. And you?"

Did you notice how the native speaker added the phrase A ty?

Dobrze. A ty?

"I'm fine. And you?"

First is dobrze, "fine." Dobrze.

Here, Dobrze is the shortened form of Mam się dobrze. "I’m fine."

Next is A ty? "And you?" A ty?

First is a. "And." A. A.

Next is ty, an informal word meaning "you." Ty. Ty.

Together, it’s A ty? meaning "And you?" A ty?

You can use this phrase to reciprocate the question when someone asks you about your well being.

For example, if someone says,

Jak się masz?

You can respond with,

Dobrze. A ty?

First, respond to the question. Then inquire about the other person’s well being with A ty?, "And you?"

Remember this pattern, "Dobrze. A ty," you’ll see it again later.

Note, as ty, "you," is informal, this expression is appropriate for informal situations.

For formal situations make the following adjustments:

when asking a man, replace ty with pan: "A pan?";

when asking a woman, replace ty with pani: "A pani?"

Let's review the key vocabulary.

Dość dobrze.

"Pretty good."

Dość dobrze.

Świetnie.

"Great."

Świetnie.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say "how?"

Jak.

And how Karolina Kowalski asks,

"How are you?"

Jak się masz?

Do you remember how to say "fine?"

Dobrze.

And how to say

"I’m fine."

Mam się dobrze.

Do you remember how to say

"Thank you."

Dziękuję.

Do you remember how Jarosław says,

"I'm fine, thank you."

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

Do you remember the informal way to say "And you?"

A ty?

And how to say "pretty good?"

Dość dobrze.

Do you remember the formal way to ask a woman "How are you?"

Jak się pani ma?

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Jarosław , Karolina ’s colleague. Ask how Karolina is doing using informal Polish.

Ready?

Jak się masz?

Mam się dość dobrze, dziękuję.

Listen again and repeat.

Jak się masz?

Let’s try another.

Imagine you're the Kowalski family's Polish teacher, Zuzanna Zajac , and you’re starting class. Ask about Karol’s well being using formal Polish.

Ready?

Jak się pan ma?

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

Listen again and repeat.

Mam się dobrze, dziękuję.

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you’re Konrad, and you meet your friend at school.

Respond by saying, "Fine. And you?"

Ready?

Jak się masz?

Dobrze. A ty?

Listen again and repeat.

Dobrze. A ty?

Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can Ask About Well-Being unit of this course.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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